When many think about the Wisconsin men's track and field multi-events group, one name comes to mind: 2016 NCAA heptathlon champion
Zach Ziemek, one of the most accomplished multi-event athletes in school, conference and NCAA history.
However, when the Badgers head to Lincoln, Nebraska, this weekend for the 2016 Big Ten Outdoor Championships, four other decathletes look to make their mark in the 10-discipline event.
Ziemek, a two-time Big Ten decathlon champion, leads the conference with a score of 8,047 points, which ranks second nationally.
"Double Z" isn't the only one to post a solid decathlon score this year. Senior
Charlie Foss and redshirt freshman
Trent Nytes both enter the weekend with scores over 7,000 points, as Foss ranks fifth in the league with a personal-best of 7,068 points. Nytes is right behind Foss in sixth, as he scored 7,007 points in his first-ever decathlon in April.
"Obviously it is for people to focus on the best guy, and not pay attention to the supporting cast," Foss said. "The way Big Ten titles are won is you will have your first and second-place studs. But it's the supporting cast that is going to bring it home for the team and hopefully we can do that this year."
In addition to the three Badgers ranked in the top six in the conference,
Brandon Mortensen and
Sawyer Smith will suit up in the decathlon for the Cardinal and White. At last year's Big Ten outdoor meet, Mortensen was in second place after the first day of competition before suffering an injury during the second day. Smith was in fourth with a personal-best first-day score before also suffering a minor injury on the second day.
"For all five of us, our number one goal is to score as many points as we can for the team," Foss said. "But we are shooting for the decathlon group score record set in 2012 by Ian (Jansen), Zach (Ziemek), Dave (Grzesiak) , Derek (Steinbach) and (Japheth) Cato. It was the best decathlon score ever by five individuals at the NCAA level.
"With Zach already posting a score over 8000 points, that will help us. If Morty (Mortensen) and Sawyer can get over 7000 and Trent and I can improve, we will be in great shape for that record."
In addition, UW is looking to bolster its chances to win the Webb Cup, which is awarded by The Decathlon Association to the school that paces the nation in decathlon success.
"When I got the job here 10 years ago, I felt like this is what we could be," assistant coach
Nate Davis said. "Initially I was with just the women's program, and we have been able to get to that point, but I always felt like it was something we could do on the men's side with the kids that we attract.
"I'm not afraid to have practice for 10 hours between a bunch of groups, giving guys the attention that they need, one on one, or in groups or two or three. You also have to bring in the kids that want to work and get better, and that's exciting. They all have fun, they all live together and it's a blast working with them."
Wisconsin is one of two schools in the country that have three decathletes that have scored more than 7000 points this year and looks to become the first school in the NCAA this year to get four or more 7000-point scorers.
"I want our guys to have fun and compete," Davis said. "You only get a couple of chances to compete, so you want them to enjoy it. You work all year long, every day, to get only a couple of opportunities to compete. You just want to have fun with it. We want to do our best and compete and enjoy the moment."
The decathlon this weekend marks only the second-ever decathlon for Nytes, who redshirted last year. In his Big Ten debut at the 2016 Big Ten Indoor Championships, the Kaukauna, Wisconsin, native finished third with a score of 5,475 points.
"I would love to get another podium finish and get a national score," Nytes said. "But the big goal we have is for that best five-man decathlon score. All five of us want to score points for our team and hopefully put up scores to make it to the NCAA meet next month."
