BY AJ HARRISON
UW Athletic Communications

MADISON, Wis. — Following an action-packed weekend in New York City, the Wisconsin track and field teams will make their second trip of the year to Iowa, this time competing in Ames at the Iowa State Classic.

The Badgers sent approximately 30 student-athletes to the Big Apple for the Armory Track Invitational and enjoyed several outstanding performances. Morgan McDonald ran the third-fastest time in school history in the invitational 3000 meters to finish runner-up.

"For me it was a pretty ideal early season race," McDonald said. "I came away with a personal best and a time that should qualify me for nationals."

"Mission accomplished for Morgan," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. "He came to New York to get an NCAA qualifier and if you go on past results, his time gets you into the national meet every year. It's nice to know that you can go back to training instead of chasing a standard."

The UW relays also shined, as the Badgers' quartet of Gabby DesRosiers, Ebony McClendon, Georgia Ellenwood and Brenna Detra ran the second-fastest time in program history in the 4x400-meter relay en route to a fourth-place showing in the invitational section. In addition, the Wisconsin women won the distance medley relay while the men finished runner-up.

"Overall all of our relays were solid," Byrne said. "Certainly we will have more in the tank, which we will need at the Big Ten meet."

Wisconsin has only two more meets — the Iowa State Classic and the UW Shell Shocker — before the 2017 Big Ten Indoor Championships on Feb. 24-25 at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Almost every Badger will compete this weekend at the Iowa State Classic, which begins on Friday at the Lied Recreation Center and wraps up on Saturday. The meet, which is one of the premier meets of the indoor season, can be seen online via FloTrack Pro.

"The goal this weekend for our student-athletes is to throw down some marks and hopefully earn the right to compete at the Big Ten meet," Byrne said. "No one is being left behind this weekend. The team knows what our goal is and that's for them to earn a spot."