LINCOLN, Neb. – In their first heptathlon competition of the season, the Wisconsin men's track and field multi-event athletes enjoyed a wildly successful first day of competition at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invite on Friday.
 
Sophomore Zach Lorbeck leads the way for the Badgers, currently sitting in the runner-up spot with 3,303 points after day one of the multi events. Lorbeck took second in the 60 meters with his PR time of 6.97 and sixth in the long jump with a mark of 23 feet, 1 3/4 inches (7.05m). He also was the runner-up in the shot put and high jump events, throwing a personal-best of 47-3 1/2 in the ring, and earning a clearance in the high jump of 6-8 (2.03m).
 
Lorbeck sits just 18 points behind former Badger Zach Ziemek, the 2016 national champion in the heptathlon, who collected 3,321 points through four events.
 
Junior Trent Nytes is in third with 3,274 points. The junior ran a personal-best time of 7.13 to win his heat of the 60 meters, while also winning the heptathlon long jump with a mark of 23-8 1/4 (7.22m). Nytes also took third overall in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 46-6 3/4 (14.19m), and also took third in the high jump, clearing 6-8 (2.03m).
 
Also competing in the heptathlon is senior Sawyer Smith, who is in fourth after the first with a score of 3,274. Smith took third in the 60 meters with a personal-best time of 7.00, and placed eighth in the long jump, soaring 22-9 1/4 (6.94m). In the shot put, Smith finished sixth overall with his throw of 44-8 (13.61m). Smith also took fifth in the high jump, clearing 6-5 1/2 (1.97m) an indoor PR for the LaCrosse, Wisconsin, native.
 
Paul Afflitto sits at ninth with 2,903 points. Afflitto took fifth in the 60 meters, crossing the line in 7.06, and took fourth in the long jump with his personal-best mark of 23-3 1/4 (7.09m). Afflitto threw the shot put 39-9 1/4 (12.12m) and cleared 5-9 1/4 (1.76m).
 
In the pole vault, sophomore Rashid Coulibaly placed fourth overall with his mark of 17-1 1/2 (5.22m), an indoor personal-best mark for the honorable-mention All-American. Coulibaly's mark is tied for the fifth-best mark in program history.
 
Senior Tim Guthrie tied for fifth with his mark of 16-7 1/2 (5.07m) while Jake Wallenfang cleared 16-1 3/4 (4.92m) to take 10th.
 
In his senior indoor season debut, Kallen Bentz ran 7.15 to place sixth overall in his heat of the 60 meters.

The Badgers will be back in action Saturday morning for the second day of competition at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational starting with the men's heptathlon 60 meter hurdles at 9:30 a.m CT.