BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Led by senior Morgan McDonald's sweep of the distance races, the Wisconsin men's track and field team claimed a fourth-place finish at the NCAA indoor championships, marking the Badgers' best showing since 2013.

After winning the 5000 meters Friday night, McDonald came back to the track and delivered another exciting performance in the 3000 meters, out-kicking Grant Fisher of Stanford in the last lap to seal his historic win. McDonald crossed the line in a track-record time of 7 minutes, 52.85 seconds to complete his sweep of the distance titles.

"The plan was still to put myself in a good position and just respond to the race and do what I felt was right at the time," the senior said. "I did have in my head that Grant [Fisher] got ahead of me with a few lapts to go and it was really hard to go around him on the last lap at the Millrose Games, so I was cautious of that. That's why when there were about 600 meters to go, I just made that move to the front, and from then on it was just holding him off and saving it for the last straight so he couldn't pass me coming off the curve."

McDonald, also the reigning cross country national champion, is the first Badger to win both the 3K and 5K at the indoor national championships.

"Every time I step out for a race, I just want to do my best," said McDonald. "I'm always so thankful to Wisconsin for what it has given me and my teammates. This opportunity has been given to me, and to be able to add to Wisconsin's legacy for myself, for the team, the alumni, and especially the future Badgers, it makes me so happy and I just want to keep adding to it."
 
Olli Hoare also raced the 3000 meters, but not before earning a podium finish in the mile by taking bronze with a time of 4 minutes, 8.14 seconds. Hoare came out strong, sticking with the leaders throughout. At the bell lap, the Sydney, Australia, native began to make his breakaway, but was narrowly out-kicked down the last stretch by Geordie Beamish of Northern Arizona and Casey Comber of Villanova.

With his third-place finish, Hoare is now a five-time All-American, a total that includes his national title outdoors in the 1500 meters last season.

Later returning to the track for the 3000, Hoare crossed the line in his fourth race of the weekend with a time of 8:21.63.
 
Trent Nytes picked up points for the Badgers thanks to his seventh-place finish in the heptathlon. The senior recorded a season-best score of 5,746 points and notched two team points for UW in his effort.
 
Nytes started out the day clocking in with a time of 8.49 in the 60-meter hurdles before clearing a height of 13 feet, 11 3/4 inches in the pole vault. To clinch his podium finish, the senior ran strong, earning a personal-best time of 2:43.13 in the 1000 meters. Nytes earned first-team All-America honors for the first time in his career.
 
Zach Lorbeck took 11th in the seven-discipline event, recording 5,581 total points and earning second-team All-America honors for the second straight season. In the first event of the day, Lorbeck crossed the line with a time of 8.43 in the 60 hurdles. He went on to clear a season-best height of 14-3 1/2 in the pole vault and finished out the day by clocking in with a time of 2:54.27 in the 1000 meters.
 
Both Lorbeck and Nytes improved upon their finishes from last year. Lorbeck took 15th overall and Nytes was the 11th-place finisher at the 2018 championships.

"I'm very proud of all of our student-athletes who competed here in Birmingham," said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Mick Byrne. "To close out the national championships with three individual champions and a fourth place team trophy was very exciting."

"There are no freebies handed out at this meet. You have to dig deep and earn every single point. The entire weekend, it felt like we were on a rollercoaster. Just when one thing went the way we scripted it, something else didn't go quite as planned. However, our athletes rallied all weekend long, and we grabbed a trophy. That was our goal coming into the meet."

Up next, the Badgers will head into the outdoor season, starting March 23 with the Aztec Invite in San Diego.
 
2019 NCAA Indoor Championships
Birmingham, Alabama
Saturday, March 9
 
Mile
3. Olli Hoare – 4:08.14
 
3000 Meters
1. Morgan McDonald – 7:52.85
16. Olli Hoare – 8:21.63
 
Heptathlon
7. Trent Nytes – 5,746
11. Zach Lorbeck – 5,581
 
Heptathlon 60 Meter Hurdles
10. Zach Lorbeck – 8.43
13. Trent Nytes – 8.49
 
Heptathlon Pole Vault
14. Zach Lorbeck – 14-3 1/2 (4.36m)
15. Trent Nytes – 13-11 3/4 (4.26m)
 
Heptathlon 1000 Meters
4. Trent Nytes – 2:43.13
15. Zach Lorbeck – 2:54.27