PHILADELPHIA  – The Wisconsin men's track and field team made history on Friday at Franklin Field as the Badgers won the distance medley relay at the 125th running of the Penn Relays, the program's first Penn Relays title since 1916.

The quartet of Morgan McDonald, Corbin Ellis, Eric Brown and Olli Hoare won the event by taking down reigning NCAA champion Notre Dame along with Georgetown and Indiana, who finished third and fourth, respectively, at this year's NCAA indoor meet. 

"103 years is a long time to wait to win a Championship of America Penn Relays wheel, but to be honest, this is what we came here to do," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne. "In saying that, anything can happen race day, and it did."
 
McDonald, a three-time NCAA champion, ran the 1200 meter leg for UW, keeping a controlled pace and passing the baton along to Ellis, who ran the 400 meter leg in a blazing 47.39 split. Eric Brown was next and split the fastest 800 meter leg with a time of 1:49.37 to keep the Badgers in the lead. Once anchor leg Olli Hoare got the baton, the pace slowed and the runners began to bunch up. Hoare, the 2018 NCAA Outdoor 1500 Meters champion and current world-leader in the event, unleashed his signature kick with 200 meters to go and crossed the line at 9 minutes, 47.19 seconds.
 
"This is somewhat redemption for NCAAs, but only in the sense that we turned the tide on the national champs," Byrne said. "To do this with two Wisconsin walk-ons is rewarding and I'm very excited for Corbin and Eric, especially Corbin, who has battled through injury earlier this year."
 
The Badgers also competed in the 4x100 relay, where Doak Walker award-winner and current Badger football star Jonathan Taylor made his collegiate track debut. The team of Robby Hatch, Taylor, David Young and Corbin Ellis placed 23rd overall with a time of 42.00 seconds.

"There was a lot of buzz around Jonathan Taylor here in Philly today," said Byrne. "He's a big story here on the easy coast because of what he's accomplished on the football field, but also because he competed here at the Penn Relays as a high schooler."

"It's going to take a few meets for JT to get his sprinting legs under him, but today in the 4x100 relay, he certainly did not look like he's been away from track for over two years. He was smooth, controlled, relaxed, and clean on the exchange."

UW earned another top-25 finish in a relay event after taking 25th in the 4x400. The squad of Robby Hatch, Ryan Dundun, Colin Enz and Stacey Boyd II came through with an overall time of 3:14.67.
 
Robby Hatch also competed individually in the 400 meter hurdles. Hatch placed 19th overall with a time of 53.77.
 
Up Next:
The Badgers will return to Franklin Field on Saturday for the last day of the Penn Relays. UW will be competing in two relay events starting with the 4xMile relay, which is scheduled to begin at 3:10 p.m. CT.
 
Penn Relays
Philadelphia, Penn.
Friday, April 26
 
400 Meter Hurdles
19. Robby Hatch – 53.77
 
4x100 Relay
23. Wisconsin (Hatch, Taylor, Young, Ellis) – 42.00
 
4x400 Relay
25. Wisconsin (Hatch, Dundun, Enz, Boyd II) – 3:14.67
 
Distance Medley Relay
1. Wisconsin (McDonald, Ellis, Brown, Hoare) – 9:47.19