STILLWATER, Okla.- The 11th-ranked Wisconsin men's cross country team traveled to sunny Stillwater, Oklahoma, to compete in the 2021 NCAA Championships on Monday.
Hirsch Leads the Badgers
Senior and Nebraska native, Seth Hirsch, was the Badger to watch as he led Wisconsin, covering the hilly course in a time of 31 minutes, 4.3 seconds. Hirsch started out at the back of the pack for UW but rapidly gained momentum at the 5k mark, jumping 17 spots from his initial 107th place. With 1,000 meters to go, Hirsch continued to put his foot on the gas, jumping another 10 spots to secure his 58th-place finish, 109 places higher than his 2019 NCAA appearance, where he placed 167th with a time of 32:31.8.
Ellenberg and Sharp stand out
Wisconsin's top-tw0o finishers at the Big Ten championships Rowen Ellenberg and Jackson Sharp also had notable performances. Ellenberg made his first NCAA appearance and was the second Badger to cross the line, placing 78th with a time of 31:15.5. Olin Hacker followed and placed 98th in 31:32.5.
Sharp was the fourth runner to cross the line for Wisconsin and finished 120th with a time of 31:43.9, improving 83 spots from his last NCAA appearance where he placed 203rd.
Charlie Wheeler (191st) rounded out the effort for Wisconsin who raced the 10k in 32:42.0.
The men placed 18th with a score of 464 points. Northern Arizona took home the national title with four runners placing the top 10. This is NAU's fourth national title in five years.
Straight from the Course
"Today was a tough day. When we toe the line at the national championships, we expect more. Our history shows this. However, we can't live in the past. Today's race is not indicative of the sacrifice, hard work, and commitment these guys have shown the last 12 months.
"The impact of COVID has been real, and balancing a conference indoor championships has taken a toll on our athletes. Right now, we will take some time off, regroup and refocus. The great thing about our sports is that we always get to do it again. We will learn and grow from this tough outing."
-Head Coach, Mick Byrne
Results
Team Scores
1. Northern Arizona - 60
2. Notre Dame - 87
3. Oklahoma State - 142
4. Arkansas - 1812.
5. Stanford - 194
6. Tulsa - 237
7. BYU - 254
8. Iowa State - 265
9. Southern Utah - 270
10. Iona - 311
11. Utah State - 351
12. Ole Miss - 373
13. Butler - 379
14. Colorado - 398
15. Wake Fores - 524
16. Duke - 462
17. Michigan State - 463
18. Wisconsin - 464
19. Air Force - 464
20. Villanova - 468
