GENEVA, Ohio -- Behind two-time Big Ten Conference champion Olin Hacker, the Wisconsin men's track and field team finished fifth at the indoor championships on Saturday. The Badgers scored 74 points to finish just six points out of fourth. Iowa won the team title with 117 points.

"At the beginning of the season, what we talked about is being better than we've been at this meet," director track and field and cross country Mick Byrne said. "We were right up there on the top of the leader board and our kids fought for every point we got. There are no easy points in this meet.

"When you look at the depth of the conference and you look at the overall results of this conference compared to the other conferences across the country, you're going to see where we stack up. Having our kids go out there and fight for every points, that all we can ask them to do."

Hacker becomes double winner

After winning the 3,000 meters on Friday night by running away from the field, Hacker did the same thing during Saturday's 5,000 meters. The Madison native usedwin  a kick over the last 150 meters of the race to win his second Big Ten individual title, crossing the line in 13 minutes, 55.39 seconds. Teammate Charlie Wheeler finished fifth in 13:57.61.

Waunakee native Lawrence Johnson earned his best Big Ten finish, coming in second in the 60-meter dash in 6.63.

Wisconsin also picked up points in the middle distance events as sophomore Abdullahi Hassan took fourth in the 800 meters in 1:49.58 while two Badgers scored in the mile run. Freshman Adam Spencer finished fifth in 4:09.30 while junior Jackson Sharp placed seventh in 4:09.97.

Scoring in the field events

Four Badgers scored in the field events and multi-events.

In the weight throw, grad transfer Sam Coil finished fourth with a toss of 70 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Redshirt freshman Jason Swarens scored in his first Big Ten championship, placing eighth at 65-5 1/2.

Wisconsin also scored two places in the heptathlon. Grad transfer Jack Herkert took fifth with a personal best 5,568 points while junior Cade Amborn also scored a personal best, finishing eighth with 5,369 points.

Herkert led the Badgers in the heptathlon 60-meter hurdles, finishing fourth in 8.30. Amborn ran a personal best time of 8.33 in the hurdles to place sixth. Amborn was the top finisher in the pole vault with a clearance of 15-1 to place seventh.

"Some of the younger athletes who haven't been at this meet before, this was their coming-out party," added Byrne. "The future of this program looks really good with these young athletes. We had a lot athletes that this was their first Big Ten meet. It's a little daunting. Our young athletes rose to the occasion this weekend and I'm really proud of that."

Up Next

The Badgers send qualifiers to the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 11-12 at The Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama.

Men's Results

Team Scores
1. Iowa - 117
2. Ohio State - 102
3. Nebraska - 90
4. Indiana - 80
5. Wisconsin - 74

60 meters
2. Lawrence Johnson - 6.63

800 meters
4. Abdullahi Hassan - 1:49.58

Mile
5. Adam Spencer - 4:09.30
7. Jackson Sharp - 4:09.97

5000 meters
1. Olin Hacker - 13:55.39
5. Charlie Wheeler - 13:57.61

Weight Throw
4. Sam Coil - 70-6 1/2
8. Jason Swarens - 65-5 1/2

Heptathlon
5. Jack Herkert - 5468
8. Cade Amborn - 5369
12. Quinn Lansill - 4648
14. Max Herkert - 4238

Heptathlon 60-meter hurdles
4. Jack Herkert - 8.30
6. Cade Amborn - 8.33
11. Quinn Lansill - 8.64
13. Max Herkert - 8.69

Heptathlon pole vault
7. Cade Amborn - 15-1
8. Jack Herkert - 14-5 1/4
14. Quinn Lansill - 11-5 3/4

Heptathlon 1000 meters
10. Max Herkert - 2:51.58
11. Quinn Lansill - 2:55.04
12. Cade Amborn - 2:55.14
13. Jack Herkert - 2:55.75