CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Thanks to a top-50 finish from senior
Jackson Sharp, the Wisconsin men's cross country team secured a top-10 finish at NCAA Championships on Saturday at Panorama Farms.
The Badgers finished with 330 points to claim their 37th top-10 finish at NCAAs. Saturday marked Wisconsin's 61st appearance at NCAA Championships, the most of any program all-time.
In his final collegiate cross country race, Sharp carried the load up front for Wisconsin, finishing 41st overall and crossing the 10K course in 29 minutes, 51.1 seconds. It marked the second-straight season Sharp was the top finisher for UW at the NCAA meet.
Sophomore Adam Spencer capped off his year by placing 70th, finishing at 30:15.5. The Melbourne, Australia, native claimed All-Region and All-Big Ten First Team honors earlier this season.
Juniors Josh Truchon and Bob Liking rounded out the top-100 for the Badgers, finishing strong campaigns of their own. Liking won the NCAA Great Lakes Regional and the Big Ten Championship this season, while Truchon broke onto the scene with a Badger Classic win back in September.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Micah Wilson was the fifth Badger across the line placing 133rd.
Straight from the Course
UW Director of Track and Field And Cross Country Mick Byrne:
"On the men's side, we're going to walk away from this disappointed. We came in expecting more. We lost a couple of guys last week through illness. We thought they were ready to go and that they had rebounded. The results speak for themselves as they didn't. We have to grow and learn from this and be better. Across the board, it was just one of those days where we had a bad day at the office and you have to put it beyond you and learn from it and be better next time."
Notes to Know
- It marked the second-straight season UW has finished in the top-10
- UW was the top-finishing team from the Big Ten and the Great Lakes Region
- Wisconsin has finished in the top-10 11 times under Big Ten Coach of the Year Mick Byrne.
What's Next: As the Badgers 2023 season comes to a close, looking ahead to a 2024 campaign is cause for excitement. The nation's top two meets will head to Madison and the Zimmer Cross Country Championship Course next season. The Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational Presented by Under Armour returns in 2024, while the NCAA Championships rolls into Madison on Nov. 23. The last time Wisconsin hosted NCAAs was 2018 when UW legend Morgan McDonald took home the individual crown on home-soil.
2023 NCAA Championships
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023
Panorama Farms Cross Country Course
Charlottesville, Virginia
10K Course
Race Results:
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Top 10 Teams
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1. Oklahoma State
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49
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2. Northern Arizona
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71
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3. BYU
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196
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4. Arkansas
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211
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5. Iowa State
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230
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6. North Carolina
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249
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7. Texas
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262
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8. Stanford
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291
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9. Syracuse
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299
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10. Wisconsin
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330
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Top 10 Individuals
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1. Graham Blanks
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HARV
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28:37.7
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2. Habtom Samuel
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NM
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28:40.7
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3. Ky Robinson
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STAN
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28:55.7
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4. Denis Kipngetich
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OKST
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28:59.7
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5. Drew Bosely
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NAU
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29:03.8
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6. Nico Young
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NAU
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29:04.2
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7. Patrick Kiprop
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ARK
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29:07.7
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8. Brian Musau
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OKST
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29:11.0
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9. Parker Wolfe
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UNC
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29:12.6
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10. Fouad Messaoudi
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OKST
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29:13.3
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