MADISON, Wis. – The five-time national champion UW men's cross country team prepares for another NCAA Championship opportunity on Saturday, Nov. 23. The women's race begins at 9:20 a.m. CT at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course, while the men's race is set for 10:10 a.m.The event will be televised on ESPNU with coverage starting at 8:30 a.m. CT. 

UW will make its 62nd appearance at the NCAA Championships this Saturday, the most of any school in the country. The Badgers have won five national titles, their last coming in 2011. The last Badger to win the individual championship was Morgan McDonald in 2018, the last time the meet was hosted in Madison. He joined the elite company of three fellow UW runners, including consecutive champion Simon Bairu (2004-2005), Tim Hacker (1985) and Walter Mehl (1939).

Fans attending the NCAA Championships are encouraged to purchase parking and their admission tickets ahead of time. An admission ticket is required for all spectators. An admission ticket is $20 and a parking permit is $5. One parking permit is required per vehicle and an admission ticket, which includes a shuttle ride, is $20. All transactions, including on-site sales, will be cashless. To purchase admission tickets and parking, click HERE. Parking lots open at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.  Spectators can also check out more of the meet info, HERE. 

1. LAST YEAR AT NCAAs: UW finished 10th at last year's NCAA Championships held in Charlottesville, Virginia. It marked the second-straight season the Badgers finished in the top-10. Sharp was the first Badger to cross the line, covering the 10k course in 29:51.1 and placing 41st overall. 

2. HOW WE GOT HERE: Another thrilling season is in the books for the Badgers, highlighted by an individual Big Ten title, three individual wins and four team victories. Graduate student Rowen Ellenberg got the campaign kicked off back in early September with his first collegiate cross country win at the Badger Classic. New Zealand native, Christian de Vaal, would follow up with a win in his collegiate cross country debut at the Big Ten Preview. Four-time Big Ten cross country champion, Bob Liking recorded a top-10 finish, leading the Badgers to victory at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational. The St. Charles, Ill. native became the first Badger in school history to win four straight Big Ten individual titles while leading UW to its seventh-straight Big Ten Championship. Finally, last Friday's regional featured excellent pack running as the Badgers ran themselves into second place and an automatic qualification spot.

3. NAMES TO KNOW: Liking is not the only Badger to dominate for this team. Alongside Bob Liking, Christian de Vaal and Matan Ivri finished top-10 at the Big Ten Championships, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. Johnny Livingstone and Rowen Ellenberg collected second-team conference accolades with top-15 finishes. In addition, de Vaal and Ivri were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

4. A PACKED FIELD: The NCAA Championship features the nation's top-31 teams. UW comes into Saturday's race ranked No. 7 in the last USTFCCCA poll, trailing Big Sky Champions, Northern Arizona. Big Ten foes Washington and Oregon come in ranked No. 12 and No. 15 following their 1-2 finish at regionals, while Great Lakes rivals Notre Dame and Butler are ranked No. 13 and No. 21, respectively.

5. LONG TIME COMING: UW returns as hosts of the 2024 NCAA Championships at the Zimmer Cross Country Championship Course in Madison, Wisconsin. The Badgers last hosted in 2018 when Morgan McDonald claimed the individual title on his home course in 29:08.3. His winning time is still the fastest 10K recorded at Zimmer during NCAA competition.