Wisconsin Badgers
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Five Things to Know: Badgers seek second straight Big Ten Championship
February 20, 2024 | Men's Track & Field
UW comes into Friday's championships ranked No. 10 in the country
MADISON, Wis. – The UW men's track & field team travels to Geneva, Ohio, for the Big Ten Championships on Friday and Saturday. The Badgers look to defend their 2023 Big Ten indoor title and earn their 24th Big Ten Indoor Championship in school history.
Events begin Friday at 10:30 a.m., starting with the heptathlon. Fans can watch live on B1G + and follow the action on Twitter and Instagram @BadgerTrackXC and can find a recap following the meet at UWBadgers.com. Live results can be found on PTTiming.
1. PACKED FIELD: UW comes into the weekend ranked No. 10 in the latest USTFCCCA top 25 poll. It marks the second straight week the Badgers have placed in the top 10. They'll compete against three other ranked teams at Big Tens, including No. 8 Nebraska, No. 22 Penn State and No. 23 Illinois.
2. SPRINTS: Wisconsin features three sprinters looking to take home the title this weekend. Sam Amusan lines up in the 60 meters, holding the No. 10 time in school history set this season at 6.78. Amusan's time is No. 12 in the Big Ten. He also won the 200 meters at last weekend's Alex Wilson Invitational. Giovanni Wearing will run in the 60-meter hurdle for the Badgers. He has the third fastest time in school history at 7.72, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten this season and 23rd in the nation. Wearing is just .07 off the top Big Ten mark, previewing a competitive race to come. Jalen Williams is set to compete in the 400 meters. Williams has won numerous races this season and has the ninth-fastest 400-meter time in the conference this season.
3. DISTANCE: Distance will be a focal point of the weekend for UW. Abdullahi Hassan will line up for the 800 meters just two weekends after setting the school record in the event. He has the fastest time in the Big Ten and second fastest in the NCAA this season. In the mile, Adam Spencer is set to feature. Spencer broke the school record in the mile two Sundays ago at the coveted Millrose Games. His time of 3:52.70 is the fastest in the conference and fourth quickest in the country. Dynamic distance duo of Jackson Sharp and Bob Liking are set to feature in the 3000 meters and 5000 meters. The pair hold the two fastest 3000 meters times in the Big Ten and have the 2-3 spots in the 5000 meters. Benjamin Nibbelink and Micah Wilson will be two athletes to watch in these races as well, as both hold top 10 conference times in the 3000 meters. Finally, the men's DMR, including Spencer, Williams, Hassan, and Sharp, will look to win the Big Ten title over Michigan after earning the eighth-fastest time in the country last weekend at 9:21.07.
4. THROWERS: A pair of Badger throwers have starred for the group all season. Jason Swarens comes in as the top seed in the Big Ten in the shot put. His mark of 65-4 ¾ (19.93m) ranks No. 2 in the country as well. Swarens will also compete in the weight throw, where he ranks fifth in the conference and No. 38 in the nation. Andrew Stone checks in as the No. 4 shot put in the Big Ten with a mark of 64-10 (19.76m), set this previous weekend. Stone's throw puts him eighth in the country as he looks to earn a top 16 qualification to nationals. Cole Hooper and Jacob Bugella will also be paramount in the weight throw as the two rank 10 and 11 in the conference.
5. UP NEXT: Select Badgers will travel to Boston for the NCAA Championships starting Friday, March 8. Athletes who rank top-16 in Division I in their events qualify for NCAAs, while relays require a top-12 time.
Players Mentioned
