Wisconsin Badgers
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Badgers capture second-straight Big Ten championship
February 24, 2024 | Men's Track & Field
Spencer, Wearing and Sharp win titles on second day of championship
GENEVA, Ohio – Thanks to a trio of individual Big Ten titles, the Wisconsin men's track and field team won its second-straight Big Ten indoor title on Saturday afternoon at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva Ohio.
The Badgers earned 122 points, defeating Nebraska, who placed second with 118, to claim the program's 26th indoor title.
Adam Spencer won his second-straight Big Ten title in the mile, Jackson Sharp won the 3000 meters, and Gio Wearing became the first Badger in more than 20 years to claim an indoor conference title in the 60 hurdles.
Jackson Sharp and Bob Liking went 1-2 in the 3000 meters, less than 24 hours after the duo went 1-2 in the 5000 meters on Friday. Sharp crossed the line in 7:46.42 seconds, while Liking was second in 7:51.96. It marks the second-straight season that Sharp has swept the 3000 and 5000 meters at the indoor conference meet.
The duo of Ben Nibbelink and Rowen Ellenberg also picked up valuable points for UW in the 3000 meters. Nibbelink took sixth in 8:01.45, while Ellenberg placed seventh in 8:01.50.
The second day of the meet started off strong as Spencer won the mile title, crossing the line in 4:05.90. It is Spencer's fourth career title, including Friday's distance medley relay victory.
Wearing became the first Badger in over 20 years to win the Big Ten title in the 60-meter hurdles. He crossed the line in 7.69 seconds, .01 off his personal best that he set on Day 1 of the event. Wearing's time has him in contention to compete at the NCAA Championships.
UW picked up runner-up finishes in the 400 and 800 meters as Jalen Williams took second in the 400 meters with a school-record time of 46.33.Abdullahi Hassan placed second in the 800 meters in 1 minute, 48.46 seconds, while freshman Andrew Casey took fourth at 1:48.50 in his first Big Ten meet.
Cade Amborn finished third in the heptathlon after earning 5,707 points. His victory in the high jump, as well as top-three finishes in the 60-meter hurdle and shot put, propelled him to the bronze medal.
Jason Swarens battled throughout the shot put, with his best mark coming in the fourth round. Swarens finished third with a distance of 64 feet, 6 ½ inches (19.37m). Andrew Stone grabbed crucial points for the Badgers as he finished sixth with a mark of 62-3 ¼ (18.98m).
The Badgers picked up a point in the 4x400 relay as the quartet of Williams, Casey, Elliott Harris and Hassan finished in 3:10.94.
Straight from the Track
Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne
"This was a total team effort. We did it across the board. We knew we had to get big points, and I'm so proud of these guys. We're now Big Ten Champions for the second year in a row."
Associate Head Coach Kareem Jackson
"This group has worked so hard this year to put things together for a meet of this magnitude at this time of year; it's what everything is about. For Jalen and Gio to do what they did, and the rest of the group, I couldn't be more excited."
Notes from the Track
- Spencer became the fifth Badger to repeat as mile champion, joining the likes of Charles Fenske (1936-1938), Don Gehrmann (1949-50), Steve Lacy (1976-78) and Oliver Hoare (2018-19)
- Wearing became the first Badger since T.J. Nelson in 2001 to win a conference title in the 60 hurdles.
- Williams smashed the school record in the 400 meters, breaking a 41-year old school record of 46.45 set by LeRoy Dixson.
- The Badgers claimed their 26th Big Ten indoor title, tying them with Michigan for the most in conference history.
Up Next: The NCAA will announce the field for the 2024 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Tuesday. This year's championships will take place on March 8-9 in Boston.
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
The Spire
Geneva, Ohio
Saturday Results
Team Scores
1. Wisconsin - 122 points
2. Nebraska - 118 points
3. Penn State - 88 points
4. Ohio State - 80.33 points
5. Indiana - 61.33 points
6. Iowa - 58 points
7. Illinois - 54.5 points
8. Michigan - 49 points
9. Rutgers - 28.5 points
10. Purdue - 21.33 points
11. Michigan State - 21
400 meter Final
2. Jalen Williams - 46.33 PR, SR
Mile Final
1. Adam Spencer - 4:05.90
10. Joe dosReis - 4:11.71
800 meter final
2. Abdullahi Hassan - 1:48.46
4. Andrew Casey - 1:48.50 PR
3000 meters
1. Jackson Sharp - 7:46.42
2. Bob Liking - 7:51.96
6. Benjamin Nibbelink - 8:01.50
7. Rowen Ellenberg - 8:05.50
15. Micah Wilson - 8:12.52
60-meter hurdle finals
1. Giovanni Wearing - 7.69
4x400
8. J. Williams, A. Casey, E. Harris, A. Hassan - 3:10.94
Triple jump
10. Justin Kiefel - 48-10 (14.88m) PB
Shot put
3. Jason Swarens - 64-6 ½ (19.37m)
6. Andrew Stone - 62-3 ¼ (18.98m)
Heptathlon
3. Cade Amborn - 5,703
7. Quinn Lansill - 5,235
1000 meters
4. Quinn Lansill - 2:39.44
13. Cade Amborn - 2:53.23
60-meter hurdles
3. Cade Amborn - 8.20
9. Quinn Lansill - 8.40
Pole vault
3. Cade Amborn - 15-1 (4.60m)
8. Quinn Lansill 13-1 ½ (4.00)
Players Mentioned
