Five Things to Know: Badgers Split for Penn Elite, Fighting Illini Challenge

Thursday, January 22

Champaign, IL

11:00 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events

joshua onwunili running at the badger midwest invite

Photo by: Maddox Durst

Five Things to Know: Badgers Split for Penn Elite, Fighting Illini Challenge

January 21, 2026 | Men's Track & Field

Wisconsin heads east and south for a busy weekend of competition

By: Dani Savin

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's track and field team will split up for competition this weekend, sending athletes to Philadelphia, Pa., and Champaign, Ill. The Penn Elite will take place Jan. 24, while the Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events run Jan. 22-24. Select runners and throwers will compete in Illinois while the remaining Badgers take on the field in Philadelphia.

Fans can follow the action on X and Instagram @BadgerTrackXC and can find a recap following the meet at UWBadgers.com.

LAST TIME OUT: The Badgers enter the weekend coming off a strong showing highlighted by wins and podium finishes. Liam Newhart, Lorenz Forsmann, Patrick Hilby and Bryce Stachewicz teamed up to win the DMR in 9 minutes, 38.97 seconds, while Andrew Casey, Farraj Al Amin, Henry Risser and Pierce Seigne placed second in the DMR in 9:46.38. Individually, Nathan Nelson finished fourth in the pole vault with a clearance of 15 feet, 11 inches (4.85 meters). On the track, Jalen Williams captured the 300 meters with a personal-best 33.68 and Casey added a win in the 800 meters, crossing in 1:50.22.

FLYING FRESHMAN: Wisconsin's young talent continues to make an immediate impact. Freshman Zion Omotesa ran a personal-best 1:17.83 in the 600 meters to place third overall, a performance that now ranks sixth in the UW indoor record book. In the hurdles, Tonovila HIcks remained a standout, clocking a personal-best 7.94 in the 60-meter hurdles prelims to replace himself as No. 8 in the UW indoor record book before finishing third in the final with a time of 8.02.

RETURN TO PENN: Middle distance runners, sprinters and hurdlers will compete at the Penn Elite, marking Wisconsin's first indoor competition at Penn in more than 10 years this Saturday. Making their 2026 debuts are Giovanni Wearing, the 2025 Big Ten Outdoor 110-meter hurdles champion, and Matan Ivri, who placed third in the 5000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, as both return to the track this weekend.

CHARGING AHEAD IN CHAMPAIGN: The Fighting Illini Challenge and Combined Events will provide a fresh stage for the Badger throwers, multi-event athletes and pole vaulters. This will be the team's fourth meet of the season. The heptathlon will take place on Thursday and Friday with events starting at noon on Thursday and 11:30 a.m. on Friday. Action on Saturday starts at 10 a.m. Fans can watch the event live at RunnerSpace.com.

UP NEXT: Wisconsin returns to action at the Meyo Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind., Jan. 30-31.