Wisconsin Badgers
USF Alumni Invitational
Five things to know: Badgers head south to lunch outdoor season
March 17, 2026 | Women's Track & Field
A strong indoor season fuels Wisconsin’s outdoor kickoff in Tampa
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin women's track and field team is ready to launch into their outdoor campaign this weekend, heading to Tampa, Florida for the University of South Florida Alumni Invitational.
The meet is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. CT on Friday, March 20 and at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. Live results will be available here. Fans who can't make the trip can follow along through updates on Instagram and X at @BadgerTrackXC.
1. BUILDING HER LEGACY: Last weekend, Taylor Kesner placed seventh in the weight throw at the Indoor National Championships, launching a season‑best 73 feet, 7 ½ inches (22.44m). The performance earned her first‑team All‑American honors for the second straight year, cementing her as one of the nation's most consistent throwers. Kesner now turns her attention to the outdoor season, where she'll look to carry that momentum into the hammer throw.
2. BADGERS REWRITE THE LISTS : Eight Badgers climbed into the UW indoor top‑ten lists this season with standout performances across sprints, distance events and field events. In the sprints, four athletes delivered top‑ten marks in the 60 meters and 200 meters. Freshmen Luciana Aizpurua and Catalina Sanchious ran personal bests in the 60 meters, moving to No. 3 and No. 9 in program history. Rachel Robinson also earned a spot on the list at No. 7. In the 200 meters, Sydney Robinson ran her personal best and now ranks No. 9 all‑time. Two distance runners made major moves this season. Kylie Finger rose to No. 4 in the 3,000 meters and No. 5 in the 5,000 meters. Leané Willemse secured the No. 7 spot in the 5,000 meters. In the field events, Elissa Perkins jumped to No. 3 in the triple jump. Zonica Lindeque moved up to No. 5 in the shot put and sophomore Nora Skoracewski earned the No. 9 mark in the weight throw.
3. TAMPA REWIND:Â At last year's USF meet, one Badger stood out. Emma Kelly won the 800 meters in 2:03.89, the seventh fastest time in UW outdoor history. She added another strong result in the 1,500 meters, finishing fourth in 4:22.70.
4. CALIFORNIA CIRCUIT: The Badgers will make California a frequent stop this outdoor season, competing in seven of their 12 regular season meets across the state. Wisconsin is slated to race in Los Angeles, La Jolla, Stanford, twice in Long Beach and Azusa. The schedule also features a stretch of three consecutive weekends with Badgers competing in the Golden State.
5. UP NEXT: Wisconsin heads to California for the first time this outdoor season to compete at the Ron and Sharlene Alice Trojan Invite in Los Angeles, hosted by the University of Southern California on Saturday, March 28. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT. Live results and meet information can be found here.
Players Mentioned
