Five Things to Know: Five Badgers Bound for NCAA Indoor Championships

Friday, March 13

Fayetteville, AR

Wisconsin Badgers

NCAA Indoor Championships

Five Things to Know: Five Badgers Bound for NCAA Indoor Championships

March 09, 2026 | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field

Kesner, DMR set to compete for Wisconsin

By: Dani Savin

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin track and field team will send five competitors to the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, held Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Weight thrower Taylor Kesner and the men's distance medley relay team will represent the Badgers on the national stage. Fans can follow the meet live on ESPN+, while the final day will be air tape-delayed on ESPNU on Sunday, March 15. Live results will be available at Flash Results.

1. B1G TIMES: At the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Championships, the Badgers tallied a couple of school records and numerous top-10 times. On Championship Saturday, Jalen Williams ran 45.77 in the 400 meters for fourth place and a new school mark, while Henry Risser finished third in the 600 meters with a record time of 1:16.31. Wisconsin also delivered a strong performance in the 4x400-meter relay, where the quartet of Micah Walker, Williams, Andrew Casey and Zion Omotesa finished fourth in 3:07.46 to improve the No. 2 time in program history. Sophomore Joshua Onwunili ran 6.70, moving into a tie for fifth all-time in school history alongside B.J. Tucker. Patrick Hilby improved his No. 2 standing in the Wisconsin record book, clocking 1:47.06 in the 800 meters. For the women, Kylie Finger recorded a major personal-best in the 3000 meters, finishing in 9:00.6 to move to No. 4 in school history, nearly 12 seconds faster than her previous best. In the 60 meters, Luciana Aizpurua ran 7.42 to move to No. 3 in the Wisconsin record book while Rachel Robinson set a personal best with a time of 7.55, climbing to No. 7 all-time at Wisconsin.

2. TERRIFIC TAYLOR: Taylor Kesner finished seventh in the weight throw at the Big Ten Championships with a heave of 72 feet, 8 ½ inches (22.16m). The reigning NCAA champion in the event tallies a season-best throw of 73-0 (22.25m), ranking 10th nationally. Kesner claimed Wisconsin's first NCAA title in the women's weight throw last season with a personal-best mark of 77-1 ¼ (23.50m), setting a facility record in the process. The Highland, Illinois native will compete at the NCAA Championships on Friday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. CT.

3. DOMINANT DMR: The men's distance medley relay team of Archie Noakes, Andrew Casey, Patrick Hilby and Jalen Williams secured their NCAA berth at the Alex Wilson Invitational in February, running a school-record time of 9:18.44. The performance ranks ninth in the nation and broke the previous Wisconsin record set in 2023 by one second. Last season, the quartet of Adam Spencer, Casey, Hilby and Williams placed eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships, crossing the line at 9:23.08 to earn first-team All-America honors. The Badgers will compete in the DMR on Friday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. CT.

4. ON THE HORIZON: Following the NCAA Indoor Championships, Wisconsin will quickly shift its focus to the outdoor season, which begins next week.

5. UP NEXT: Wisconsin opens the outdoor season at the USF Alumni Invitational on March 20-21 in Tampa, Florida. Competition begins at 9 a.m. CT on both days.