Men's Track and Field 2/5/2021 1:28:00 PM

2021 UW-Stout Men's Track and Field Preview

MENOMONIE (February 5, 2021) – Focus on simply improving day by day has helped the UW-Stout men's track and field team get through all of the ups and downs of the past year.

Over the course of the last year, track and field team members have seen both the 2020 indoor and outdoor national championships canceled, the 2020 outdoor season canceled, the fall practice season radically change to small groups, the 2021 WIAC indoor championships canceled and now, with the 2021 schedule on the cusp of beginning, the NCAA pulled the plug on the 2021 indoor national championship.

The WIAC indoor season is set to begin Feb. 6 and will run through the first few weeks of March. But, instead of multiple team events, the schools will compete in a series of duals.

Blue Devil head coach Kyle Steiner has been pleased with the way his team has reacted to the hills and valleys of the season that is yet to begin.

"There has always been that uncertainty of what we will have," Steiner said. "This team has done a very good job on being focused on getting better."

Steiner has seen conference coaches working closely together to give the student-athletes the best experience they can.

"There has been a lot of collaboration among coaches," Steiner said about setting up a series of dual meets. "Our goal has been to give our athletes the best opportunities to compete at a high level."

The Blue Devils will host three consecutive duals starting with UW-River Falls, Saturday, Feb. 6. The following week, Stout will host UW-Eau Claire and will wrap up the home portion of their schedule Saturday, Feb. 20 by hosting UW-La Crosse. They will then take to the road. The outdoor schedule has yet to be determined.

The Blue Devils have had a presence for years in the throws, and this year has been no exception.

Kevin Ruechel, Alec Benzinger, Jacob Bugella and Connor Walchecka lead the squad.

Ruechel is the defending WIAC indoor shot put champion and last season qualified to his second indoor national championship in the event. Ruechel has qualified to the outdoor national championship in the discus.

Benzinger, who was also an all-region place kicker for the Blue Devils football team, has become stronger in the ring. Benzinger has been a WIAC point scorer in the shot put and was just outside of qualifying to nationals in the event.

Bugella returns after a year off and has been leaving his mark in the preseason.

Walechka has taken a step or two up in the weight throw and has competed in one outdoor season and one indoor season.

Daniel Nesja, Simon Lual, Isaac Lee, Bobby Vang and freshman Jack Roeber are leaders in the horizontal jumps of the long and triple jumps. Nesja, Lual, Lee – who will be competing in the outdoor season only - and Roeber are competing with each other in the triple jump.

"All four guys are right around 45 feet," Steiner said. "This is a strong, deep group."

The long jump is only made deeper when pole vaulter Noah Zastrow competes.

But the pole vault is where Zastrow has made his name. Last season, Zastrow was the top qualifier nationally with a school record mark of 17-feet, 8.25-inches before the national championship was called off, even when the athletes were in North Carolina preparing to compete.

Zastrow has earned five All-America awards and last year's mark was the fifth best in NCAA Division III history. Zastrow uses more than just his athleticism.

"Noah is such a student of the sport," Zastrow said. "Even through all of the ups and downs, his focus is on improving."

And not just improving himself, but his teammates.

"Honestly, Noah has been like having an assistant pole vault coach," Steiner said.

Jacob Tomazevic and Hawkin Petron will give Stout a solid 1-2-3 punch in the event.

Mason Barth had a solid first year as a multi-event, scoring the third-best time freshman point total in school history. With no standout event, Barth is just steady.

"He is steady across the board," Barth said. "He has been going gang-busters and has had PRs in all of the events."

Defending WIAC 200-meter champion and national qualifier Brent Heilman returns. Team captain Mackenson Steinberg has been hitting personal bests during the team's intra-squad meets this winter.

"Both should give us a very strong base for the relays," Steiner said.

Hurdler Carter Wente has also been running the sprints and will figure onto the sprint squad. Noah Beck returns to the hurdles where last year his time placed sixth on the school's all-time freshman list.

Owen Jelinek has looked very good in the 400-meter, Steiner said, noting that some of his splits at this point in time are better than were he left off last year. Team captain Cody Lohrentz returns at the 400.

Trevin Nelson and Henry Hughes are looking to top the mid-distance runners and Spencer Schultz, Brian Mathews and Matt Ryan should lead the distance crew.

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Players Mentioned

Alec Benzinger: Throws; Junior

Brent Heilman: Sprints; Junior

Henry Hughes: Distance; Sophomore

Isaac Lee: Jumps; 5' 9"; Senior

Brian Mathews: Distance; Junior

Trevin Nelson: Mid-Distance; Sophomore

Kevin Ruechel: Throws; Junior

Spencer Schultz: Distance; Sophomore

Mackenson Steinberg: Sprints; Sophomore

Bobby Vang: Jumps; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Alec Benzinger
: Junior
: Throws

Brent Heilman
: Junior
: Sprints

Henry Hughes
: Sophomore
: Distance

Isaac Lee
: 5' 9"; Senior
: Jumps

Brian Mathews
: Junior
: Distance

Trevin Nelson
: Sophomore
: Mid-Distance

Kevin Ruechel
: Junior
: Throws

Spencer Schultz
: Sophomore
: Distance

Mackenson Steinberg
: Sophomore
: Sprints

Bobby Vang
: Sophomore
: Jumps