“UW Oshkosh men’s track and field team has 10 athletes moving on to the NCAA Divsion III Indoor Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina after competing in the UW Stevens Point and Carthage Qualifiers last week.

Senior Brian Beaudo ran a personal record time of 49.10 seconds in the 400-meter run during the Stevens Point Qualifier.

Beaudo said he tried not to worry about a time during that race.

“Honestly, I had guys in lane five and six that I knew would run really well,” Beaudo said. “Just like at conference, I just knew I had to get out with them and just work with the competition and hopefully get a good time, and that’s what happened.”

Reid Zanoya also competed in that race, and he finished eighth in the 400-meter run with a time of 49.10 seconds.

Beaudo and Zanoya were part of the 4×400-meter relay team that took first place in the Stevens Point qualifier with a school-record time of 3:16.72.

Also part of that of that relay team was Kallen Bentz and Danny Trimmer. Head coach Eamon McKenna said the result of the race was a bit of a surprise to him.

“We got two young pieces on that team and then two veterans,” McKenna said. “We were hoping they would break 3:18, you know, maybe run 3:17. I mean, they smashed the school record by almost a full second.”

With that record setting time, Oshkosh is now ranked second in the country for D-III in 4×400-meter relay.

“Those guys were just locked in,” McKenna said. “They were ready to go, and it was really cool to watch.”

Beaudo said he wasn’t sure if their team was capable of achieving a time like they did just yet.

“That was a crazy race,” Beaudo said. “I was thinking 3:17, and I was looking at the guys and they’re talented and I wasn’t sure if we were there just yet.”
Beaudo said he was pleased with how the team was able finish strong.

“We all went out and ran fantastic,” Beaudo said. “We ran with the other teams, and each hand off was good. We didn’t mess up there, and in the end it came down to us just running a better time,”

Roberto Lara competed in the 800-meter run in the Stevens Point qualifier and took third with a time of 1:54.12. Lara said the event was a tune-up for nationals when he competes in the mile run.

“I did it for confidence,” Lara said. “I ran really fast in that event. I feel like if it came down to the last few meters of the mile, I don’t feel like anyone could beat me, so I did it for confidence.”

Zachary Baehman competed in the shot put and threw 17.48 meters on his way to finishing third in the event. Baehman is ranked fifth in the country for Div. III and will compete in nationals. xMcKenna said Baehman’s performance in the qualifiers will help him for nationals.

“He threw almost a personal record there,” McKenna said “He was just a few centimeters shy and that sets him up nicely for nationals.”

In nationals McKenna said there are some goals for his team.

“The ultimate goal is to bring home a trophy, which is top four in the country,” McKenna said. “We’ve been kind of gradually moving up the polls all year. It’s realistic at least now. Early in the season I didn’t think we had the pieces. Now if things go well, we could finish in the top four.”

McKenna said Oshkosh will be practicing in Winston-Salem on Thursday before they compete Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14.”