The UW Oshkosh Titans’ track and field team finished third out of 11 teams in their open meet at Carroll University on March 27.

The Titans are content with their performance, as they didn’t have all of their athletes running in this outdoor event. With that in mind, they consider a third place finish to be a valiant effort.

“I’m happy with the team’s efforts because everyone didn’t compete. Those who competed Saturday represented our team and the university well,” sophomore sprinter Amitai Wheat said.

The Titans are a competitive bunch, and they embrace the unpredictable aspects of the sport the most.

“The best part about competing is the unknown” Wheat said. “You never know what happens when you compete. It can be your best day, or it can be your worst, but that unknowingness is what makes it entertaining”.

Other UWO runners love the hard work and overall team effort that goes into each meet.

“I believe the best part about competing is really being engaged and giving a good effort. When everyone is pumped up the energy can get really high,” thrower Tay’Jion Johnson said.

The Titans have another meet Friday, April 2, at UW-Whitewater for the Rex Foster Twilight Invitational. The Titans are preparing for it by taking every practice seriously and taking it day by day.

“We know what we have to do with every meet we get, we know that it’s a target on our back and we are more than capable of showing the nation who we are as a team,” Wheat said.

After their strong performance in the last meet, the Titans are ready to continue to build on that and ride the momentum for the rest of the season.

“We are learning from our mistakes and focusing on getting better at our flaws,” Johnson said. “It’s another chance to prove to ourselves what we are made of.”

The Titans’ long term goal is to qualify for nationals at the end of the season, and they are taking the necessary steps to ensure that happens.

“We have to make sure we are all healthy, mentally and physically,” Wheat said. “We as a team, men and women, are working to place as a top five team when championship season arrives.”

A very lofty goal for the Titans, but definitely something that a team with the culture that they have created can achieve.