The No. 13 ranked UW Oshkosh’s track and field teams recently competed at the 113th Drake University Relays, coming away with four top-eight finishes over the three-day event.

Over the weekend, several Titan runners achieved personal bests while competing against athletes from multiple divisions at one of the most prestigious events of the year.

Senior Steven Potter secured fifth place in the men’s 1,500-meter run with a personal record time of 3:47.21, besting his previous time of 3:49.36, now the second-fastest in school history.

After Potter’s impressive performance in the 1,500-meter run, he reflected on his experience competing in races with a mix of higher-division competitors. 

“I’ve been in races like this before where there’s a mix of Division I and Division III competitors, and I’m the only D-I guy or sometimes facing just one other D-III runner,” said Potter. “The setting in those races is so different, especially at a huge place like Drake because the atmosphere is just electric so you have to lock in and focus on your performance, hitting your marks from the start.” 

Potter has now followed up and broken his personal best for a second time this season that is leaving a mark in school program history.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling to be consistently placing in many of my races and I keep reminding myself that I have what it takes to go under that record for sure,” Potter said. “The current school record stands at 3:45:19, and I have to keep pushing myself to remember that I can achieve that goal.”

Potter wasn’t done yet after the 1500-meter run, also competing in the men’s 800-meter run, where he secured a fifth-place finish with a time of 1:51.00, setting the bar as the fastest time recorded by a UWO runner this year.

“I’ve pulled off the double before, on separate occasions at Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It means three races in a week, but I’ve gotten used to it over time,” said Potter. “Going into the race, I knew that some of my competitors had already run multiple races, which gave me an advantage, and I was able to capitalize on that.”

One notable performance came from the women’s side from sophomore Madigan, who left her mark at the event with an impressive showing in the women’s 800-meter run.

In the women’s 800-meter run, sophomore Cyna Madigan finished in sixth place with a time of 2:10.24, setting the team’s season-best and achieving a personal record. This time also ranks as the fourth-fastest in the history of the program.

In the field events, Senior Jonathan Wilburn secured third place in the men’s triple jump with a distance of 49′ 5 ½” (15.07m), setting a new team season best by more than a meter.

Potter attributed his success this season, as well as the team’s accomplishments, to the significant role played by his coaches and teammates.

“The team and coaches have been a big part of my success as we all work together, and having that team aspect is fantastic,” said Potter. “We keep tabs on each other’s performances, and seeing my teammates improve and set records every week is awesome. It really helps everyone stay motivated and focused on getting better.”

Looking ahead, the Titans will have a chance to defend their 2022 title as they compete in the upcoming WIAC Championships hosted by UW-Whitewater from May 5-6.