STANFORD, Calif. – Heading into Friday's Stanford Invitational, the main goal for the Wisconsin men's track and field distance runners was to run times that would put them in position to qualify for the 2017 NCAA West Preliminary Round. 

The group accomplished its goal as three Badgers ran sub-14 minutes in the second section of the 5000 meters, while two more ran under 14:05 in the third section at Angel Track.

"We had a very good night at Stanford," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. "We had four guys that ran PRs while our five runners in the 5000 meters are in great shape to qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary Round. 

Senior Malachy Schrobilgen led the way for the Badgers with a fourth-place showing in the second section in 13 minutes, 54.60 seconds. Schrobilgen's time was just a second shy of an outdoor personal best.

Junior Joe Hardy and redshirt freshman Olin Hacker were seventh and eighth, respectively, in the second section thanks to personal-best efforts. Hardy finished in 13:59.01, while Hacker was right behind his teammate in 13:59.70. 

Redshirt freshman Zack Snider took second in the third section of the 5000 meters in 14:00.74, while senior Russ Sandvold was sixth in 14:03.91. Both times were personal records.

Junior Carl Hirsch, in his first 1500 meters in two years, placed fourth in the third section of the 1500 meters in 3:46.77.

"It was great to see Carl back for us," Byrne said. "He ran his fastest season opener that bodes well for us this season.

"All in all, it was a great night for our student-athletes."

UW will again head out west next weekend as the Badgers will compete in the Jim Click Shootout, hosted by the University of Arizona. The decathlon and heptathlon will take place on next Thursday and Friday while the rest of the events will be conducted on Saturday, April 8 in Tucson, Arizona.