MINNEAPOLIS -- The Wisconsin men's track and field team began its 2018 indoor season Saturday afternoon on the road, taking on Minnesota in The Dual. The Badgers were unable to best the Golden Gophers, dropping a 93-65 decision.
 
Redshirt junior Trent Nytes kicked things off for the Cardinal and White, winning the long jump with a mark of 23 feet, 11 inches.
 
The Wisconsin men continued their winning ways in the weight throw with Riley Budde and Tucker Wedig earning the top-two marks. Budde won the event with a throw of 66-9 1/2 and Wedig took second with a mark of 64-8 1/2.
 
In the shot put, senior Josh McDonald tallied another Wisconsin win with a spectacular throw of 57-7.
 
On the track the Badgers had three victories, sweeping the distance events.
 
Ollie Hoare, the 2017 Big Ten Cross Country Champion, set the pace with a win in the mile. The sophomore crossed the line in four minutes, 13.94 seconds.
 
Junior Eric Brown secured his first win of the season in the 800 meters, finishing in 1:51.55.
 
Senior Joe Hardy, a second-team All-American in the 5000 meters last spring, finished things off with a win in the 3000 meters, crossing the line in 8:26.95
 

Notes to know

• UW had six total event winners at The Dual.
• Corbin Ellis took second in the 600 meters with a time of 1:19.30.
• In his Badger track debut, Andrew Schilling finished third in the 800 meters in 1:54.09.
• Sophomore Paul Afflitto clocked 22.74 in the 200 meters, placing third.
• In the pole vault, Jake Wallenfang placed second with a vault of 15-7.
• Isaac Hale, a Stillwater, Minnesota, native took third place in the high jump, clearing 6-9.
• The men's 4x400 relay of Ellis, Brown, Barth and Kugel took second place with a time of 3:26.75.

 

Straight from the meet

UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne:
"On the guys' side, Ollie started off today winning. You'd think that someone like Ollie Hoare, he's the reigning Big Ten Cross Country Champion, that's what he's supposed to do. But a year ago, he wouldn't have been able to do that. He's learned the importance of competing. Joe Hardy is the same. Joe was fifth in this meet last year. Eric Brown. Now there's a kid who epitomizes what I'm talking about. No one can tell that kid that this meet isn't important. Eric showed and proved to the rest of the team how important this meet is. He came out and he could have quit coming off that bend in the 800 meters, but he didn't. When he came back in the relay, we were out of it. We had no shot of winning it. But he gave it his all. And that's what we're trying to teach the rest of the team.
 
"Obviously there were other excelling performances. Josh McDonald in the shot put, a win. Eric (Brown) in the 800 meters. The pole vaulters did a good job. Riley Budde in the weight throw and Trent Nytes in the long jump both did what we expected them to do. It's a fun meet, it's fun competing and going head-to-head. I love it, and I think you go out and see that the kids enjoy this type of meet."
 

Up next

Next weekend the Badgers head to Iowa City for the Larry Wieczorek Invite. The meet takes place on Friday beginning at 11 a.m. and Saturday starting at 1 p.m.