Badgers Head South to Illini Deca-Jam

Thursday, April 9

Champaign, IL

Wisconsin Badgers

Illini Deca-Jam

Matan Ivri, Stanford Invitational 1500m Champion

Photo by: Suvir Grover

Badgers Head South to Illini Deca-Jam

April 08, 2026 | Men's Track & Field

Wisconsin set for multi-event competition

By: Dani Savin

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's track and field team heads south for the Illini-Deca Jam, April 9-11, hosted by University of Illinois.

1. REWRITING THE RECORDS: Matan Ivri highlighted Wisconsin's distance success at the Stanford Invitational on April 4, winning the 1500 meters in 3 minutes, 38.15 seconds. The time ranks ninth in school history and third in the NCAA this season. Archie Noakes added a top-10 mark in program history in the 5000 meters, finishing in 13:31.88, which ranks ninth all-time at Wisconsin.

2. LAST TIME OUT: Wisconsin returns to competition following a strong showing across meets in California. At the Stanford Invitational, Patrick Hilby notched a top-5 finish in section 2 of the 1500 meters with a fourth-place finish in 3:32.87. Johnny Livingstone placed fifth in Section 6 in 3:48.03, while Christian de Vaal finished eighth in Section 7 in 3:50.44. Henry Risser added a seventh-place finish in the 400 meters with a time of 47.70. At the Triton Invitational, Jacob Zednik placed third in the javelin with a throw of 208 feet, 7 inches, and Kyle Clabough finished sixth in the shot put elite with a mark of 57-7 (17.55m).

3. DECA DEBUTS: Robin Ott and Jack Schmeling are set to make their collegiate decathlon debuts at the Illini Deca-Jam. Schmeling competed at the USC Trojan Invite on March 27-28, finishing seventh in the 110-meter hurdles in 16.39 and placing 15th in the discus with a throw of 98-3 (29.95m). Ott competed as well, placing sixth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.73 and 14th in the discus with a throw of 134-0 (40.85m).

4. BACK IN THE FIELD: Augustus Counard-Ciechnowski returns to competition after tying for first in the pole vault with a clearance of 16-4 ¾ (5.00m) at the USF Alumni Invitational. Nathan Nelson is set to join as well after placing seventh in the same meet with a clearance of 15-11 (4.85m).

5. UP NEXT: Wisconsin will split competition across multiple meets, traveling to the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 16-18, the Pacific Coast Invite on April 16 and the Beach Invite on April 17-18.