LA CROSSE, Wis./APPLETON, Wis.- UW-Oshkosh men's track & field competed in both the UW-La Crosse Phil Esten Challenge and Lawrence University Viking Invitational between Thursday and Friday (April 16-17).
 
In La Crosse, Collin Kao (Lindenhurst, Ill./Lakes Community) highlighted the meet with not only a win in the pole vault, but also a new school record of 5.27 meters. His height bested Zach Johnson's 2007 mark of 5.23 meters. Christian St. Clair also scored in the event, placing seventh with a  vault of 4.67 meters.
 
Brady Hoffer (Appleton/Kaukauna) placed fifth in the high jump, jumping 2.01 meters.
 
The Titans had three top-eight finishes in the long jump. Joshua Rivers (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) took the win with a 7.89-meter jump, Dylan Doss (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) earned silver at 7.48 meters and Caleb Wright (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) placed sixth at 7.09 meters.
 
The Titan throwers collected three top-eight finishes. Bryce Hale (Appleton/Kimberly) collected an eighth-place finish in the hammer throw with a toss of 55.94 meters. Gavin Fritsch (Little Chute/Little Chute Career Pathways Academy) earned silver with a 52.60-meter throw of the discus. Isaiah Isom placed eight in the shot put, throwing 16.09 meters.
 
On the track, the 4x100-meter relay team started the Titans off strong with second place in a loaded field, running a time of 40.14 seconds. The team consisted of Eddie Jones (Waukesha/Catholic Memorial), Doss, Londyn Little (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) and Davian Willems (De Pere/West De Pere).
 
Sean Malay (Denmark/Denmark) placed seventh in the 400-meter dash, running a time of 48.74 seconds.
 
Lucas Nicholson (Pewaukee/Pewaukee) earned the first individual medal on the track for the Titans, running 1:52.26 for third place in the 800-meter run.
 
Trent Chadwick (Poynette/Poynette) and Alex Peterson (Oconto Falls/Gillett) finished sixth and seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Chadwick ran a 9:21.62 and Peterson a 9:24.39.
 
Xavier Lasee (North Fond du Lac/Horace Mann) set a personal record in the 1,500-meter run, placing fifth in 3:57.42.
 
In the 4x400-meter relay, the team of Malay, Matthew Eiden (Stevens Point/SPASH), Eli Kerner (Eagle River/Northland Pines) and Little earned a bronze medal with a time of 3:15.90.
 
Up in Appleton, Owen Koele (Reeseville/Waterloo) placed fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:03.05. Luke Beeksma (Eau Claire/Eau Claire Memorial) placed seventh in the 1,500-meter run, finishing in 4:10.98.
 
The track events were unable to be finished due to poor weather conditions.
 
Brynner Inman (Nashville, Ill./Nashville Community) placed seventh in the discus, throwing 38.00 meters.
 
Matthew Ewens (New Berlin/New Berlin West) threw the javelin 45.57 meters, placing fourth, and won the high jump with a height of 1.95 meters.
 
Jack Wellhoefer (Omro/Omro) earned a bronze medal in the hammer throw with a toss of 46.15 meters.
 
The Titans have two meets again next week, starting with Drake University Relays from Wednesday to Saturday (April 22-25). They will also compete in the St. Norbert College Invitational on Saturday.