The UW-Whitewater Men’s Track and Field team’s compelling performance at the Squig Converse Invite served as a testament to the collective dedication and talent that define the squad. The event not only marked their second meet of the new year but also underscored the team’s determination to make a significant impact in the track season. With the host role at the Squig Converse invite, the Warhawks had the advantage of showcasing their skills on familiar grounds, and they did not disappoint.
Some high quality performances led the Warhawks to a second-place finish behind UW-La Crosse. Shelvin Garrett II set a new program record in the triple jump and jumped into the best jump in Division III this season at a mark of 15.41 meters. Myles Anderson would follow suit by winning the 60-meter dash in a time of 6.85 seconds, good enough for third all time. Kobe Candler would win the 400m with a time of 50.16. The Warhawks would notch another win in the 3,000m with Gunner Schlender, who posted a five-second career-best to win the 3,000 with a time of 8:13.59. He was followed by Christian Patzka who was less than a tenth of a second back for silver.
Utilizing the Squig Converse Invite as a tune-up meet reflects the team’s foresight and commitment to long-term success. Head coach Mike Johnson’s approach of gradually revealing their strengths and assessing depth allows the Warhawks to fine-tune their strategy for future competitions.
“When we come off a break we aren’t always competing in our main events but as we move from meet to meet we start to put all of our cards on the table,” Johnson said. “We see where our depth is, where we are in events and see how that lines up with other teams in the conference. To get us in our routine and see what we can do down the stretch.”
When asked about what his athletes could do to improve their performance Johnson stated “Our team chemistry is a strong suit for our team and focusing in on the little things of each race and competition and staying the course. But now going back to balancing our school load with track we have done a strong job about that in the past.”
Johnson’s insights into the team’s strong chemistry and attention to detail underscore the holistic nature of their pursuit of excellence. While their athletic prowess is evident, the emphasis on the little things in each race and competition reveals a commitment to continuous improvement
The Warhawks will continue their season next week Feb. 3 at the Big Dawg invite hosted by UW-Stevens Point, before coming back to Whitewater on Feb. 10 for the Midwest invite. Before ultimately gearing up for the WIAC championship meet Feb. 23-24 hosted in the Williams Center. With the final meet of the season, the NCAA qualifiers will head to Virginia Beach for the NCAA indoor track and field championship to end the indoor season.
