UWL Track & Field Kicks Off Outdoor Season with Multiple Event Wins

Eagles dominate home meet, qualify athletes for nationals and conference

Apr. 4, 2026 at 7:37pm

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The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Track & Field team opened their outdoor season with a strong performance at the Ashton May Invitational on Friday, April 3. Competing on their home turf at Veterans Memorial Stadium, the Eagles claimed four event titles each for the men's and women's teams, despite challenging weather conditions.

Why it matters

The Ashton May Invitational was the first outdoor meet of the season for UWL, giving athletes a chance to shake off the rust and prepare for the demanding championship season ahead. Competing against other top WIAC teams, the meet provided an opportunity for the Eagles to prove their talent and qualify for nationals and conference.

The details

UWL athletes excelled across the board, with the men's team winning the 100m dash, 1500m run, long jump, and triple jump, while the women's team claimed victories in the 1500m run, 4x400m relay, shot put, and hammer throw. Despite the rainy and windy weather, the Eagles were able to put up strong performances and secure several qualifying marks for upcoming championship meets.

  • The Ashton May Invitational was held on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • The UWL men's and women's teams will compete next at the UW-Platteville Invitational on April 10, 2026.

The players

Finn Patenaude

A third-year hurdler on the UWL track and field team.

Ryder Smith

A fourth-year sprinter on the UWL track and field team.

Luke Schroeder

A fourth-year hurdler on the UWL track and field team who qualified for nationals at the Ashton May Invitational.

Evan Maurad

A UWL athlete who won the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.58 seconds.

Jayden Zywicki

A UWL athlete who won the 1500-meter run with a time of 3:50.16.

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What they’re saying

“When you recognize other people's parents and extended family it's the sweetest thing…I feel a lot closer to La Crosse as a whole being and the sport is emotional, so it brings us together.”

— Finn Patenaude, Third-year hurdler

“You know pressure is a privilege and we have the privilege of competing against really talented athletes in this conference [the WIAC] and we love the pressure. We love the competition because we know it's going to push us to do better.”

— Ryder Smith, Fourth-year sprinter

“This is the meet to just go out, compete and get marks down for a qualifying championship season, so that was my main goal coming in just get my national mark down which I think I did.”

— Luke Schroeder, Fourth-year hurdler

What’s next

The UWL men's and women's track and field teams will compete next at the UW-Platteville Invitational on April 10, 2026, as they continue their quest to qualify more athletes for the national and conference championship meets.

The takeaway

Despite the challenging weather conditions, the UWL track and field teams demonstrated their talent and depth by winning multiple events at the Ashton May Invitational. The Eagles' strong performance on their home turf not only united the local community, but also showed their ability to compete with the best teams in the WIAC conference as they gear up for the championship season.