In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the UW track team after graduating most of the top point-getters from the 2007 national championship squad, underclassmen stepped up to win an eighth-straight indoor Big Ten title.
Head coach Ed Nuttycombe earned his 24th Big Ten title, surpassing Indiana swim coach James Doc"" Counsilman for most Big Ten titles earned by a single coach in any sport.
With a supposedly weaker team, the Badgers topped their 2007 total by seven points, winning the meet with 127 points over Purdue's 102.
Sophomore Brandon Bethke won Big Ten titles in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Junior James Groce won the 600 meters, and the distance medley relay also came out on top.
Underclassmen scored a majority of UW's points at Big Tens.
Besides Bethke, younger distance runners such as Evan Jager, Jack Bolas, Craig Miller, Ryan Gasper and Andrew Lacy each scored big points.
Sophomore jumper Rayme Mackinson, freshman decathlete David Grzesiak and freshmen middle distance runners Zach Beth and Luke Rucks also contributed to Wisconsin's win with top-five finishes.
Although UW's team has more depth than last year, a lack of super-elite performers kept them out of contention for an NCAA win.
The distance medley team of Groce, Jager, Bolas and Craig Miller finished third at the NCAA indoor championships, while Bethke placed ninth in the 3,000 meters for a team score of six points, putting the Badgers 38th.
Despite nasty weather at nearly every outdoor competition, UW has qualified 13 individuals and the 4x400 meter relay to the NCAA Mideast Regional championships.
Junior Matt Withrow gets to bypass regionals, after hitting the automatic national qualifying standard in the 10,000 meters.
Wisconsin is on pace for a fifth-straight Big Ten ""Triple Crown"" - achieved after winning Big Ten titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. The outdoor Big Tens take place May 16 to 18.
