The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's cross country team, in the "others receiving votes" category of the national Division III poll, proved they belonged to that elite group with a fifth place finish in Saturday's Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota.

complete results

The top five teams in the field were UW-La Crosse 48 (ranked second nationally), UW-Platteville 81 (eighth), Emory University 113 (sixteenth), and UW-Oshkosh 172 (eighteenth).  Whitewater was next in line with 175 points, and UW-Eau Claire, number thirty-two in the poll, placed sixth.  

Junior Dan Machmueller (Milwaukee/West Allis Hale) led the Warhawks by finishing 21st in 26:34.  Machmueller's time is his personal best this year, as well as the top time for UW-W in 2009.  Teammate Joe Dixon (Milwaukee/Rufus King) was close behind, crossing the line 24th in 26:47, also his best time this season.  Zach Wilhelmy of UW-La Crosse was the meet medalist with a time of 25:27.

Other Warhawk competitors were Mathias Werve (Kenosha/Tremper), 32nd in 26:53; Jon Fink (Muskego/Wisconsin Lutheran), 42nd in his season best 27:00; Jarrod Schwichtenberg (Milwaukee/West Allis Hale), 63rd in his season best of 27:23; Chris Kautza (West Bend/West). 144th in 28:25; and Tyler Stein (Muskego/Muskego), 147th in 28:31.

The Griak field is the largest, in terms of runners, that UW-W competes in.  There were thirty-five teams and 370 runners participating.

UW-W will run at the Carthage Invitational in Kenosha Friday, October 2 at 2:30.  The Warhawks will host the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships October 31 at 1:00 on the course which begins and ends west of the Williams Center/Kachel Fieldhouse on campus.

For additional information:  Jeff Miller, UW-W cross country coordinator