The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's cross country team is headed to Newville, Pennsylvania for the NCAA Division III Championships hosted by Dickinson College this Saturday. 

Championship Information:
Date: Saturday, November 18
Host: Dickinson College
Location: Big Spring High School in Newville, PA
Time: 10 a.m. start (men's race)
Live Coverage: Video available on ncaa.com (runs through awards ceremony)

The Warhawks will send eight runners to the national championship meet - seven will compete on Saturday. UW-Whitewater finished 10th in the 2022 national meet. The Warhawks have finished among the top 10 five times in program history led by fifth place finishes in 2021 and 1999. 

"Our goal is to finish better than we ever have before in the national meet," said Coach Jeff Miller. "We have seven runners that have competed in a national meet before," continued Miller. "That's a relatively rare feat, so we're excited for Saturday's championship." 

UW-Whitewater enters the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship ranked sixth according to the latest USTFCCCA poll. The Warhawks have won all but three meets this season - each time finishing second to the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the Division III poll that week.

The Warhawks are led by Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) this season. The junior was named the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week three times this season - October 2, October 16 and October 30. 

UW-Whitewater will have five All-Region runners including two runners who are two-time All-Americans. Patzka was the 2022 runner-up registering the top finish for a UWW runner in program history. Both Patzka and Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) have placed among the top 30 at the national meet each of the last two seasons. Seven Warhawks earned All-WIAC honors this season - the largest contingent in program history.
 

UW-WHITEWATER'S CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD
	CHRISTIAN PATZKA Junior | Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights 2023 NCAA North Region Champion (24:02.0 - career best) 2023 WIAC Runner-Up (24:20.5) Won five of six meets competed in this season Three-time USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week in 2023 Two-time USTFCCCA All-America - 2022, 2021 2022 NCAA Finish: 2nd (24:40.0) - Highest finish for a Warhawk in program history 2021 NCAA Finish: 23rd (24:09.4) Two-time regional champion - 2023, 2022 (2021: runner-up) Three-time USTFCCCA All-Region - 2023, 2022, 2021 2022 WIAC Cross Country Athlete of the Year Three-time All-WIAC
	GUNNER SCHLENDER Junior | Brillion, Wis./Brillion 2023 North Region: 9th (24:40.5) 2023 WIAC: 5th (24:49.3) 2023 Top Time: 24:24.7 - on Sept. 8 at UWRF River Town Twilight Top 10 in every meet this season  Two-time USTFCCCA All-America - 2022, 2021 2022 NCAA Finish: 30th (25:30.8) 2021 NCAA Finish: 26th (24:13.7 - career best) Three-time USTFCCCA All-Region - 2023, 2022, 2021 Three-time All-WIAC
	JUSTIN KRAUSE Senior | Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee 2023 North Region: 17th (24:52.3 - season best) 2023 WIAC: 18th (25:25.9) 2023 Tom Hoffman Invitational Champion (hosted by UWW) 2022 NCAA Finish: 82nd (25:59.8) 2021 NCAA Finish: 94th (24:48.7 - career best) Three-time USTFCCCA All-Region - 2023, 2022, 2021 Four-time All-WIAC: First Warhawk in program history to become a four-time All-WIAC honoree since the 1960s
	DAN ANDERSON  Sophomore | Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell 2023 North Region: 13th (24:45.7 - career best) 2023 WIAC: 9th (25:00.6) 2022 NCAA Finish: 161st (26:24.7) Top 10 in four meets this season Two-time USTFCCCA All-Region Two-time All-WIAC
	NICK HARDIN Junior | Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall 2023 North Region: 30th (25:02.9 - career best) 2023 WIAC: 22nd (25:37.6) 2023 USTFCCCA All-Region Top 10 in two meets this season 2022 NCAA Finish: 201st (26:42.0)
	CHRIS ALLEN Junior | Downers Grove, Ill./North 2023 North Region: 43rd (25:22.4) 2023 WIAC: 15th (25:13.7 - career best) 2023 All-WIAC Top 10 in two meets this season 2022 NCAA Finish: 220th (26:49.2)
	CRAIG HUNDLEY Junior | Grayslake, Ill./North 2023 North Region: 55th (25:31.9) 2023 WIAC: 12th (25:06.9) 2023 All-WIAC 2023 Top Time: 24:54.3 on Oct. 14 at the Augustana Interregional (career best) Top 10 in three meets this season First season competing for UW-Whitewater
	TUCKER JOHNSON Sophomore | Poynette, Wis./Poynette 2023 WIAC: 20th (25:32.7 - career best) 2023 All-WIAC Top 10 in two meets this season