Three University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's track and field athletes captured All-America honors at the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. Saturday. The Warhawk men finished eighth in the final team standings marking the program's 10th top 10 finish at the indoor championships since 2010. The Warhawk women were 23rd with 10 points from Gracie Holland's (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) individual title in the pole vault. 

Sophomore distance runner Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) claimed his second All-America honor of the indoor championship with a fourth place finish in the 3,000. A day after capturing the national title in the 5,000 in championship record time, Patzka competed in a race where the top nine finishers all bested the previous championship record. His time of 8:05.50 was shy of the top three by .21 seconds. 

Fellow distance runner Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) posted a personal record in the mile run. He crossed the line in 4:07.76 to secure All-America honors for the second consecutive track season -- he finished fourth in the 1,500 meter run outdoors a year ago. 

Two Warhawks represented UW-Whitewater in the men's triple jump Saturday. Shelvin Garrett became a two-time indoor All-American with a leap of 14.85 meters (48-8.75) for fifth place. Garrett claimed bronze last season. Teammate Brayden Zettle (Monroe, Wis./Monroe) registered a distance of 14.41 meters (47-3.5) to finish 13th. 

FRIDAY RECAP
Sophomores Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) and Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) claimed individual national titles on the first day of competition in the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday. Holland secured gold in the pole vault while Patzka crushed the meet record in the 5,000. 
 
Holland matched her career-best, which is also the best in Division III this season, with a height of 4.00 meters (13-1.5) in the pole vault Friday. That mark is among the top ten recorded in championship meet history. Holland is the first Warhawk to claim the indoor national title in the event and fourth to win an individual title in the history of the UWW women's program. She is now a two-time indoor All-American in the event after finishing fifth a year ago.
 
Patzka crushed the 29-year-old championship meet record in the 5,000 Friday. Crossing the line in 13:47.01, he shattered Dan Mayer's clocking of 13:53.17 from 1994. Patzka is now a two-time indoor All-American in the event after finishing fourth in 2022. He'll be back in action Saturday competing in the 3,000-meter run.
 
Patzka's distance teammates Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) and Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) joined him in action Friday. Sophomore Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) posted a time of 14:23.20 in the 5,000 to finish just outside the top eight. Krause posted a career-best 4:08.17 to time qualify for the finals in the mile.
 
Sophomore Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) had to start her 60-meter prelim twice after a fellow sprinter false started. Her clocking of 7.67 was 12^th in the prelims of the event. She added a personal record of 25.06 in the 200 Friday evening to finish 17^th.
 
Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) was also in action on day one. The sophomore registered a time 8.39 in the 60 hurdles for 19^th in the prelims of the event.