WINTHROP, Minn. – The University of Wisconsin-Superior won the 2023 UMAC Men’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday at the Winthrop Golf Course. The title is the Yellowjacket’s sixth in program history, winning the championship in all but one of the past seven years. UWS won the championship with an average time of 26:22.9 and a team score of 17 points: just two points away from a perfect score.
The Yellowjackets were led by Michael Butterfield, who finished first overall as the Individual Champion with a time of 25:45.4; the fastest UMAC championship-winning time since Yellowjacket alumnus Jackson Lindquist won the individual title in 2016 with a time of 25:43.5. In his title run, Butterfield broke his career personal best time of 25:54.2 by 8.8 seconds.
All five counted UWS runners finished in the top ten overall. Aidan Doherty followed Butterfield to place second overall with a time of 26:13.8. Zachary Reese crossed the finish line just 2.0 seconds later, placing third at 26:15.8. David Collins took fourth overall for UWS at 27:27.0. Kieran Johnson rounded out the scoring for the Yellowjackets, finishing seventh overall with a time of 27:12.4 to clinch the championship victory.
Martin Luther College was the championship runner-up with 66 points, averaging a time of 27:57.1. Two MLC runners finished in the top ten overall. Caleb Lash led the Knights with a sixth-overall finish, running a 26:59.5. Camden Sulzle followed in eighth overall for MLC with a time of 27:21.3.
University of Northwestern rounded out the top-three teams, finishing with 97 points and an average time of 28:45.8. The Eagles were led by Jacob Weddle, who placed 13
th overall with a time of 27:41.5.
Final Team Results
| Name |
Score |
Top Finisher |
| 1. Wisconsin-Superior |
17 |
Michael Butterfield (25:45.4) – 1st Overall |
| 2. Martin Luther |
66 |
Caleb Lash (26:58.5) – 6th Overall |
| 3. Northwestern |
97 |
Jacob Weddle (27:41.5) – 13th Overall |
| 4. Crown |
121 |
Austin Carlson (26:43.9) – 5th Overall |
| 5. Bethany Lutheran |
134 |
Josiah Hoppe (28:46.8) – 18th Overall |
| 6. Northland |
155 |
Ben Thompson (28:13.4) – 14th Overall |
| 7. Minnesota-Morris |
169 |
Gregory Peterson (27:29.8) – 9th Overall |
| 8. North Central |
191 |
Garrett Converse (29:29.5) – 25th Overall |
Top-Ten Finishers
| Name |
Team |
Time |
| 1. Michael Butterfield |
Wisconsin-Superior |
25:45.4 |
| 2. Aidan Doherty |
Wisconsin-Superior |
26:13.8 |
| 3. Zachary Reese |
Wisconsin-Superior |
26:15.8 |
| 4. David Collins |
Wisconsin-Superior |
26:27.0 |
| 5. Austin Carlson |
Crown |
26:43.9 |
| 6. Caleb Lash |
Martin Luther |
26:58.5 |
| 7. Kieran Johnson |
Wisconsin-Superior |
27:12.4 |
| 8. Camden Sulzle |
Martin Luther |
27:21.3 |
| 9. Gregory Peterson |
Minnesota Morris |
27:29.8 |
| 10. Ben Plackner |
Wisconsin-Superior |
27:31.7 |