Posted 1:03 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025
Jarrett, Blaskowski shine on and off the track
UW-La Crosse’s Lauren Jarrett and Sam Blaskowski will go down as two of the top sprinters in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III history. And there could be so much more to come.
The accomplishments are endless for both.
A native of La Crosse and graduate of Logan High School, Jarrett completed her junior season in 2025. The Division III Honda Athlete of the Year, Jarrett won five NCAA Division III titles last season.
She was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA III Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, as well as the USTFCCCA Outstanding Indoor and Outdoor Track Performer of the Meet.
At the indoor championships, Jarrett won the 60- and 200-meter dash titles. It was her second career title in the 60, also winning in 2024. Jarrett ranks first in NCAA III history in the 60-meter dash (7.29) and second in the 200-meter dash (23.94).
Blaskowski, an Oshkosh West High School graduate, completed his senior campaign and collegiate eligibility in 2025, while setting NCAA III records in the indoor 60 (10.05) and outdoor 100-meter dash (10.05). He ranks second all-time in the indoor (20.93) and outdoor (20.33) 200-meter dash.
During the 2025 outdoor season, Jarrett swept the 100- and 200-meter dash titles at the NCAA III Championships, while anchoring the winning 4x100-meter relay. She won her second-straight 100- and 200-meter dash national crowns.
Jarrett owns the NCAA record in the 100-meter dash (11.23) and is second in the 200-meter dash (23.44).
“I think the biggest key to my success was staying consistent and committed to doing the little things right every day,” Jarrett says. “I focused on showing up with purpose, stacking one day on top of the next, and just trying to improve a little bit each time.”
Nickolas Davis, head coach of the women's track and field team, says she stands out for her dedication, commitment to excellence and tenacious competitiveness.
“She is a fantastic leader and teammate,” Davis says. “She embodies all the core principles that we seek to build our program around, and she does so with ease and grace. Lauren is a special student-athlete who makes our program better every day.”
Blaskowski had a remarkable season of his own, as he was named the 2025 Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year and Track Performer of the Meet. He earned the indoor award for the third straight season, winning the 60- and 200-meter dash. Blaskowski won his third consecutive 60-meter and second straight 200-meter.
Blaskowski won the 100- and 200-meter dash and was a member of the first-place 4x100-meter relay team at the outdoor championships. He is one of two sprinters in NCAA III history to win four consecutive 100-meter dash titles. Blaskowski won two crowns in the 200-meter dash.
The winner of 12 career conference individual titles, Blaskowski claimed 14 career national championships. He was a four-time WIAC Track Performer of the Year recipient and named the 2022 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Newcomer of the Year.
“Sam took his craft of track and field to the next level,” says Josh Buchholtz, head coach of the men’s track and field team. “His ability to be hyper-focused on all aspects of his training allowed him to get the most out of everything he did. As he progressed in his career and his times dropped, he sought out new ways to improve himself. Another thing that Sam did, that we strive for all our athletes to understand, was to trust all the coaches and support staff. He bought in 100%.”
Jarrett and Blaskowski have not only thrived on the track; they have also excelled in the classroom, with each earning a GPA above 3.0.
Jarrett says she has grown considerably throughout her time at UWL — not just as an athlete, but as a person.
“I’ve learned the importance of discipline, staying focused on a goal and consistently putting in the work required to achieve it,” she says. “That mindset has benefited me not only in athletics but in many other areas of my life as well.”
Blaskowski plans to continue his track career professionally — as an athlete, and perhaps in other ways in the future.
“I love the track and field world and would do anything to be able to work within it the rest of my life,” he says. “I would love to stay in this type of business or become a coach at a large track program to continue giving back to a sport that has given me so much.”
Three added to WIAC Hall of Fame
Two former UW-La Crosse student-athletes, Ryan Allen and Chelsea Endres (Hoff), and one coach, Richard Pein, were inducted into the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Hall of Fame on July 26 at UW-Stout.
The WIAC established a Hall of Fame to coincide with the conference’s celebration of its 100th anniversary, which took place in 2012-13.
Allen was a member of UWL’s wrestling team from 2003 to 2006, winning National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships at 285 pounds in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He also earned All-America honors with a runner-up finish at 285 pounds in 2003. Allen was named the 2005 NCAA Division III Most Outstanding Wrestler.
The all-time leader in wins at UWL, Allen finished 161-14 in his career and won four WIAC titles. He was selected to the WIAC Wrestling All-Time Team in 2012 in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration.
Allen was inducted into the UWL Wall of Fame in 2016 and the National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UWL in 2008.
A member of UWL’s swimming & diving team from 2008 to 2010, Endres collected 18 NCAA Division III All-America awards, including seven individual honors. She recorded five top-five individual finishes at the national championships.
At the WIAC Championships, Endres secured nine individual titles and 11 relay crowns, and was named the conference Swimmer of the Meet from 2008 to 2010. She was the first individual in conference history to receive the honor three consecutive years.
In 2012, Endres was selected to the WIAC Women’s Swimming & Diving All- Time Team. She was inducted into the UWL Wall of Fame in 2022.
Endres was a 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year finalist. She was also named the 2010 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America of the Year, and was a member of the 2009 and 2010 CSC Academic All-America First Team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from UWL in 2010, and a doctorate degree in physical therapy from UWL in 2013.
Pein coached the UWL men’s swimming and diving team from 1979 to 2012 and the women’s swimming and diving team from 1985 to 2012. He returned to coach both teams for one final season in 2018-19.
The men’s team placed among the top 20 nationally in 11 seasons, while the women’s team finished in the top 12 at the NCAA Division III Championships four times, including a school-best fifth-place finish in 2004.
Pein led the women’s team to eight conference titles in his last 12 seasons, including four consecutive. He received the conference’s Coach of the Year distinction 11 times for the women and six times for the men. Pein was tabbed as the NCAA Diving III Women’s Swimming National Coach of the Year in 2003-04 by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America. He was named the NAIA District 14 Men’s Coach of the Year in 1990-91.
Pein joined the UWL Wall of Fame in 2006, and the Richard L. Pein Natatorium at UWL was dedicated in his honor in 2014. Pein taught in UWL’s Exercise & Sport Science Department for 30 years.
Pein earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in 1971, a master’s degree from Illinois State University in 1979 and a doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee in 1990.
A spectacular season
UW-La Crosse finished 10th in the 2024-25 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup Standings — the Eagles’ best finish since tying for 10th in 2015-16.
UWL was the top Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) university in this year’s standings, and is one of just seven institutions to finish in the top 40 in all 28 years of the award.
Eighteen sports and their national finishes are counted in the Division III standings.
In the fall, UWL’s men’s cross-country team won the NCAA Division III title, with the women’s squad placing 13th nationally. The football team advanced to the NCAA III Second Round, and the soccer team appeared in the first round.
During the winter season, the men’s track and field team captured the indoor national title, while the women’s team placed third. The wrestling team finished fifth at the NCAA III Championships. The men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA III Elite Eight, and the women’s basketball team advanced to the second round. UWL captured the 2025 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship; however, points are only awarded for NCAA-sponsored championships.
The men’s track and field team completed the season sweep with a victory at the 2025 NCAA III Outdoor Championships, while the women’s team finished third. The baseball team earned points while advancing to the NCAA III Regional.
2024-25 championship teams
