OSHKOSH - Monticello alumnus Reid Zanoya understands what it's like to be the answer to a historic trivia question on the track.
Zanoya won a WIAA Division 3 state championship in the 400-meter dash last year. With the title, Zanoya made history becoming the first Monticello boys track athlete to win a state championship.
Now, Zanoya is looking to make more history as a freshman for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh who will run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Grinnell, Iowa.
Zanoya qualified for the national indoor championships as part of the 1,600-meter relay team. He teams with Brian Beaudo (Fort Atkinson), John Cejka and Corey Wilch on the 1,600 relay. The quartet is the eighth seed in the tournament. Zanoya said he looks forward to competing on the national stage for a medal on Saturday in the Hawkeye state.
"It's definitely really exciting," he said. "I have been working hard all year to get to the national championships."
It's not just a final kick that has vaulted Zanoya and the 1,600 relay team into national prominence late in the season. Zanoya is off to a strong start at UW-Oshkosh in his freshman season. He won the 400 in a home meet earlier this season, as well as finished first place in the 400 in Chicago while the 1,600 relay team took first. He just missed qualifying for nationals in the 400 by 0.3 seconds.
Even with his early success the freshman Titan says he is learning quite a bit about the college level and about his own abilities.
"Going into the year, I didn't know what to expect," Zanoya said. "I have been running faster this year indoors than I ever did last year outdoors. Usually, you run two seconds slower indoors. I know I have got a little bit faster."
Zanoya credits his faster times to lifting weights for the first time, college coaching and following a diet.
"It's all contributed to my times," he said.
The Titans' 1,600 relay team's best time this season is 3 minutes, 18.18 seconds, which is less than two seconds away from top seed North Central College. Zanoya said the Titans' team has only run together three times before nationals.
"As long as we get the handoffs, we could cut down some more time and possibly win a championship," Zanoya said.
Zanoya won't be the only former area standout to compete at the national championships.
Monroe alumnus Patrick Klein, who is a senior at UW-Platteville, will run the 1,600 and 5,000. Klein enters nationals as the No. 4 seed in the 1,600. Monroe graduate Stephanie Wyss will also run on UW-Platteville's qualifying 1,600 relay team.
Five of the 10 relay teams competing in the 1,600 at the national championships are from Wisconsin.
"Our area has so much potential," Zanoya said. "There are a lot of really good runners from our area. There are a lot of kids who don't go out for track because they feel they are not good enough."
UW-Oshkosh has finished in the top four at the national championships the last six years. In 2009, Oshkosh shared the national title with the UW-La Crosse. With 10 entries each, Oshkosh and La Crosse will boast the most representation for the weekend.
"Going into it, we are not feeling any pressure," Zanoya said. "We are the underdog. It's not like we are picked to win the championship. We just want to go in and run our best. At least we will know we did the best we could."
Zanoya won a WIAA Division 3 state championship in the 400-meter dash last year. With the title, Zanoya made history becoming the first Monticello boys track athlete to win a state championship.
Now, Zanoya is looking to make more history as a freshman for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh who will run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Grinnell, Iowa.
Zanoya qualified for the national indoor championships as part of the 1,600-meter relay team. He teams with Brian Beaudo (Fort Atkinson), John Cejka and Corey Wilch on the 1,600 relay. The quartet is the eighth seed in the tournament. Zanoya said he looks forward to competing on the national stage for a medal on Saturday in the Hawkeye state.
"It's definitely really exciting," he said. "I have been working hard all year to get to the national championships."
It's not just a final kick that has vaulted Zanoya and the 1,600 relay team into national prominence late in the season. Zanoya is off to a strong start at UW-Oshkosh in his freshman season. He won the 400 in a home meet earlier this season, as well as finished first place in the 400 in Chicago while the 1,600 relay team took first. He just missed qualifying for nationals in the 400 by 0.3 seconds.
Even with his early success the freshman Titan says he is learning quite a bit about the college level and about his own abilities.
"Going into the year, I didn't know what to expect," Zanoya said. "I have been running faster this year indoors than I ever did last year outdoors. Usually, you run two seconds slower indoors. I know I have got a little bit faster."
Zanoya credits his faster times to lifting weights for the first time, college coaching and following a diet.
"It's all contributed to my times," he said.
The Titans' 1,600 relay team's best time this season is 3 minutes, 18.18 seconds, which is less than two seconds away from top seed North Central College. Zanoya said the Titans' team has only run together three times before nationals.
"As long as we get the handoffs, we could cut down some more time and possibly win a championship," Zanoya said.
Zanoya won't be the only former area standout to compete at the national championships.
Monroe alumnus Patrick Klein, who is a senior at UW-Platteville, will run the 1,600 and 5,000. Klein enters nationals as the No. 4 seed in the 1,600. Monroe graduate Stephanie Wyss will also run on UW-Platteville's qualifying 1,600 relay team.
Five of the 10 relay teams competing in the 1,600 at the national championships are from Wisconsin.
"Our area has so much potential," Zanoya said. "There are a lot of really good runners from our area. There are a lot of kids who don't go out for track because they feel they are not good enough."
UW-Oshkosh has finished in the top four at the national championships the last six years. In 2009, Oshkosh shared the national title with the UW-La Crosse. With 10 entries each, Oshkosh and La Crosse will boast the most representation for the weekend.
"Going into it, we are not feeling any pressure," Zanoya said. "We are the underdog. It's not like we are picked to win the championship. We just want to go in and run our best. At least we will know we did the best we could."
