In the summer of 1957, Ned Callies and seven other Wisconsin State College-Oshkosh students went to coaching legend Bob Kolf with hopes of starting a cross country program. Coach Kolf obliged this request and became the first cross country coach in Wisconsin State College-Oshkosh history. Along with coaching this new sport he was the present head football coach at the college. The first practices consisted of runs between four and fives mile to, around, and from the Menomonee Park area.

Their first meet was on October 17, 1957 at Lawrence College where they lost 19 - 36 with the top runner from Wisconsin State University - Oshkosh, Ned Callies, finishing third individually. The next meet was the home opener against Ripon College on October 23 at Menomonee Park. The Titans came away with their first victory with a score of 20 - 35. Again, the top Titan was Ned Callies who recorded a first place finish over the 5,000 meter course. The Oshkosh harriers finished the year with a win against LaCrosse, a loss to Carrol College, and a meet with Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) which was not scored.

Coach Robert Kolf

In the 1960s, the Titans joined the Wisconsin State University Conference consisting of nine state schools. Early on, cross country struggled for attention among other college sports and The Quiver, the yearbook of Wisconsin State College - Oshkosh at the time, did not recognize cross country as a school sport until 1961. This would not last long because under Coach James Flood, the team won two consecutive conference crowns in 1966 and 1967; recognition was earned. Throughout the 1970s the team battled chools such as UW - LaCrosse, Stevens Point, and Milwaukee with varying success.

In the fall of 1982, John Zupanc was hired as the cross country coach at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Throughout the late 1980s the team burst into the front scene of Division III Cross Country. Spearheading the Titans success was the most prolific runner it the history of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh history, Scott Steurenagel. Running alongside Scott was almost equally talented Dave Lambert. Together these two athletes put the university's running team on the map. They are two of seven cross country runners in NCAA Division III history to earn All - American honors all four years competing. While doing this they helped the Titans win their first NCAA Division III championship in 1988. The team did not stop with one title; they continued forth to win the title in 1989 and 1990 to become the only team in NCAA Division III team history to win back-to-back titles.

1962-1963 Cross Country Team

Within the conference, the Titans have had 4 individual and team champions in the past 9 years and have qualified for the national meet 11 times between the years of 1985 and 1999. Titan runners have also been successful in the classroom making the NCAA Division III Coaches Association All Academic Team five times between the years of 1991 and 1997.

  • 1957 Cross Country Roster; the inaugural year: Gene Bedrarowski, Ned Callies, Gene Edwards Terry Ingram, Harry Miller, Dwain Moore, Barry Ott, Ken Priebe.
  • Cross Country Coaches' Timeline

    • 1957 - 1961 Bob Kolf (Oshkosh Hall of Fame)

    1962 - 1963 Tom Dezelsky

    1964 Dr. Eric Kitzman

    1965 - 1967, 1969 and 1970 James Flood (Oshkosh Hall of Fame)

    1968, 1971 - 1975 Ron Akin (Oshkosh Hall of Fame)

    1976 - 1981 Ron Zenter

    1982 - present John Zupanc

  • The programs first mode of transportation was the university station wagon- now buses are used
  • In 1965 Tim Duex was undefeated throughout the season
  • WIAC Conference Champions: 1966 1967 1989 1992 1995
  • NCAA Division III National Champions: 1988 1989 1990

References:

Callies, Ned. (1999). Personal Interview on the History of Cross Country.

Noyes, E. Here to Serve- The First 100 Years of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Oshkosh, 1998.

Northwestern. (1957, October 18 and 24, and November 3)

Quivers (1961- 1969)

Zupanc, J. (1982- 1997). University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Cross Country History 1982-1997.