Each week, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) recognizes athletes by awarding them the Kwik Trip Athlete of the Week title for their respective sport. 

For the week of March 30 to April 5, UW-Eau Claire track and field athlete Kayla Behnke received the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award for her discus and hammer throw performance. The award was determined by an anonymous vote from sports information directors and WIAC head coaches. 

Kayla Behnke debuted her 2026 outdoor season on Friday, April 3 at the UW-La Crosse Ashton May Invitational, where she took the top spot in the discus with a throw of 45.33 meters. This distance ranks first in the WIAC and seventh in NCAA Division III. 

In the hammer throw event that day, Behnke reached 50.55 meters and placed third. Her mark now sits second furthest in the WIAC and No. 18 in NCAA Division III.

Kayla Behnke is a fifth-year computer science and math student. She said her older brother, who is in the same field, inspired her to pursue this interest, as she enjoys the problem-solving aspect. After graduation, she will be working in software engineering consulting at Solutia Consulting.

According to Kayla Behnke, she is the middle child of a highly athletics-focused family from Appleton, Wisconsin. It was required for every kid to be in a sport throughout the year to stay active. Besides track, she also competed in volleyball and basketball.

“It was always like, ‘What sport are you going to be doing? What are you going to be working on?’ … Building on our academics, too, was a main focus for us,” Kayla Behnke said. 

Although Kayla Behnke said she was the first of her siblings to compete in a sport at the collegiate level, her younger sister, Kristin Behnke, is now a first-year student at UW-Eau Claire also competing in throwing events for the track and field team.

“Growing up, [Kayla Behnke] was always the smartest one, the most responsible one, too. She was always good at whatever sport she did,” Kristin Behnke said. “Her being my older sister and her excelling at so many things, I would always look up to her. I would strive to be like her.”

With the five-year age gap between the sisters, they said they were never able to compete on the same team. Now, they are enjoying the opportunity to both perform at the collegiate level and interact with one another during practice and meets.

At their outdoor meet on April 3, Kristin Behnke placed just behind Kayla Behnke with a discus throw of 44.78 meters.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Kayla Behnke said. “She’s at a high level, especially in discus, where we’re probably going to both make nationals in that, so it’s just a lot of fun to be able to throw with her.”

Kayla Behnke said she felt drawn to UW-Eau Claire after her first campus tour.

“I loved the school, I loved the coaching staff and I talked to everyone,” Kayla Behnke said. “They had my major at a high level, so overall it was just a well-rounded school athletically and academically, and I just fell in love with it right away on my tour.”

According to Kayla Behnke, she also played basketball her first year as a Blugold, but she left the team by her second year to participate in track and field’s indoor season. She said she preferred the atmosphere of track and the ability to compete individually.

Throughout her track and field career, Kayla Behnke said she has mainly worked with Paul Conlin and Curtis Jensen, the assistant throwing coaches. Besides technique, she said the most impactful advice she’s received from them is to be confident.

“Being able to step in the ring and being like, ‘Yep, I’m going to do well today. I’m going to be one of the top throwers today,’” Kayla Behnke said. “That’s something that they’ve always taught … trusting in yourself and what you’re capable of doing.” 

Kayla Behnke said receiving the WIAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award meant a lot to her, especially in such a competitive conference, and said she will continue to build off of this achievement for the rest of her outdoor season. Her main goals are to win the discus at the national meet and place well in the hammer throw.

According to Kristin Behnke, all of her sister’s positive attributes qualified her for this award.

“[Kayla Behnke’s] extremely responsible, she’s kind to everybody, she’s our captain, and rightfully so, because I couldn’t honestly think of a better candidate for team captain than her,” Kristin Behnke said. “She always lifted everybody up. She always made everyone feel included. She’s just a great person.”

Now team captain, Kayla Behnke said she has enjoyed stepping into more of a leadership role, which she has based on those who came before her and inspired her. Her main advice to younger track and field athletes is to stick with it through adversity.

“It’s a very frustrating sport overall, and you’re not always going to compete at the level that you want to,” Kayla Behnke said. “Rely on your teammates. They’re there to support you and help you. You’ve got this. Be confident.”

Matczak can be reached at [email protected].