Sophomore distance runner Brandon Bethke established himself as one of the top runners in the NCAA this season after earning two Big Ten individual titles and All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Bethke, a Lake Forest, Calif., native, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at Big Tens and was a member of UW’s distance medley, which placed third at the NCAAs last year, but exploded onto the national scene in 2008.

“Over my first two years on the team, I’ve put in a lot of mileage, and it’s been consistent mileage,” Bethke said. “And now it’s really starting to pay off.”

Bethke became the second Badger to break the four-minute mile barrier after running 3 minutes, 59.85 seconds at Notre Dame. Sophomore Jack Bolas edged out Bethke for the UW record in 3:59.40.

One week later in Seattle, Bethke earned the UW record in the 3,000 meters in 7:51.54, besting the old record, set by five-time NCAA champion Chris Solinsky, by 0.15 seconds.

At the Big Ten Championships, Bethke earned two Big Ten titles, winning the distance double—the 3,000 and 5,000-meter races—over Minnesota’s Hassan Mead in tight races. For putting up 20 points, he was named the Big Ten Indoor Athlete of the Year.

Running 8:06.63 in the 3,000 meters for ninth place at the NCAA Indoor National Championships, Bethke fell a bit short of where he hoped to finish, but earned All-American honors.

Bethke opened his outdoor season with a 3:46.18 1,500-meter run for 12th place at the Stanford Invitational. Although out of peak shape, he qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.

Three weeks later, Bethke was the first collegiate finisher in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at Oregon, running 8:48.66—the sixth-fastest in the NCAA at that time.

This past weekend, Bethke took 10th among all college athletes in the steeplechase at the elite Stanford Cardinal Invitational in 8:53.00. He is aiming to match his indoor success at the upcoming outdoor Big Ten Championships.