When they line up next to each other at practice, their teammates sometimes will pause what they are doing.
“My jumps practice will stop to watch them on the blocks together,” Head Coach Andrew Basler said.
The two sprinters will take off, finding themselves neck-and-neck as they cross the finish line.
Michael Gorman and Golden Cotton are both sophomores at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. They’ve been spending their season making noise on the track, bringing home top finishes meet after meet, pushing each other to try and come out on top over the other.
“The amount of times that they run the same exact time to the hundredth is just insane,” Sprints Coach Cody Wilch said.
This season is Cotton’s first at UW-Milwaukee. He transferred from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to be closer to home and to attend one of his dream schools.
Cotton had a relationship with Gorman prior to coming to UW-Milwaukee. They both graduated in 2019 from Greenfield High School, where they spent a season together on the track.
“I talked to Michael on occasion and he would always bring up the idea of me possibly transferring,” Cotton said.
Since his transfer, the two sprinters have found themselves competing at the top of the Horizon League. In the 60 meter, Gorman holds the school record with a time of 6.85. Cotton is not far behind, clocking in at 6.89 and ranking third all-time in UW-Milwaukee’s history.
“Getting Golden to come here was huge,” Basler said. “I think they balance each other out really well.”
Gorman and Cotton’s competitive spirit motivates each other on the track. While they enjoy seeing each other succeed, they do not enjoy losing to the other.
“We might be friends, but business is business,” Cotton said.
At the UW-Parkside Triangular in early February, Cotton beat Gorman in the 55 meter by one hundredth of a second. Gorman used the event as fuel and cruised to victory in the 200 meter.
Wilch said that while the two have a rivalry on the track, they enjoy the competition and are excited for each other when they get better.
“They know how to toe the line of being competitive but being good teammates,” Wilch said.
“They’ll banter back and forth for sure, but there’s no animosity,” Basler said. “They realize that if he does better, I’m going to do better”
Gorman and Cotton trained together during the Summer of 2020, helping motivate each other to put up the times that they are seeing this season.
Wilch and Basler spoke of the attitude and work ethic that they both possess.
“They want to be here and they want to get better,” Wilch said. “That’s contagious.”
That contagious attitude could have big effects as the season continues. The Horizon League Conference Championships are fast approaching, and a first place team finish is what Gorman and Cotton are striving for.
“That’s the most important part,” Gorman said. “We are going to be disappointed if we do not win the team title.”
“Get the hats and get the T-shirts,” Cotton said. “That’s the real goal.”
As young athletes, the two have multiple more years still to improve.
Gorman did not start running track until his junior year in high school, while Cotton first joined track as a senior in high school.
“We feel like we haven’t even begun to do what we think we’re capable of yet,” Gorman said.
While motivating each other, Cotton is envisioning a bright future.
“It’s just a matter of time before hopefully we make it to nationals,” Cotton said.
The Horizon League Champions begin on Feb. 26 in Fort Wayne, Indiana and go through March 1, where Gorman and Cotton will once again go head-to-head while trying to help push their team to a Championship.