Gopher 4 x 800 Eyes Drake Record

The Star-Tribune's Michael Rand just wrote a nice profile of the Gopher women's 4 x 800 meter squad. The Gopher foursome of Heather Dorniden, Julie Schwengler, Jamie Cheever, and Gabriele Anderson will attempt to break the Drake Relays record in the event this weekend.

Arkansas set the record ot 8:29.13 in 2005. The Gophers would need to average 2:07-lows to eclipse the mark. Breaking the school record of 8:41 would require 2:10s.

Also ... Drake will provide a striking backdrop for a battle between Minnesota's small college steeplechase stars. Chris Erichsen of St. John's and Travis Bristow of Hamline, currently ranked #1 and #2, respectively, on the NCAA Division III performance list, will attempt to make a splash against the big boys at Drake -- including the University of Minnesota's Ben Puhl.

Erichsen has run 9:05.84, Bristow has run 9:06.09, Puhl has clocked 9:06.51