Gopher Women Steal Four Recruits from Neighboring States in Spring Signings

The University of Minnesota women's team signed four recruits -- all from neighboring Big Ten states -- to national letters of intent during the spring signing period. Wisconsin natives Liz Amici of Whitewater, Jamie Dittmar of Wausau, Brittany Frederick of Green Bay, and Iowan Diedre Hinkeldey of Alta have all committed to the team, according to a team media release.

The Gophers previously signed Hudson, Wisconsin's Sharyn Dahl, Texan Caitlyn Gaston, Shell Lake, Wisconsin's Hannah Gronning, Franklin, Minnesota's Nikki Schultz, and Dawson, Minnesota's Nicole Swenson during the early signing period last fall.

The signings reflect the team's emphasis, of late, on acquiring throwers, middle distance runners, and athletes with multi-event talent.

“We added a lot of depth in this class, both in talent and numbers,” Gopher women's head coach Matt Bingle said. “The Minnesota program is built on depth and the development of solid student-athletes. We’re excited about this class, one that includes several state champions. We also feel we signed the very best athletes from Minnesota and Wisconsin, which is a goal of ours every year."

Amici is a senior at Whitewater is expected to compete in the triple jump and multi-events for the Gophers. She is the defending Wisconsin Division 2 state champion in the triple jump, winning the title with a career-best of 37-4. Amici, an eight-time all-state performer, also added a third-place showing in the 100-meter hurdles in leading Whitewater to a third-place team finish.

Dittmar is the 2006 Wisconsin Division I champion in the 800-meter run from Wausau East. Her winning time of 2 minutes, 11.35 seconds ranked as the fifth-fastest time in Wisconsin high school history. Dittmar also earned all-state honors twice in the 400 meters and owns a career-best time of 57.35 seconds in that event.

Frederick is a thrower from Green Bay Preble. She captured the Wisconsin Division I discus crown in 2006 with a throw of 132-0. Frederick also earned all-state honors in the event as a sophomore. This season, Frederick has posted a career-best distance of 138-11.

Hinkeldey is a three-time Iowa Class 1A champion from Alta. She won the 2004 and 2005 titles in the 400 meters and was the runner-up a year ago, while adding third-place finishes in the 100 and 800 meters in 2006. Hinkeldey doubled up in 2005 in winning the state crown in the 400-meter hurdles. Overall, she is a 10-time all-state performer. Her career-best times are 56.94 seconds in the 400 meters and 1:02.47 in the 400-meter hurdles.

Dahl, a senior at Hudson, joins the Gophers as a state champion hurdler. Dahl won the Wisconsin Division I 300-meter hurdles title last spring in a time of 44.26 seconds, the fifth-fastest time in Wisconsin high school history. She was the state runner-up in the event in both 2004 and 2005. A five-time all-state honoree, Dahl has competed in the 100-meter hurdles twice at the state meet, recording a fourth-place finish (14.99) in 2006 and a seventh-place showing in 2005. Last summer, Dahl competed in the Nike Outdoor Nationals and ran her first 400-meter hurdles competition, clocking a time of 1:03.54.

Gaston is a senior thrower from Holmes High School. Gaston is expected to focus on the discus, weight throw and hammer once she gets to the collegiate ranks. The weight and hammer are not high school events contested in Texas. Gaston placed fifth in the discus at the regional (sub-state) meet with a throw of 132 feet, 3 inches. Gaston will, however, miss her senior season due to a knee injury.

Gronning is a four-time Wisconsin Division 3 state champion from Shell Lake with an unusual resume that lists winning a state relay title along with three individual crowns in throwing events. In 2007, Gronning ranks first in the state in the discus with a throw of 159-9. Gronning captured three titles in 2006, leading Shell Lake to a third-place finish as a team. She defended her discus title (133-11) and landed her first state crown in the shot put (42-2 1/2). Gronning added her third state medalist honor by running the third leg of the winning 4x100-meter relay (50.54). As a sophomore in 2005, Gronning won her first discus title and placed fifth in the shot put.

Schultz is a seven-time all-state performer from Cedar Mountain, who will compete in the heptathlon as a Golden Gopher. Schultz ran to runner-up honors in the 800-meter run and placed fifth in the triple jump at the 2006 Minnesota Class A State Meet. She was edged in the 800m by fellow Gopher-to-be Nikki Swenson. Schultz has been a member of three state champion relays, winning the 4x800-meter relay in both 2004 and 2005, and the 4x400-meter relay in 2005. Schultz was also on the state runner-up 4x400-meter relay in 2004.

Swenson, a senior at Lac qui Perle Valley, is a top distance runner in the Minnesota high school ranks. Swenson is a two-time Minnesota Class A cross country champion, capturing medalist honors as a freshman in 2003 and in 2006 as a senior. She was the state runner-up in 2004 and 2005. Swenson’s track resume is loaded with top state finishes as well. In 2006, she won the state crown in the 800-meter run (2:12.08) and was runner-up in the 1,600-meter run (4:53.67). Swenson was a double winner in 2005, winning the 400 meters and 1,600 meters in leading her team to a first-place finish. She added a second-place finish in the 3,200 meters that season. As a freshman in 2004, Swenson won the first of her two 1,600 meters title and placed second in the 3,200 meters.