Former University of Minnesota stars Emily Brown and Antonio Vega and former Iowa high school phenom and University of Wisconsin grad Michelle Lilienthal are joining Team USA Minnesota, the Twin Cities-based training group has officially announced.News of Brown and Lilienthal's joining the team had sneaked out via a recent Star-Tribune story -- and DtB's attention to detail!
"It's great to be able to provide post-collegiate support for three runners who went to high school and college in this area," Team USA Minnesota Coach Dennis Barker said in the media release announcing the additions.
"Emily and Antonio developed into very good runners at the University of Minnesota and we look forward to helping them take the next steps in their running careers. In addition, many of us have been aware of Michelle from the time she was setting records in Iowa while she was still in high school, to what she accomplished last fall at the Twin Cities Marathon in obtaining her "A" qualifier for the Olympic Trials," he continued.
"We are excited to be bringing these three runners onto the team going into an Olympic year. They are a nice fit with the athletes currently on the team and will be good training partners at a variety of distances."
Brown, 23, went to Nathan Hale High School in West Allis, Wisconsin, where she finished second in the 2001 State Cross Country Championship. At the University of Minnesota, she was a four-time All-American, and was the first Gopher in 20 years to earn All-America status in both cross country and track in a single academic year. She is the school record holder in the 3000 meters indoor (9:27.33) and 3000m steeplechase (9:56.62).
Brown was a Big Ten Champion in the steeplechase and was fourth in the event at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In cross country, she helped the U of M team to its two best finishes (ninth and 11th) at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Lilienthal, 25, who was a seven time state champion in track and cross country for Iowa City High School and a sixth place finisher at the Foot Locker Cross Country championships in 1999, set state prep records in cross country, the 1500 meters, and 3000 meters. She ran at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and ran the 3000, 5000 and 10,000. She was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree in cross country and track.
Since 2005, while studying for her master's degree at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Lilienthal has focused on the marathon. She obtained her Olympic Trials "A" standard mark of 2:35:51 at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in 2006, where she finished fourth in the USA Women's Marathon Championships. So far this year she has placed third at the USA Women's Half Marathon Championships in a time of 1:12:42, and was third at the USA 25k Championships in a time of 1:29:53.
Vega, 23, is a graduate of Tartan High School in Oakdale, where he competed in the 1600 and 3200 meters in track and earned letters in soccer and in football as the place kicker. At the University of Minnesota he was an All-American in cross country and competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships. He was the Midwest Regional cross country champion in 2005 and was named the 2006 Midwest Runner of the Year.
On the track, he made his mark in the 10,000 meters in his senior year to run 29:04.13, a time that ranks eighth on the Minnesota top-10 list in the 10,000. He competed in the 10,000 at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Meet the Athletes ... Stay tuned to DtB for brief interviews the the new Team USA Minnesota folks in the coming days.
Wells returns to Kansas ... 2003 USA Marathon champ Sara Wells has left Team USA Minnesota to take a physical therapy position in her home state of Kansas. Wells and her husband both found jobs in the state after earning their doctorates in May.
Kleimenhagen returns to Wisconsin ... Former UW - Platteville star Ryan Kleimenhagen is leaving Team USA Minnesota to return to his home state of Wisconsin. The sub-4:00 miler is getting married next weekend and will join his wife, who has a teaching job in the state.
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