University of Wisconsin Leads After Day One of Men's Big Ten Indoor Championships

The host University of Wisconsin Badgers have a seven point lead(41-34) over the University of Minnesota after the first day of the men's Big Ten Indoor Championships in Madison, WI. The Badgers edged the Gophers in the Distance Medley Relay and UW sophomore Brandon Bethke won the 3,000 meters in 8:10.9 to help the Badgers to the first day lead.


The University of Minnesota's Hassan Mead(pictured here earlier in the race running on winner Brandon Bethke's shoulder, Jeff See of Ohio State, eventual second place finisher, is trailing. Photo by Sean Hartnett) finished third in the 3,000(8:11.73). The times in the DMR were 9:54.25 for the Badgers and 9:56.15 for the Gophers. U of M sophomore Ben Peterson(pictured below. Photo by Sean Hartnett) won the pole vault, clearing 17' 1.75"(5.23 meters). Gopher freshman, Brock Spandl was third, clearing 16' 6"(5.03 meters). Sophomore Joe Plencner was eighth, clearing the same height. Sophomore Aaron Studt finished sixth in the shot put with a toss of 57' 9.5"(17.61 meters). Junior Jerry Neland finished 10th(54' 10"), senior Peter Miller was 12th(53' 8.25"), and junior Andy Bastian was 14th(53') in the shot. Mike McFarland finished 14th in the 3K in 8:31.14. Junior Justin Grunewald was 15th(8:36.37), and Ben Puhl, also a junior, was 19th(8:40.66). Raymond Blackledge(sophomore) finished 13th in the long jump with a leap of 22' 7.75"(6.9 meters). Freshman Garrett Wankel finished 19th with a leap of 13' 9.75"(4.21 meters).


David VanOrsdel, a senior, qualified for Sunday's mile final. Junior All American Ibrahim Kabia won his heat in 6.69 seconds in the 60 meters, the second fastest qualifying time. Michigan's Adam Harris ran 6.65 to win his heat. Freshman David Pachuta qualified for the 800 meter final. Sophomore Logan Stroman tied for the second fastest qualifying time of 1:20.18 to advance to the finals of the 600. Wisconsin qualified 11 athletes for Sunday's finals on Saturday. For a feature on Wisconsin coach, Ed Nuttycombe, click here.

The Gopher Distance Medley Relay team: David Pachuta, Eddie Kibira, Mike Linnemann, and Chris Rombough) . Photo by Sean Hartnett