Finnerty runs 4:06.49, Carlson 4:07.12 at 3AA

Finnerty and Carlson flew again today.

And, just as he did at the Lake Conference Championships last week, Burnsville's Rob Finnerty beat Rosemount's Jordan Carlson in the 1600m at the MSHSL Section 3AA Championships at St. Thomas.

Finnerty stopped the clock at 4:06.49, a mark bettered only by Proctor's Garry Bjorklund among Minnesota preps. Carlson ran 4:07.12, the #4 time in Minnesota high school miling history.

Finnerty led at 400m in 62, at 800m at 2:03, and at 1200m at 3:07 with Carlson right behind, a source told DtB. Carlson took the lead just before 300 with Finnerty right behind him. Finnerty pulled wide with 100m to go and pulled away from Carlson for the win.

The pair will meet again next weekend at the MSHSL State Championships at Hamline University in the 1600m and the 3200m.

Full results from 3AA are HERE.

By the Numbers ... The all-time Minnesota 1600m top-5 list now reads:

4:03.5 Garry Bjorklund, Proctor 1969 (4:05.1y)
4:06.49 Rob Finnerty, Burnsville 2008
4:06.70 Nick Schneider, Benilde-St. Margaret 2000 (4:08.33y)
4:07.12 Jordan Carlson, Rosemount 2008
4:07.62 Steve Holman, Richfield 1988 (4:09.26y)

Photo by Gene Niemi -- Finnerty leading Carlson.

All-time list information coutesy of Bill and Tim Miles.

Short-Cut: Results Links for May 30-June 1

The Gophers (see previous story) aren't the only people competing this weekend. There's more than a little additional action close-by and farther away in the coming days.

For example:

-- The MSHSL Section meets are still in full swing, owed in part to some rains-outs last night. We're eager to see how the Finnerty-Carlson 1600m duel in 3AA turns out as well as what Buffalo's Zach Mellon does in the 2AA 800m final. (If the 2007 Class AA 800m champ can run 1:51.91 in the prelims, ... )

We recommend using "KenA55's" compilation of Section Meet links, HERE, on the Dyestat Minnesota Talk page to keep up with the action.

-- Team USA Minnesotans are competing on both coasts on Saturday. Carrie Tollefson and Katie McGregor will compete in the 5000m at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York City. Matt Gabrielson, Antonio Vega, and Brad Lowery will race the Nike Elite Men's 5000 meter race held in conjunction with the BorderDuel Track Classic in Portland, Oregon.

As the days count down to the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, the races are getting bigger for some of the Team USA-ers. Tollefson, Lowery, and Vega still need to score qualifying marks for the meet. Tollefson, an Olympian in 2004, needs to run 15:28.00 to achieve the Trials "A" standard to automatically qualify in the event or run better than the 16:00.00 "B" mark and hope her mark puts her in the planned-for 24-runner field.

Vega and Lowery need to reach the 13:33.00 "A" standard or hope a "B" mark better than 13:50.00 gets them into the meet. Gabrielson and McGregor have already qualified in the 5000m and 10,000m events, respectively, that they plan to contest at the Trials.

Our links to those events and more are below:

Friday:
NCAA Midwest Regional: Live Results
Update: Rue wins vault in 13-11 3/4, Smith 4th with 13-3 3/4; Dorniden, Schwengler qualify #1 & #4 in 800m; Podominick 6th in discus.

Update: Mead makes NCAAs with 5th place 14:01.42 in 5000, Rombough 12th; Kabia misses finals with 10.49; Storvick 12th in prelims in 1:51.27, Studt 6th in shot with 57-8 1/2.

Saturday:
NCAA Midwest Regional: Live Results
Update: Dorniden wins 800m in 2:03.91, Schwengler 6th in 2:09.28; Cheever 7th in steeple at 10:18.61; Roehrig ties for 5th in HJ at 5-9 1/4, Devine also clears 5-9 1/4 for 8th, Podominick 5th in shot with 51-11, Radocaj 2nd in JT with 177-11

Update: Peterson wins jump-off for final national PV spot with17-1, Spandl 8th at 17-1.

Reebok Grand Prix: Results
Update: 5000: McGregor 7th in 15:42.60, Tollefson 11th in 15:56.72; 1500: Deatherage 11th in 4:18.87.

BorderDuel: Results
Update: Goucher wins 10,000m in 31:26.48; Gabrielson 6th in 5000m in 13:51.22, Vega 13th in 14:26.38, Lowery DNF.

Sunday:
Grand Old Day 8K: Results

Gophers Open NCAA Regional Action Today

Action gets underway this afternoon for the Golden Gopher men's and women's track teams at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Gopher women send a record 23 athletes to the meet. The Gopher men have qualified 14 for the event, which runs culminates on Saturday.

Athletes placing in the top five at the Midwest Regional will join qualifiers from the NCAA's three other regional meets at the NCAA Division I Championship scheduled for June 11-14 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Live results of this weekend's action will be posted HERE.

The University of Nebraska is also featuring streaming video of the meet HERE.

You can find all the details about the event on the meet web-site HERE.

Two golden Gopher stars have made the news recently. The Star-Tribune recently ran THIS feature on Ibrahim Kabia, the Big Ten 100 meter champion. The Gopher sports media folks also published THIS nice story about scholar-athlete Ashley Nord.

As always, the U puts out nice team previews before the big events. Read about about the Gopher men's prospects at Regions HERE, and those of the women HERE.

Oregonian Talks to Philip Dunn

The Portland Oregonian recently caught up with Carleton College alum Philip Dunn in THIS story.

Dunn (pictured), an Olympian in the 50K racewalk in 2000 and 2004, recently completed the two-step process he needed to punch his ticket for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Dunn, you'll remember, won the U.S. Olympic 50K Trials in Miami in February, but still needed to better the 4:o7:00 Olympic qualifying mark. Earlier this month he accomplished that task when he walked 4:05:10 at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia.

Also in the News ... Chad Austin of Running Minnesota just posted THIS interview with marathoner-in-all-50-states Steve Hibbs.

Photo courtesy of USA Track and Field.

Finnerty Blazes 9:00.94 to Open Section Week

Burnsville's Rob Finnerty won the Section 3AA 3200 meter title last night in 9:00.84, getting this week's MSHSL Section competition off to a fast start. The University of Wisconsin-bound senior outdistanced Rosemount senior Jordan Carlson, the 2008 Elite-Meet champion in the event, who finished 2nd in 9:23.09.

Tuesday's 3AA action at the University of St. Thomas was one of three Section Championships that got underway Tuesday to kick off a busy week of State Meet qualifying for the state's high school track and field athletes.

The Minnesota State High School League offers of list of Section Championships, HERE, but we recommend the one compiled by "KenA55" in THIS thread on Dyestat's Minnesota chat forum since it includes links to heat sheets and results. (Section 3AA hosts St. Thomas should also be commended for putting together THIS comprehensive web-page for their event.)

In other action at 3AA, Danielle Berndt of Bloomington Kennedy won the girls 3200m in 10:59.50. Apple Valley's defending Class AA 100m champion Kylie Peterson qualified fastest in prelims for the 100m (12.00) and 200m (25.33).

Full results of Tuesday's 3AA action can be found here: BOYS * GIRLS

Action will resume in 3AA on Thursday. Eyes will focus again on Finnerty and Carlson who will meet in the boys 1600m in a rematch of their duel over the distance last week at the Lake Conference Championships. There, Finnerty edged Carlson with a 4:08.76 clocking to Carlson's 4:09.02.

Polson, Troup Win Brian Kraft 5K Titles

Jeremy Polson and Rasa Troup won individual titles at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5K held yesterday at Lake Nokomis. Polson edged Chris Lundstrom 14:47 to 14:49 for the victory. Troup out-ran women's runner-up Amy Lyons, winning in 16:52 to Lyons' 17:25.

Full men's results are available HERE.

Full women's results are HERE.

Preliminary team results show a Run N Fun sweep of the open categories. The RNF men won the five-runner team competition with a 1:16:09 clocking. TC Running Company was 2nd at 1:18:47. RNF's women defeated TCRC 1:30:49 to 1:40:07.

Full men's team scores HERE.

Full women's team scores are HERE.

Two Minnesota single-age records were set in the event. Dan Morse topped Kleyman's record for 55-year-old men running 17:01. Gloria Jansen beat Judith Cronen's 60-year-old women's record by a second with her 22:34 clocking.

Short-Cut Results Links for May 22-26

As always, below are our quick links to what's happening this weekend in the sport.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Yesterday:
NCAA Division II Championships: Results
Update: Evans fastest qualifier in 1500 prelims with 4:31.82, Henderson, Stangler advance #3 in 100m and steeple, respectively.
Update: Mokaya qualifies #3 in 1500 with 3:51.47.

NCAA Division III Championships: Men * Women
Update: Marks takes 2nd in men's discus; 2007 champ Guidry out in women's discus prelims.

Friday:
NCAA Division II Championships: Results
Update: Hensel defends pole vault title, Stelten 4th, Rains 6th.
Update: Remitz wins men's shot put; Devine 3rd in women's shot.
NCAA Division III Championships: Men * Women
Update: Lundstrom 2nd in heptathlon, Kay 5th.
Update: Erichsen 2nd in steeplechase.
Update: O'Connell wins hammer, puts Tommies in team lead after Day 2.

Saturday:
NCAA Division II Championships: Results
Update: Evans wins 1500m in 4:26.29.
Update: Henderson 2nd in 200m, 3rd in 100m; Stangler 2nd in steeplechase.
NCAA Division III Championships: Men * Women
Update: Gustavus' Lisa Brown wins javelin in OT-qualifying 174-5.
Update: Marie Borner 3rd in 1500m.
Update: Erichsen 2nd in 5000m, P.J. Theisen 3rd in 400m hurdles.
Update: Tommie men end meet tied for 5th

Sunday:
MDRA Mississippi 10 Miler: Results

Monday:
Brian Kraft Memorial 5K (Team Circuit): Results

Finnerty 4:08.76, Carlson 4:09.02 at Lake Conf.

The news of the fast 1600 meter marks recorded by Burnsville's Rob Finnerty and Rosemount's Jordan Carlson at the Lake Conference Championships had bounced around places like Dyestat's Minnesota talk pages, HERE, since right after Wednesday's meet. Word was Finnerty had edged Carlson and that the time was fast.

Official results, however, are still to appear in the internet universe.

A respected source tells us that the University of Wisconsin-bound Finnerty clocked 4:08.76 to edge Carlson's 4:09.02. Carlson's mark has appeared on RaceberryJam's Boys Honor Roll, HERE, so we're pretty confident about the times.

Finnerty's mark is a slight improvement over his 4:08.84, converted mile PR from 2007, but doesn't move him from his #4 position (Behind Garry Bjorklund, Nick Schneider, and Steve Holman) on the Minnesota all-time high school list for 1600m, HERE, compiled by Bill and Tim Miles. Carlson's mark moves him to #6 all-time, just .02 behind Garrett Heath.

Carlson, who will attend Notre Dame next year, doubled back from his 1600m effort to win the Lake Conference 800m in 1:53.44, just ahead of teammate Obai Hussein at 1:53.89.

We ultimately expect full results of the meet to appear on the Lakeville South Boosters web-site, HERE.

Update: You can find boys results HERE, girls results HERE, and team scores HERE ... courtesy of the Bloomington Jefferson track web-site.

NCAA Meets Open Today in Division II and III

It's now the weekend in the year for the Sheena Devines, Jennifer Hensels, Shara Guidrys, and Lisa Browns of the world to shine.

National Championships in the small school divisions of the NCAA open today, and those national title winners and a host of other Minnesota hopefuls will compete through Saturday. Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California hosts the Division II meet; UW - Oshkosh is the site of the Division III meet.

Bemidji State's Sheena Devine , the defending champion in the shot put outdoors and a three-time NCAA Division II indoor champion enters Friday's shot put competition as only the #9-seed with a 48-0 1/2 mark. Rival Jessica Selby-Tallman of Missouri Southern -- read about her battles with Devine HERE -- is the top seed at 50-4 1/2.

Defending D2 outdoor pole vault champion Jennifer Hensel of Minnesota State Moorhead, the #2-seed at 13-7 1/2, expects her national meet competition to be rather local. The #1-seed in the competition is MSU Mankato's Katelin Rains, the two-time indoor champion and the D2's all-time highest vaulter. Rains enters Friday's competition at 13-11 1/2. Rains' teammate Lauren Stelten, the D2 indoor runner-up, is seeded #5.

Other prime Minnesota contenders in the NCAA Division II Championships include: Brittany Henderson of Mankato, seeded #3 in both the 100 and 200 meters, Roseau native Heidi Evans, the #1-seed in the 1500m, Moorhead's Ashley Roemer the #4-seed in the high jump, Mankato's Denise Mokaya the #8-seed in the 800m, teammate Josh Robertson the #4-seed in the high jump, and Bemidji's Joe Remitz, the #2-seed in shot put.

Heat sheets for the D2 meet can be found here: WOMEN * MEN

In the D3 meet, University of St. Thomas discus thrower Shara Guidry hopes to recapture the magic that brought her the national title last year in Oshkosh. In 2007, she won the event after entering the competition seeded at #9. This year? Guidry is again ranked #9 entering tonight's competition.

At the 2006 D3 meet, Gustavus Adolphus College's Lisa Brown won the national title with a 154-6 mark on her final throw of the competition. Last year, the Lake Crystal native finished second with 152-3. Brown, a junior, enters Saturday's competition with the longest throw in D3 this year -- 158-5.

Other Minnesota title contenders in the D3 meet include: Bethel's Marie Borner the #5-seed in the 1500m, Concordia-Moorhead's Leah Kay, the #6-seed in the heptathlon, St. Thomas teammates Erin Sprangers and Katie Theisen, the #6 and #7-seeds in the 800m, St. Thomas' Derek Marks, the #2-seed in the discus throw, St. John's Chris Erichsen, the #3-seed in both the steeplechase and the 5000m, and teammate Eric Diley the #3-seed in the long jump.

Heat sheets for the D3 meet can be found here: WOMEN * MEN

Plasencia Talks About His Big Ten Champions

We were especially impressed by the University of Minnesota's men's distance and middle distance runners at last weekend's Big Ten Championships. Three members of Steve Plasencia's crew earned Big Ten titles. Hans Storvick won the 800 meters, Hassan Mead won the 5000m, and Chris Rombough, a former Big Ten cross country champ, won the 10,000m.

We asked Plasencia for his impressions of his champions and their victories.

DtB: Three Big Ten champions in the middle and long distance events, how surprising was that to you?

Plasencia: Chris, Hans, and Hassan have all been having very good seasons up until this point so it is not like their races just came from nowhere. But competition is tough in the Big Ten, so to have them all win in the same meet was about as positive as it could have played out.

DtB: Can you describe the basics of how the three of them won their races?

Plasencia: Chris followed a slow but uneven pace until between 6,000 and 7,000m, then made a move with a 66 lap after which he did not feel good but had two Wisconsin runners who clung behind him not allowing him out of the lead. With under 1,200m remaining, Landon Peacock of Wisconsin made a big move with around a 30 second 200. At that point it looked like Chris might be 4th with three Wisconsin runners ahead. With around 700m remaining it became apparent Peacock had over-extended himself and that those behind had a chance to catch him. Chris dug in and with around 300m to go he assumed the lead in fought off a challenge from Andrew Lacy down the stretch glancing over his shoulder a couple of times in the last 50m. It was an exciting race.

Hans wanted to make a move around 500m and use his strength over the last 300. As it turned out coming off of the break line he and his teammate Logan Stroman were at the lead. Hans continued to lead through a 54.3 at 400m. On the backstretch, Adam Hairston from Iowa challenged but Strovick held him off and continued to lead all the way to the finish. It was a strong race which he led wire to wire.

Hassan was the only contender in the 5,000m who was not trying to complete some sort of a double in the meet. Thus we wanted the pace to be honest. Trent Hoerr from Illinois set an early pace with Chris Rombough following 10m behind and Hassan back at in the front of the main group. After 800m Rombough assumed the lead. There was a strong head wind on the backstretch. Rombough led for the next six to seven laps with his final lap in the lead being 65. Excluding Hassan, the rest of the field was gapped by 30-40m. At that point Hassan took over and ran laps of 67, 68 and continued to extend his lead to about 60m. He held that until the finish running 65.2 on his last 400 well clear of anyone else. It also was a fun race to watch, particularly if you are a Minnesota fan.

DtB: Tell us a little something about each of them that explains why they're having the success they are?

Plasencia: They each are willing to do what it takes to be good runners. For Hans that means being able to handle tough speedwork. He is very strong and tolerates a lot of work on his hard days. Chris and Hassan train together a lot, along with Mike Torchia and Forrest Tahdooahnippah. They seem to enjoy their running and also are not adverse to taking a hard workout on the track, roads or on grass. While different in their degree of tension around racing, all focus well and pay attention to details in race preparation. They usually come ready to race.

DtB: Regionals are up next. What will be the keys for success for the three of them there?

Plasencia: I haven’t really thought about it much yet. But again being able to compete in strong competition, in weather conditions that might or might not be ideal, and adjusting to whatever situation presents itself, will be huge in any success we might have.

Meet Ashley Anklam on Running Minnesota

Our friend Chad Austin at Running Minnesota has just posted THIS new interview on his fine web-site. He caught up with Ashley Anklam, the Holy Angels and Drake University alum who was the top American finisher last month at the Boston Marathon.

Anklam, currently a medical student at the University of Minnesota, finished 15th at Boston in 2:48:43.

Tuesday News Round-Up

So they aren't lost in the shuffle of another busy week of running and track in Minnesota, here are some miscellaneous and sundry news items that have come to our attention ...

Racewalking on TV ... WCCO Channel 4's Rosen's Sports Sunday featured THIS story on a local racewalking organization. Though it not mentioned in the video clip, so far a racewalker -- Carleton College alum Philip Dunn -- is the lone Minnesota member of the 2008 US Olympic Track and Field team.

Kabia, Radocaj named USATF Athletes of the Month ... USA Track & Field Minnesota announced that Gopher stars Ibrahim Kabia and Ruby Radocaj are USATF Minnesota's Athletes of the Month for May.

Kabia, a University of Minnesota junior, was recognized for his victory in the 100 meters at the Drake Relays last month. Kabia, a Champlin Park High School alum, clocked 10.44 to win the title at the 99th running of the Des Moines, Iowa event. Last weekend in Champaign, Illinois, Kabia won the Big Ten 100m title.

Radocaj, a senior at Minnesota, was honored for her victory in the javelin throw at the Drake Relays. Radocaj, who was the runner-up at the Big Ten Championships, threw 179-11 to win at Drake.

The UMAC Honors Its Best ... The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference recently named Megan Croatt of the University of Minnesota-Morris and Alex Tuttle of St. Scholastica its Performers of the Meet at the UMAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held in Superior, Wisconsin earlier this month.

Croatt won at 100 and 200 meters and carried the baton on Morris' victorious 4 x 100m relay team. Tuttle won the 400m and 800m and anchored the Saints' winning 4 x 400m relay team.

Northwestern coach Steve Thiessen was named men's coach of the year by the UMAC; Kirk Nauman of St. Scholastica was named the women's coach of the year.

Results from the meet are available here -- MEN * WOMEN

Twin Cities Marathon Fills 11,000 Runner Field

Registration closed Monday for the 27th running of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

11,000 runners representing all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and 14 other countries are entered in the October 5th event. Registration numbers were increased by 500 participants this year to accommodate the growth in interest in marathons across the country, officials said.

Like its Duluth counterpart Grandma's Marathon, Twin Cites filled more slowly this year than in recent years. This year's race closed in 33 days; the 2007 event closed in 19 days and the 2006 race filled in 15 days.

TCM Race Director Brian Mastel doesn't see cause for concern in the reduced pace, however.

"We did fill slower than the last two years," he said, "but we also had a pretty significant change in registration: online only, we opened registration almost 3 weeks earlier in the year than we ever have, and increased our field by 500 spots. If you throw out the last two years - '06 was the 25th [anniversary of the event] and '07 fed off the excitement of closing in 15 days - with the added 500 we actually closed quicker than we did in '04 and '05 (28 and 29 days)."

Mastel feels nation-wide marathon participation demographics are still strong.

"I track the finisher numbers for the top 100 or so marathons in the country and even with the LA Marathon and Georgia Marathon (both down 3,100 and 2,200 respectively) marathon participation across the country is actually up for the first 5 months compared to last year," he said.

(You can read Grandma's Marathon executive director Scott Keenan's archived comments on registration for his race HERE.)

Still Spots on the Starting Line ... Runners still wishing to take part in the 2008 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon can reserve spots through the Fundraiser Entry Program benefiting Youth Fitness Partners of the marathon. These organizations include: Bolder Options, Migizi Communications, and the YWCA of Minneapolis.

150 additional marathon entries are available to support these partners. Interested participants can register online at mtcmarathon.org beginning this Thursday at 12:00 p.m. For the $95 price of registration, plus a $100 tax-deductible donation, the first 150 entries received will gain entry into the race.

“Runners looking for a great fall race come to the Twin Cities for the terrific community support, the beautiful fall weather and for a top-quality marathon experience,” TCM executive director Virginia Brophy Achman said in a media release. “We are excited to offer a limited number of additional spots in the marathon as we help raise funds for our community partners."

Gopher Teams 3rd, 5th at Big Ten Outdoors

Big Brown won this weekend, but not Big Maroon.

The University of Minnesota women's hoped-for triple crown of Big Ten cross country, indoor and outdoor track titles fell short at the finish line Sunday as the Gophers finished 3rd at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Champaign, Illinois.

Penn State won the title with 151 points, Michigan was second with 118, and the Gophers followed with 113.5.

The Gophers gathered individual titles from heptathlete Liz Roehrig, who amassed 5855 points to break her own school record in the event, and 800 meter star Heather Dorniden, who had finished 2nd in the 1500m earlier in the day Sunday. Liz Podominick (shot and discus), Ruby Radocaj (javelin), and Caitlin Roemholdt (high jump) also earned runner-up points for the team.

“This is a tough meet, one where you have just keep battling,” head coach Matt Bingle said. “Penn State came up big in some events and had the overall depth to take the team title. We weren’t able to match it. Still, we had some outstanding individual efforts this weekend. It’s nice to see Heather (Dorniden) and Liz (Roehrig) win individual titles since they are so unselfish at this meet, thinking only of team first."

Penn State's win does give Minnesotans something to cheer about -- the Nittany Lions coach, Beth Alford-Sullivan, is a Hopkins High School graduate and a former University of Minnesota cross country team captain.

Gopher men earn four individual titles ... Although the Gopher men's 5th place finished at Big Ten put them further down the final standings than the program has been used to lately, the young squad returns with lots of champion's hardware. Juniors Ibrahim Kabia (100m), Hans Storvick (800m), and Chris Rombough (10,000m) along with true-freshman Hassan Mead (5000), won Big Ten titles.

Kabia's win in the 100m is only the second time a Golden Gopher has won the event in Big Ten Outdoor Championship history.

“Our program is used to high team finishes, but I was extremely proud to see four of our young men win Big Ten titles,” out-going men's head coach Phil Lundin said. “This whole team is returning next year and I expect to see more golden performances from them in the future."

Michigan edged four-time defending champs Wisconsin for the team title.

You can find day-by-day coverage of the meet via the Gopher track and field web-sites below ...

Women: Day 1 * Day 2 * Day 3

Men: Day 1 * Day 2 * Day 3

Results from the meet are HERE.

Short Cut: Results Links for May 16-18

There's triple crown talk in the air.

Sure, Big Brown might earn the second jewel of horse racing's famous three-feat Saturday at the Preakness. But, closer to home, Minnesota track and field fans are eager to see if "Big Maroon" can make it three-for-three this weekend in Champaign, Illinois. The Golden Gopher women, conference champs in cross country last fall and indoor track this winter, could become only the third school in Big Ten women's history to accomplish the school-year title trifecta.

The Gopher women enter the meet with six five #1-seeds: Jamie Cheever in the steeplechase (she's also slated to race the 1500m and 5000m), Liz Roehrig (high jump and heptathlon), Alicia Rue (pole vault), Liz Podominick (discus), and Ruby Radocaj (javelin.)

In the men's meet, the Gophers sport #1-seeds in shot put (Aaron Studt) and 5000 meters (Hassan Mead) on a squad that looks to build on its 5th place finish at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. The meet, of course, is men's coach Phil Lundin's final Big Ten Championship at the helm of the Gophers. Lundin is leaving the U to coach at St. Olaf after the end of the season.

Action at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships begins this afternoon. Performance lists, heat sheets, and the event schedule are up on the meet's web-site, HERE.

The Minnesota Gopher media folks also put together great info packages for the meet HERE for women and HERE for men.

The Gophers aren't the only thing going on this weekend, of course. Below are DtB's results links for the Big Tens and the rest of the weekend's important action ...

Friday:
Big Ten Outdoor Championships: Live Results
Update: Rombough wins 10,000, McGinnis, Roehrig lead multis, Gopher men lead.

North Central Last Chance Meet: Startlists * Thursday Results * Friday Results

True Team State Meet: Results
Update: Eden Prairie edges Mounds View for Class AAA boys title ... see Star-Trib story HERE. Eastview wins girls Class AAA.

Saturday:
Big Ten Outdoor Championships: Live Results
True Team State Meet: Results
Update: New Prague boys, Totino Grace girls win Class AA; St. Croix Lutheran boys, Luverne girls win Class A.

Healthy Kidney 10K: Results
Update: Carlson 13th in 29:51.

Sunday:
Big Ten Outdoor Championships: Live Results
Adidas Track Classic: Results
Update: Deatherage 5th, Tollefson 10th in 1500m ... Goucher 4th in 3000m in 9:00 ... Leer runs 3:38.

Also:
Find other collegiate conference meet results HERE.
Update: Gits, Garrett Heath win Pac 10 titles.

USATF-Mn Features Emily Brown Interview

The USA Track and Field Minnesota web-site is featuring an interview with Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown as the latest installment of its "Road to Beijing" series. Running Minnesota's Chad Austin conducted the interview.

Explaining where her recent breakthrough came from, the U of M grad offered Austin the following ...

"At Minnesota, as at most colleges, the ultimate goal is to win team championships. We were a team that was very focused on winning Big Ten titles and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I was also in a position to run in a number of Regional and National meets. Although winning championships and qualifying for NCAA’s are both markers of a successful season, they also require a runner to do a lot of racing and have multiple or sustained peaks throughout all three seasons. Each year I had a lengthened season; the time I had to rebuild my base got shorter and shorter. Now that I am out on my own, my racing has been much less and I haven’t had to be top shape for any particular race yet. I had a very long period to build my base and increase my mileage and I think that is the main reason why I am running better than I did in college."

You can read the full interview HERE.

Photo of Brown leading Rasa Troup at the Drake Relays by Gene Niemi.

Reusse and USATF-Mn on Van Norman

Heather Van Norman, the Minnesota high school sprinting phenom who won the Class A 100, 200, and 400 meter titles for four straight years from 1985 to 1988, is back in the news.

The Star-Tribune's Patrick Reusse was reminded of the Windom star after Texas high schooler Bonnie Richardson single-handedly won a state team title last weekend. Van Norman (pictured) did the same thing in Minnesota in 1987 when her triple was enough to earn Windom the MSHSL title. Windom won again in 1988 with Van Norman's 30 points and those of a 3rd-place 4 x 800m relay.

You can read the Reusse column HERE.

A story on Van Norman that I wrote two years ago for Minnesota Running & Track is republished, HERE, on the USATF - Minnesota web-site. Then, I caught up with Van Norman as she and the Tulane University track team she coaches were recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

Photo courtesy of Tulane University.

Minnesotans in Action Tonight in La Crosse

We usually save our results links for Friday, but we anticipate lots of important marks tonight at the UW - La Crosse Last Chance Meet. Among a passel of MIAC entrants looking to improve their chances of making the NCAA Division III Championships -- or simply notching a nice PR -- are a handful of post-collegiates ramping up for the Olympic Trials.

Among the headliners are ... Former Gopher ace Mitch Potter who is slated to run the 400m ... Team USA Minnesota's Matt Gabrielson, Brad Lowery, and Antonio Vega who are entered in the 5000m ... USA Champion Shani Marks and training partner Amanda Thieschafer who will compete in the triple jump ... And, training partners April Phillips and Bryan Tolcser who will compete in the hammer throws.

Full startlists are available HERE.

Results are available HERE.

Update: Marks wins TJ with 45-2 1/2, Thieschafer 2nd with 43-10 1/2 ... Potter wins 400m in 46.66 ... Team USA Mn 5000m 1-2-3: Gabrielson 14:10, Vega 14:11, Lowery 14:16 ... Phillips hammers 186-9, Tolcser 209-3.

Small Colleges Name Award Winners

Minnesota's small college conferences have named their outstanding athletes and coaches of the year on the heels of last weekend championship meets. Here's a run-down of the best and brightest from the North Central Conference, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ...

NCC: Heidi Evans, a Roseau High School alum who competes for the University of North Dakota, and Kelvin Rodgers of Minnesota State - Mankato where named the conference's Outstanding Athletes. Evans won the 1500m (4:31.77) and 3000m (10:06.71) at the championships. Rodgers, a sophomore from O'Fallon, Illinois, won the long jump (23-7 1/4), 100-meter dash (10.60), and 200-meter dash (21.57) individually and was part of the winning 4x100 meter relay. Because of the weather-accelerated schedule, all four events took place in the span of just a few hours on Friday evening.

Mankato men's coach Mark Schuck earned Coach of the Year honors. His Mavericks completed an NCC triple crown for the school year, winning cross country, indoor, and outdoor track titles in what is the final year of competition for the conference.

You can read the NCC media release HERE.

NSIC: Minnesotans claimed the field events Athlete of the Year honors in the NSIC. Bemidji State thrower Joe Remitz earned the accolade for men after wining the shot put, finishing second in the discus, and taking third in the hammer. Remitz, a North Branch native, set a new NSIC record with his shot put win of 61-6 3/4.

Minnesota State Moorhead’s Ashley Roemer earned the same distinction for women, The Maple Lake alum was a triple winner for the Dragons in the heptathlon (4,755 points), high jump (5-6), and 800 meters (2:15.36), and was a member of the winning 4 x 400m (3:59.88) and 4 x 800m (9:13.36) relay teams.

You can read the NSIC media release HERE.

MIAC: Joe Sweeney, who's University of St. Thomas women have won each and every MIAC Outdoor Championship -- 25 in all! -- was named the MIAC women's coach of the year. He cross country, indoor, and outdoor squads have now won 60 MIAC titles. Fittingly, Tommie women earned Outstanding Women's Track Athlete and Field Athlete honors after the meet. Nikki Arola won the award on the track after she earned wins in the 200m (25.91) and 400m (56.81). Arola also ran on the winning 4x100m (48.47) and 4x400m (3:55.24) relays.

Shara Guidry won titles in the discus and shot put. Guidry claimed the shot put title with a throw of 40-7 and took home top honors in the discus, where she is the defending NCAA Division III champion, with a throw of 142-11. Guidry also took second in the hammer with 152-11.

Gustavus Adolphus College's Lisa Brown won the Outstanding Performance of the Meet award for women for winning the javelin with a meet record-setting mark of 158-5. Brown was the Division III champion in the event in 2006 and is currently ranked #1 among Division III national meet qualifiers.

On the men's side, Hamline University's men's coach Lynden Reder was named Coach of the Year. Reder's squad placed 3rd in the contest, behind champions St. Thomas and runners-up St. John's.

Johnnies swept the Outstanding Athlete Awards. Chris Erichsen took the honors on the track after scoring 28 point for his team by winning the steeplechase and 5000m and finishing second in the 10,000m to a teammate. Erik Diley earned the distinction in the field for winning the long jump in 23-11 1/2 and finishing second int he triple jump in 46-2 1/2.

The Tommies' P.J. Theisen (who was recently featured in THIS College Sporting News story) earned the Outstanding Performance of the Meet award for his body of work at the championship. He won the 400 hurdles in 52.63, a time currently ranked second in Division III. Theisen also anchored the winning 4x100 relay in 42.18 and added a second in the long jump in a season-best 23-8, which ranks sixth in Division III. Theisen also took second in the 110 high hurdles (14.66) and third in the triple jump (45-10 3-4). He also ran on the runner-up 4x400 relay.

You can read the MIAC women's media release HERE ... the men's is HERE.

Podominick, Peterson Named Athletes of the Week

Univerisity of Minnesota thrower Liz Podominick and pole vaulter Ben Peterson have been named Big Ten Field Event Athletes of the Week for their exploits at the Minnesota Open last Friday.

Podominick won a pair of events on Friday: She landed her season-best effort in the shot put winning with a toss of 52-0 3/4 and added a discus win with a throw of 169-0. The weekly conference honor is the third of the season for the Lakeville native and ups the Gopher women's season-long total to 11.

Peterson, a Cody, Wyoming native, was honored for winning the pole vault competition at the meet with a career-best height of 16-10 3/4. Peterson’s vault is the fifth-best in school history and improves his NCAA Midwest Region Championships qualifying mark. The Gopher men collected five Big Ten weekly awards during the season. The weekly award is Peterson's first.

The Gopher squads are making final preparations for this weekend's Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Champaign, Illinois.

Master Official Larry Zirgibel Dead at 60

Larry Zirgibel, a familiar face at track meets across Minnesota, died Friday.

The Boyceville, Wisconsin resident, who was to be the starter at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships last weekend, suffered an apparent heart attack on Thursday and was pronounced dead on Friday. MIAC officials observed a moment of silence in his honor at the meet.

Zirgibel, 60, was a USA Track and Field master official who served the sport both locally and nationally. He is survived by his wife Donna, who is also a USATF master official.

Zirgibel will be buried this afternoon in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Zirgibel's obituary from the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram can be found HERE.

Condolences may be offered HERE.

Chris Lists: Top HS Boys Distance Performances

It's True Team State week in the Minnesota high school track and field universe, so let's kick off anticipation for those Friday and Saturday contests with updated boys distance running performance lists from DtB's own Chris Marshall.

As always, amendments and corrections are welcome.

800m:
Obai Hussein Rosemount 1:55.85 True Team Section
Nick Hutton Apple Valley 1:56.30 True Team Section
Kevin Bradley Mounds View 1:56.62 Bob Stewart Invitational
Zach Mellon Buffalo 1:56.90 Hamline Elite-Meet
Andy Richardson Irondale 1:56.99 True Team Section
Isaac Veldkamp Eden Prairie 1:57.00 Lakeville Mega Meet
Jordan Carlson Rosemount 1:57.14 True Team Section
Robel Kebede Minneapolis South 1:58.00 True Team Section
Danny Docherty Cretin-Derham Hall 1:58.68 True Team Section
Charlie Lapham Armstrong 1:58.77 True Team Section
Harun Abda Fridley 1:59.04 Hamline Elite-Meet
Jake Sorby Bemidji 1:59.23 Moorhead
John Holt Roseville 1:59.23 Hamline Relays
Dominick Rosario Edina 1:59.34 True Team Section
Reid Gilbertson Stillwater 1:59.52 Bob Stewart Invitational
Tim Erickson Austin 1:59.80 Big 9 Triangular

1600m:
Jordan Carlson Rosemount 4:13.07 Lake Relays
Andy Ricahrdson Irondale 4:15.16 Hamline Elite-Meet
Rob Finnerty Burnsville 4:15.29 Hamline Elite-Meet
Danny Docherty Cretin-Derham Hall 4:20.61 St. Thomas Invitational
Andy Papke-Larson Bemidji 4:21.94 True Team Section
Tyler King Lakeville North 4:22.35 True Team Section
Obai Hussein Rosemount 4:22.54 Lake Relays
Travis Burkstrand Eastview 4:22.77 St. Thomas Invitational
Luke Delaney Brainerd 4:22.79 True Team Section
Robel Kebede Minneapolis South 4:22.86 True Team Section
Travis Beniak Zumbrota-Mazeppa 4:23.52 Hamline Elite-Meet
Brian Wille Rochester Century 4:24.17 Hamline Elite-Meet
Dom Rosario Edina 4:25.70 Hamline Elite-Meet
Thomas Ruttger Brainerd 4:25.73 True Team Section
Pieter Gagnon Minneapolis Washburn 4:26.30 Hamline Elite-Meet
Ryan Baumgartner Blaine 4:27.34 True Team Section
Erik Truedson Bemidji 4:29.28 Grand Rapids Triangular
Mike Hutton Apple Valley 4:29.87 True Team Section

3200m:
Danny Docherty Cretin-Derham Hall 9:20.64 Wildcat Invitational
Jordan Carlson Rosemount 9:23.18 Hamline Elite-Meet
Pieter Gagnon Minneapolis Washburn 9:26.49 Minnesota/ROTC
Andy Richardson Irondale 9:28.5* Knights Triangular
Erik Truedson Bemidji 9:31.00 True Team Section
Tyler King Lakeville North 9:31.92 Hamline Elite-Meet
Ryan Baumgartner Blain 9:37.0* Pony Relays
Thomas Ruttger Brainerd 9:45.15 True Team Section
Tyler Rose Brainerd 9:45.28 True Team Section
Danny Ducharme Wayzata 9:45.93 True Team Section
Mahad Hassan Willmar 9:46.9* Willmar Optimist
Jeremy Drenckhahn Wayzata 9:48.25 Hamline Elite-Meet
Drew Paradis Alexandria 9:48.3 Alexandria Quad
Ryan Nichols Stillwater 9:49.2 Pony Relays

* = hand time

Short-Cut: Results Links for May 9-11

The small colleges take center stage this weekend with their conference outdoor championship meets ...

The final North Central Conference Outdoor Championship gets underway today in Sioux Falls. Minnesota State Mankato will look to defend its 2007 men's title and complete a school-year trifecta by winning the loop's cross country, indoor, and outdoor titles for the year. Mankato's women will look to turn the tables on South Dakota, the women's champs outdoors last year and indoors in 2008.

At the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships at Hamline, St. John's will try to defend its 2007 title against perennial power St. Thomas. In women's competition, St. Thomas, which has won each and every one of the 24 MIAC Outdoor Championships contested is again the heavy favorite.

At the North Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships, hosts Wayne State's men and the University of Mary's women will try to defend their 2007 titles.

Here are our links to all the results ...

Friday:
NCC Outdoor Championships: Results
Update: Mankato men, South Dakota women poised to win accelerated NCC meet ... nearly all events run as finals Friday to avoid Saturday's forecast bad weather.

NSIC Outdoor Championships: Info Page * Results
Update: MSU-Moorhead women 2nd, men 3rd after Day 1.

MIAC Outdoor Championships: Info Page * Results
Update: Johnnies, Tommie women lead after Day 1.

Minnesota Open: Men's Results * Women's Results
Update: Buzard 47.13, Studt 60-4 1/2, Peterson 16-10 3/4
Update: Rue 13-7 1/4, Radocaj 180-0, Dorniden 54.46

Oregon Twilight: Results
Update: Laura Hermanson wins in 2:06.41

Saturday:
NCC Outdoor Championships: Results
Update: Mankato men win final NCC title, Mankato women 2nd to South Dakota.

NSIC Outdoor Championships: Info Page * Results
Update: Moorhead women 2nd, men 4th.

MIAC Outdoor Championships: Info Page * Results
Update: Tommie women win 25th straight title, Tommie men tip St. John's.

USA 25K Championships: Results
Update: Jeremy Polson 15th in 1:21:14.

California Relays: Results
Update: Shani Marks wins with 45-9 1/4; Mitch Potter runs 46.97.

Sunday:
IAAF World Race Walking Cup: Results
Update: Philip Dunn walks 4:05:10, attains Olympic B standard.

Kenyans Sweep TC 1 Mile Crowns

Kenyans Josephat Kithii and Rose Kosgei earned victories at last night's TC 1 Mile on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. Each gathered $4,000 for the win, but neither could grab the $10,000 time bonus for a sub-4:00 men's victory or a sub-4:28 women's win.

Kithii (pictured, left) won a narrow victory over countryman Haron Lagat; both were clocked at 4:09. Kosgei outdistanced Marina Munca of Serbia 4:37 to 4:41. Race conditions were cool, but a headwind blew against the runners on the uphill course.

Both winning marks established new course records. Two-time winner Luke Watson held the men's record at 4:16; 2007 champion Jenelle Deatherage held the women's standard of 4:52.

Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown was the top Minnesota finisher in the race, crossing the line in third at 4:43. Stillwater High School alum Luke Watson, now an assistant coach at his alma mater Notre Dame, was the top Minnesota male, finishing 4th in 4:11.

Team USA Minnesota's Carrie Tollefson, racing for the first time since a bronchial infection kept her out of the Drake Relays and Stanford's Cardinal Invitational in recent weeks finished 4th in 4:46, just ahead of Rasa Troup, the Minnesota-based Lithuanian international, who clocked 4:48.

Full, preliminary results are available HERE.

Kithii won the men's race after surging away from the lead pack at 600m.

"It was nice from the start," Kithii, who anchored a Kenyan team to victory in the Penn Relays distance medley relay two weeks ago with a 3:58.95 split, said. "I feel I had a lot of energy but the finishing was also okay. The finishing, I was waiting for someone to come and push me so I could break the time."

Two-time TC 1 Mile champ Watson used a big late charge to grab his place in the men's results.

"I was really strong at the end and that's a good indicator for where my season is," the Olympic steeplechase aspirant said. "Once I could see the clock, I just went for it with everything I had and caught probably three or four guys there."

Women's winner Kosgei (pictured, right) took the lead early and ran alone to the finish for her win.

"I knew that this race is short," she explained, "so must go quick because it is short. A mile is short."

Kosgei won last summer's Boston Scientific Heart of the Summer 10K at Lake Nokomis with her kick and prefers longer distance races. Reminded that TC 1 Mile race organizers host a marathon in the fall, she laughed at that possibility, at least for now.

"Not yet a marathon," she said through a smile, "maybe in five years to come."

Photos by Gene Neimi.

Gophers' Lundin Named St. Olaf Coach

Phil Lundin, the head coach of the University of Minnesota men's track and field program since 1995, has been named the new head men's cross country and track and field coach at St. Olaf College, it was announced today.

The St. Olaf College media release is HERE.

The Star-Tribune's story is HERE.

Lundin will replace Bill Thornton who is retiring this season after nearly four decades at St. Olaf.

Photo courtesy of St. Olaf College.

Dunn Chases Olympic Standard to Russia

If everything works out right, Minnesota will be able to lay claim to its first 2008 track and field Olympian on Sunday morning.

Then, in the Men's 50K event at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia, Carleton College alum Philip Dunn will seek to better the Olympic B Standard of 4:07:00 and claim a spot on his third Olympic team.

Dunn won the U.S. Olympic Trials in sticky Miami conditions with a time of 4:12:55, but still needs to make the Olympic standard.

You can read DtB's story of the Trials race HERE.

USA Track and Field recently released THIS Preview for the World Cup.

Dunn was in a similar position prior to the 2004 Games. Then, he had finished third at the Olympic Trials 50K, but punched his Athens Olympics ticket when he bettered the Olympic A standard with a 3:59:12 clocking at a later race.

The San Diego-based Dunn was a member of the 2000 Sydney Olympic team as well. He finished 28th in the 5oK in Sydney and was 35th in Athens.

Dunn was the 1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist. At last year's Pan Am Games he finished 8th in the 50K. We interviewed him prior to that event, HERE.

Grandma's Introduces Tracking Feature

Grandma's Marathon, which implemented on-line registration for the first time this year, continues to embrace modern technology.

Race officials announced today that they will implement an automated runner-tracking system which will allow fans of inidividual runners in the 2008 Grandma’s Marathon and Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon to keep tabs on their racers in real time. Interested fans will be able to receive periodic runner updates through text messages or e-mails on the progress of individuals in the June 21 events.

The updates, made possible by event sponsor Verizon Wireless, will be available for all participants running in the two events. The introduction of the technology is a joint effort between Grandma’s Marathon, Verizon Wireless, ChampionChip Minnesota, and MarathonGuide.com.

"This tracking technology is going to be a wonderful addition for our race fans," Grandma's executive director Scott Keenan said in a media release. "Having access to runner updates in virtually real-time is a great way to keep an eye on the progress of a particular runner. We are extremely excited to showcase this unique program."

Interested race-watchers will be able to sign up for the service starting May 26 via the Grandma's Marathon web-site.

Verizon Wireless will also be the presenting sponsor of the Grandma's results' tent where runners will be able to look up their results upon finishing and print a receipt that contains their splits and finishing time.

Rue Shares Big Ten Weekly Honors

As the bar goes higher, so does Alicia Rue ...

Rue, the Minnesota Golden Gopher sophomore pole vaulter, earned a share of this week’s Big Ten Field Event Athlete of the Week award -- with Illinois thrower Aja Evans -- after breaking the school record to win the pole vault competition at the Iowa Musco Twilight Meet on May 3.

Rue, a Robbinsdale Armstrong alum, cleared 13 feet, 7 1/4 inches, to add the Gopher outdoor record to the indoor mark of 13-11 1/4 she posted earlier this season.

The weekly award is the third for Rue this season, with two coming during the indoor campaign. Overall, the Golden Gopher women’s team has collected 10 Big Ten weekly awards this spring.

Photo courtesy of the U of M.

Brown, Tollefson, Watson Headline TC 1 Mile

If, after the big splash she made at the Drake Relays steeplechase (9:45) and Sunday night's ripping Stanford 5000m (15:19), you're wondering how fast Emily Brown can run a mile (4:28?), you need not wait long.

Brown, along with Team USA Minnesota teammate Carrie Tollefson, is the headliner in the strong women's field set for Thursday's TC 1 Mile run down Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis. Two-time men's winner Luke Watson, a Stillwater High School and Team USA Minnesota alum, will battle in the men's race.

Brown, Tollefson, and Watson will face strong domestic and international competition in the event which features $25,000 prize purse and a $10,000 bonus if the men's or women's winners break 4:00 or 4:28, respectively. Winners will earn $4000.

The event is also a stop on the 2008 USATF-Minnesota Team Circuit.

In the women's field, Tiffany McWilliams appears the strongest American challenger in the field. The Mississippi State alum is a three-time NCAA champion and finished 4th at the USA Outdoor Championships last summer. Ethiopia's Meskerem Legesse, who sports a 4:03 1500m PR, the fastest in the field, leads the international charge along with Kenyans Margaret Chirchir and Rose Kosgei.

Local international Rasa Troup of Lithuania, who raced well in the Drake steeplechase herself, also needs to be accounted for.

2007 champion Jenelle Deatherage is not scheduled to compete this year.

Watson is joined in the men's field by Team USA Minnesota's Brad Lowery and former Team USA Minnesotan Ryan Kleimenhagen, who now resides in Wisconsin. The leading USA challenger in the field is Steve Sherer who finished 3rd at this year's USA Indoor championships. Jordan Fife, who finished 8th in the same race, could also contend.

Kenyans Vincent Rono and Eliud Njubi are the only runners in the field to have clocked 1500m under 3:40. Rono recently finished 3rd at the Drake Relays.

Full elite startlists can be found HERE.

Action begins at 6:50 p.m. Thursday. The elite waves are set to begin at 7:53 p.m.

Video: Watch Emily Brown's 15:19

Flotrack has full-race video of the Cardinal women's 5000m which features Team USA Minnesota's Emily Brown running an Olympic B standard time of 15:19.57 to win.

Teammate Katie McGregor finishes 4th in 15:46.87 and fellow Minnesotan Cack Ferrell of the Oregon Track Club ends 9th in 16:06.09.

Watch the race HERE.

Short-Cut: Results Links for May 2-4

Results Updated Below: Emily Brown runs 15:19 to win Cardinal 5000 ... Alicia Rue vaults U record 13-7 1/4 in Iowa ... Mitch Potter clockes 46.86 at Hamline ... Four Minnesotans break 14:00 for 5000m at Stanford.


It's an important weekend for Team USA Minnesota distance runners. Four members of the elite development group will compete at the 12th annual Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational hosted by Stanford University in Palo Alto, California on Sunday.

Katie McGregor and Emily Brown will run in the women's 5000 meter event; Matt Gabrielson is entered in the men's 5000 meters; and Mandi Zemba will compete in the women's 10,000 meter field.

McGregor will open her outdoor track season in the 5000. The University of Michigan grad has a PR of 15:22.60 in the event. Brown, who is coming off last weekend's 9:45.38 steeplechase at the Drake Relays will compete in her first track 5000m since 2006 when she ran 16:28.24 at the Big Ten Championships for the Gophers.

Gabrielson, who ran 4:08.14 at Drake in the mile, returns to the track on Sunday to run the 5000 meters. He has a life-time best in the 5000 of 13:30.68, which he set last summer in Europe. Making her 10,000m track debut is Zemba.

Some of the U of M's top male distance runners will also compete at Stanford, including Stanford grad Forrest Tahdooahnippah, now a law student at the U of M.

Team USA Minnesota's Brad Lowery will run the second steeplechase of his career at the Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Lowery debuted in the event with a 9:01.71 at Hamline.

Here are DtB's links to the weekend's action ...

Friday:
Jesse Owens Classic: Results
Update: Lowery steeples 8:59.85.

MIAC Multi-Events: Results
Update: Kay, Westmark win with strong second days.

Gustavus Triangular: Results
CANCELLED

Saturday:
MSU-Moorhead Invite: Results
Update: Remitz puts 59-8 1/4; Hermanson runs 2:08.65.

Howard Wood Relays: Results
Carleton Interscholastic: Results
Update: State Champ Jerde wins HJ with 6-4.
Update: Danielle Berndt steeples 7:35.47 (2000m.)

Iowa Musco Twilight: Results
Update: Alicia Rue vaults U record 13-07 1/4, Spandl wins with 16-6 3/4.

Sunday:
Payton Jordan Stanford Invitational: Results
Update: Emily Brown wins 5ooom with 15:19.57.
Update: Mead, Rombough, Elliot Heath, Gabrielson break 14:00 5000s.
Update: Garrett Heath, Leer run 3:41 1500s.

Meet of the UnSaintly: Results
Update: Karl Erickson throws discus 192-0; Potter, Buzard 46.86, 47.09

Lundstrom, Doyle Lead MIAC Multi-Events

Gustavus Adolphus sophomore Kaelene Lundstrom and St. Olaf junior Ryan Doyle lead after the first day of competition in the MIAC multi-event championships taking place at Carleton College.

Lundstrom, the MIAC champion this year in the indoor pentathlon, leads Concordia's Leah Kay 2791 to 2630 after yesterday's four events. Lundstrom's 38-11 3/4 shot put toss -- in the event where she triple-fouled last year -- provides the bulk of her point margin of Kay.

Full Day 1 heptathlon results are available HERE.

Doyle, who finished third at the MIAC indoor heptathlon last March, leads 3248 to 3160 over Paul Westmark of Concordia-Moorhead after five events.

Full Day 1 decathlon results can be found HERE.

Competition resumes today at Carleton's Laird Stadium in Northfield.

Reeling in the Lead Pack: A DtB Round-Up

Like a distance runner who has let the lead pack get away, DtB needs to make up some ground to match the pace of recent action. So, to catch the leaders, here's a round-up of news items that DtB has let pull away ...

Studt named Big Ten Athlete of the Week ... Gopher shot putter Aaron Studt was named a Big Ten Athlete of the Week for the second week in a row this week in recognition of his Drake Relays victory last weekend. Studt threw 60-8 to win the title.

Riter injured ... An athlete we expected to see competing at Drake, Gopher alum Trent Riter, tells DtB that a "hip/groin" injury which flared up early last week kept him from competing in the Drake Relays 800 meters as planned. Riter, a finalist at the USA Outdoor Championshps in 2007, plans an MRI before the week is over.

"I'm able to jog with mild pain but things flare up when I get going in a workout," he said. "I'm seeing the right people to get some help and figure this out. I hope to be back training hard and racing fast soon."

Tom Church's Best Day Ever ... Reviving a regular feature from the by-gone days of Minnesota Running & Track magazine, the USATF-Minnesota web-site has just published a "My Best Day Ever" story, HERE, by former Carleton College distance runner Tom Church. Church tells the story of his team's musical effort to win the Woods-to-Water relay in Northern Wisconsin.

You can find all of USATF-Minnesota's feature material HERE.

Drake, Get in Gear, & Trials Photos ... The USATF Minnnesota web-site also features newly published photo galleries from the Drake Relays, the Get in Gear 10K, and the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials. The photo of Gopher javelin star Ruby Radocaj -- a Drake champ -- that adorns this post is part of Gene Niemi's Drake Relays gallery.

You can find USATF-Minnesota's photo galleries HERE.

Oregon Relays Video ... Savvy web-surfers have probably found these items already, but if you haven't checked out the Oregon Relays videos on Runner'Space.com you may want to dial them up.

You can view an interview with Kara Goucher after her 5000m victory HERE.

There's an interview with Team USA Minnesota's Andrew Carlson HERE.

Andrew's 5000m race is HERE.

You can watch Minnetonka alum Will Leer's sub-4 Mile HERE, in which Stillwater HS grad Sean Graham also competes.

You can also see Adam Steele race 800m HERE.