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.