MIAC Preview

After two years in St. Paul, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships move outside the Twin Cities for the 2013 to St. Olaf College's Tostrud Center.The multi-event competitions begin Thursday afternoon, with full schedules of both track and field events running Friday and Saturday.
 
Last year, St. Thomas pulled away from the likes of Hamline, Bethel and Gustavus to claim its 28th-straight championship, as the Tommies racked up 189.5 points. The Pipers were second at 129.5, while Bethel (104.5) edged Gustavus (101.0) for third place. St. Olaf - this year's host school - rounded out the 2012 top five with a score of 77.5. Carleton, finished sixth with 69 points, Saint John's finished seventh with 42.5, and Augsburg just barely nipped Concordia to claim eighth place, 31 to 29.5. Macalester scored five points to finish 10th and Saint Mary's rounded out the 2012 MIAC men's standings.
 
UST 's Eyo Ekpo returns for his senior season after earning both Outstanding Men's Field Athlete and Outstanding Performance of the Meet honors last season. Ekpo's Outstanding Indoor Field Athlete honor was his third in a row.  Ekpo will also be in search of his fourth-straight triple jump title, and second-straight wins in both the long jump and high jump. His triple-jump win - a distance of 49-3 (15.01 meters - was honored last season as the Outstanding Performance of the Meet.
 
The return of Ekpo isn't the only reason UST coach Steve Mathre's bunch has their sights set on title No. 29. Cody Jerabek is ranked first in the 60- and 200, while Bryan Thell is ranked first in the shot put and weight throw.  Maxwell Dunne is ranked second in Division III in the heptathlon, and sophomore Doug Thoresen is ranked first in the 400- and 600, and second in the 800.
 
Hamline brings back Christian Willman, who ranks in the top five in the MIAC in the 400 and 600. Joe Morelli and Joey Grussing give the Pipers a formidable duo in the shot put, while Travis Latzke will lead in the jumping events. Bethel will  attempt to challenge St. Thomas with distance runner Zach Haskins and Matt Berens. Ian Moore  is the team's top jumper.  Rob LeMay leads the sprinters and Bucky Dixon is back for the Royals as an All-Conference thrower.
 
Gustavus features versatile junior Blair Riegel (jumps/sprints) and reigning MIAC pole vault champion Josh Owens. Thrower Ryan Obele and middle distance runner Eric Jorgenson also hope to help the Gusties climb into one of the top spots. The host school - St. Olaf - will be strong in the distance events after winning the MIAC cross country championship in the fall, with Brian Saska and Tim Lillihaugen leading the way. Sprinters Reggie Woods and Aaron Dunphy and middle distance runner Brian Tomlinson also hope to score points over the weekend.
 
Sophomore Noah Laack-Veeder leads Carleton with fellow sophomore Colby Seyferth and junior Marcus Hurderle. Saint John's is hoping for points from seniors Kevin Horton (sprints), Ruairi Moynihan (distance), and Derek Rausch (hurdles).  Augsburg is led by distance runner Michaele Tesema, sprinter Lekpea Kordah and middle-distance freshman Chase Grieves. Concordia has high hopes for pole vaulter Erik Olson, sprinter Bruce Shields and jumper Brandon Zylstra. Macalester is led by freshman jumper Logan Hovie, junior runner Sebastian Roemer and sophomore runner Konnor Fleming. Saint Mary's sends a trio of distance runners - Aaron Haley, Peter Borash and Jake Traxler.

WOMEN
St. Thomas' women are trying for a 14th-straight conference title. Head Coach Joe Sweeney and the Tommies claimed lthe 2012 title by  50 with 164.0 points a year ago.  Carleton (114) was second, St. Olaf(97) third.  Bethel(85) was fourth, followed by Saint Benedict (74.0) edged Hamline (70.0)  Gustavus(46), Macalester(43.5) and Concordia(43) were neck-and-neck in the next three spots. St. Catherine(21), Augsburg(13.5), and St Mary's(9) grabbed the final three spots.
 The Tommies enter the meet with the number one ranked 4x400 team, as well as All-Americans Taylor Berg (distance) and Emily Van Heel (sprints, relays, jumps). They are joined by sophomores Kayla Goeman and twins Erika and Angela Tipp, and freshman Bailey Cook who is ranked in the top two in the MIAC in a pair of jumping events.
 
Carleton features with defending 1,000 champion Hailey Johnson and  distance teammates Colette Celichowski, Sarah Trautman, and freshmen Ruth Steinke.  Amelia Campbell (field events) adds to the Knights' depth. The host Oles will be led by sophomore Dani Larson, who won a pair of indoor All-American honors in her first season as well as last year's Outstanding Women's Field Athlete and Women's Outstanding Performance-of-the-Week awards . Middle distance runner Moriah Novacinski and distance runner Emma Lee help give St. Olaf a balanced core of performers.
 
Bethel brings back talented juniors-- sprinters Ashley Magelssen, Courtney Fregeau; Steph Skoog, the top-ranked high jumper in the Central Region, and Rachel Kalk will contribute in the hurdle and jump events. Saint Benedict will be counting on multi-event junior Mandy Witschen, with thrower Sam Imholte and sprinter Erin Sand. Hamline has a trio of throwers--Shawny Kramer and Becky Culp are among the league's best--and distance runner Maria Theisen.
 
Gustavus brings back 2012 pole vault champ Allyson Voss as well as sophomore distance runner Rebecca Hare along with  freshman thrower Hayley Solheim. Macalester's Irene Gibson will defend her title in the 600, while sophomore Stephanie Goei is the Scots' weight throw record holder, and Kate Rochat will contribute in the jumping events. Concordia's Chelsea Klemetson set an MIAC Championships meet record in the high jump a year ago, and fellow Cobber Morgan Christian has aspirations of a MIAC title in the 800. Senior Kaari Jensen is expected to contend in the multi-event competition and jumper Hilary Thopmson adds to Concordia's depth.
 
St. Catherine has high hopes for freshman sprinter and hurdler Brittany Moore, with junior pole vaulter Haley Tsuji also looking to contend. Augsburg's is led by All-American sprinter Ashley Carney, who is ranked number one in the 50 and second in the 200, while freshman hurdler Kai Mason and junior middle distance runner Lauren Rice also hope to score points for the Auggies. Saint Mary's Coco Booker hopes to again contend in the shot put after a runner-up finish in 2012, and distance runner Katie Stolz is follow up on a strong cross country season in the fall.
  
The 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships begin Thursday with the multi-event competitions. The women's pentathlon starts at 2 p.m. with the men's heptathlon beginning 15 minutes later. The heptathlon finishes up Friday morning at 10:30 a.m., with Friday's field events set to start at 2:30 p.m. and track to follow at 4:15 p.m. Saturday's final starts with 11 a.m. field events and 1 p.m. track events.
 
Saturday's final event begins at 4:15 p.m., and there will be a short awards ceremony following the conclusion of the meet to honor both team champions. The top three individuals in each event and the first-place relay team will automatically earn All-Conference honors, and the fourth- through sixth-place finishers in each open event and second- through sixth-place relay teams will all be named All-Conference Honorable Mention.

The MIAC has a Web page dedicated to the event, and complete results, recaps, and multimedia coverage of the championships will be available on that site throughout the event. There will be live results available for all events courtesy of Apple Raceberry Jamand fans can also find entries and heat sheets on the MIAC's event page as they become available.

Admission for the event is $7 for adults and $3 for students per day, with children ages 5 and under admitted free. MIAC passes will be honored. St. Olaf  is offering parking for spectators in several campus lots, including H Lot, Rand Lot and Buntrock Commons. Visit St. Olaf's event page for complete information, including parking and directions. 

Pick Ten: MIAC and USA Indoor Championships

There are two big meets being held this weekend at different levels.  The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships are being held in Albuquerque while the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Indoor Championships are being run at St. Olaf College.  To highlight the two meets we will feature some of the athletes competing this weekend with our Pick Ten contest.

Pick Ten has a simple concept: predict the finish place for each of 10 Minnesota athletes at the MIAC/USA Indoor Championship. You will score points for each athlete who scores at or above the finish place you predict for them, following the 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 scoring system.

For example: If you pick Amanda Smock to place first in the triple jump, and she places first, you get 10 points. If you pick Smock to place first and she finishes second, you get zero points. If you pick Smock to finish third in the race and she places first, second or third, you get 6 points by the scoring system above, since she placed at least as high as you predicted.

To play Pick Ten, cut and paste the list of names/events below into an e-mail and add your place predictions -- 1st or 2nd or 3rd...8th. Send your predictions by 11:00 A.M. CST on Saturday, March 2nd to DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com. Make sure your full name is in the e-mail. As with our Yes/No contests, we don't offer any prizes, so no one needs to fear running afoul of NCAA or other anti-gambling regulations.

We'll announce the winner of this week's contest and compile results of all of the year's Pick Ten contests to name a grand champion for 2013.

Pick 10 ... MIAC and USA Indoor Championships:

Bucky Dixon - Weight Throw - Bethel (MIAC):
Erik Olson - Pole Vault - Concordia Moorhead (MIAC):
Stephanie Skoog - High Jump - Bethel (MIAC):
Coco Booker - Shot Put - St. Marys (MIAC):
Christian Willman - 600 Meters - Hamline (MIAC):
Ashley Carney - 200 Meters - Augsberg (MIAC):
Beth Hauer - 3000 Meters - Gustavus (MIAC):
St. Olaf Men - 4 x 400 Meters (MIAC):
Will Leer - Mile/3k (USA):
Amanda Smock - Triple Jump (USA):

Will Leer is signed up to run the mile and the 3k.  If he does run both, we will take the higher place as his official place.

Here is some information to help you with your picks:

Apple Raceberry Jam has MIAC race entries for MEN and WOMEN as well as heat sheets for MEN and WOMEN.

The USA Indoor entries are posted HERE.

Among entrants in the MIAC meet, Bucky Dixon is ranked fifth in the Weight Throw.  Erik Olson is second in the Pole Vault.  Christian Willman is the second fastest 600 meter runner in the field.  The St. Olaf men's 4x400 squad is ranked second in the heat sheets.

On the women's side, Stephanie Skoog is the top ranked high jumper in the MIAC field.  Coco Booker is number three among shot put entrants.  Ashley Carney currently has the second fastest 200 meter time in the race and Beth Hauer is sixth among 3000 meter runners.

In the USA Championship entries - Amanda Smock has the best jump among the entrants in the Triple Jump.  Will Leer is ranked second in the mile and first in the 3k.  Stay tuned to the entry list/heat sheets as it is very possible that athletes will add/scratch before the meet starts.

Here are some additional links:
- MIAC-online previews and live results
- USA Indoor Champs information

Good luck!

Last week's Pick Ten contest on the Big Ten Indoor Champs was won by Jake Marotz with 30 points followed by Patrick Eastman with 27.  This was the first Pick Ten contest of the year, so those are the overall leaders as well.  Over at the Yes/No contest, there are three tied for the lead with five points:  Dylan Dragswiek, Lori Anne Schwiesow, and Dimitri Drekonja.

For full standings of both contests, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner.

USTFCCCA Weekly Rankings

The Gopher men dropped three places to 18th in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Divison I indoor track rankings.  Full list is HERE.

Minnesota State Mankato men rose one spot to fifth in the DII rankings, while MSU Moorhead rose five spots to 17th.  The U-Mary women jumped seven spots to seventh, UMD rose two places to 26th, Winona State fell four to 28th.  Full list is HERE.

St. Thomas men dropped one place to 14th in the DIII rankings, while the St. Thomas women rose from 23rd to fourth. Full list is HERE.

Goucher Changing Teams, This Time in Name Only; Elliott Heath Too

Flotrack reports that Jerry Schumacher's athletes will be leaving the OTC group, but no announcement yet as to what the new name for his group will be.  So, while it's a change, it's in name only.  Full story is HERE.

MIAC Athletes of the Week

In his final tune-up before the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Bethel junior Zach Haskins (Maple Grove, MN) won in the 800 in 1:53.52 Friday at Macalester' s Pre-Conference Meet in St. Paul, posting the fastest time in the MIAC and one that ranks in the top-10 nationally.For his performance, Haskins was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.

He won the race - which exclusively featured MIAC opponents from Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester and Augsburg - by more than four seconds over the runner up, with the fastest time in the conference this season by nearly two seconds. Haskins is also ranked No. 9 in all of Division III in the 800 in 2013. He'll also bring the top time (2:29.94) in the 1,000 and the second-fastest mile time (4:12.94) into the MIAC Championships.

The 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships start Thursday at St. Olaf with the multi-event competitions, then continue Friday and Saturday with full event schedules. Thursday's action starts at 2 PM, Friday's field events will start at 2:30 PM and track begins at 4:15, and Saturday starts with field events at 11 AM and track at 1 PM.

The Concordia College men's pole vaulters put on an impressive display Friday at the St. Olaf Invitational, as the Cobbers swept the top four places in the event. Leading the way was senior Erik Olson (Buffalo, Minn.) - the school record-holder- with a first-place finish 15'(4.57m). Olson was selected as the MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.

Olson cleared 15 feet for the third time this season. His winning height was exactly 15-feet even, or 4.57 meters, which just misses his 2013 personal best jump of 4.58 meters, or 15-0.25 feet, set at the Bison Open on Feb. 9. This season, Owens' height is tied for the second-best mark in the MIAC, tied with St. Thomas' Jack May and trailing only Josh Owens (4.91 meters, 16-1.25 feet) of Gustavus. The Concordia school record-holder won Friday by 0.15 meters over teammate Levi Bachmeier.

Concordia College thrower Cherae Reeves (West Fargo, ND)  won the shot put Friday at the St. Olaf Invitational with her best throw of the year,13.7m. It's the No. 2 throw in the conference this season. Reeves was named the MIAC Women's Indoor field Athlete-of-the-Week.

Reeves won by more than a meter with the winning toss coming on her first throw of the final round. Reeves - who ranks second in the Cobber shot put history - was exactly 1.05 meters better than the runner up and nearly 2 meters better than the rest of the field. Her throw ranks second in the MIAC this season behind only Hamline's Becky Culp (13.92 m) and her distance is the 14th-best in all of NCAA Division III thus far in 2013.

Bready USTFCCCA NCAA DII Athlete of Week

Though his MSU-Moorhead squad did not take home the NSIC title, Senior Derek Bredy (Hoffman, MN.) did all he could to go for the championship by scoring in five different events. He ran the division’s fastest time at 200 in the prelims, clocking in at 21.43 (converted to 21.06), and finished second in the finals at 21.69. 

He claimed titles at 60 meters and in the long jump to boost his team, running a 6.83 in the 60 finals and leaping 24'1.5" (7.35m) to win the long jump by nearly a foot. His 60 prelim time of 6.78 is the eighth-best in DII this season, and his long jump mark is tied for ninth in the division. He also ran a leg of the runner-up 4×400 relay team and finished third in the triple jump at 46'4" (14.12).  For all this, Bredy was awarded the USTFCCCA NCAA DII Athlete of the Week award.

MSU Moorhead press release is HERE.

USTFCCCA NCAA D III Men’s XC All-Academic List

Ten men were selected to the  USTFCCCA NCAA Division III men's XC All Academic team.  Four from St. Olaf--Jake Campbell, Tim Lillehaugen, Brian Saska, and Grant Wintheiser; three from St. Thomas--Ethan Armbruster, CJ Seifert, and Keaton Wendroth; two from Hamline--Nathan Dobbins and Brendan Ruter; and Thomas Feichtinger from St. John's.

Fourteen women made the team.  Four from Gustavus Adolphus--Kate Eggers, Caitlyn Fermoyle, Rebecca Hare, and Beth Hauer; four from St. Olaf--Meggie Exner, Jorden Johnson, Emma Lee, and Rebecca Bevans; three from Carleton--Sally Donovan, Shira Kaufman, and Ruth Steinke; and two from St. Thomas--Taylor Berg and Erin Statz; and one from Macalester--Rachel Gunsalus.  Full men's list is HERE, women's HERE.

Twelve men's teams were awarded D III All Academic team honors: Carleton 3.51, St. Mary's 3.479, St. Scholastica 3.42, St. Olaf 3.38, Macalester 3.378, Concordia Moorhead 3.29, Bethel 3.286, Hamline 3.27, St. Thomas 3.238,  Augsburg 3.2,  St. John's 3.17, University of Minnesota Morris 3.17.  Eleven women's teams earned D III All Academic team honors: Concordia Moorhead 3.66 GPA, 3.57,  Carleton 3.56, Gustavus Adolphus 3.56, St. Kate's 3.54, St. Thomas 3.512, Macalester 3.51, St. Olaf 3.5, St. Scholastica 3.48, St. Ben's 3.366, Bethel 3.315, University of Minnesota Morris 3.1.  Full men's list is HERE, women's HERE.

USTFCCCA NCAA DII Scholar Athlete List

Three MSU Mankato men were selected for USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men's XC All Academic honors: Jacob Bell, Garrett Ekloff, and Josiah Swanson. Six Winona State women--Kayla Gudmundson, Jordan Paschke, Chelsea Schrubbe, Jordan Skelly, and Jessica Young; four from MSU Mankato--Jessica DeJong, Emily Knapczyk, Kelsey Magnuson, and Jenny Rogers; and three from U-Mary--Melissa Agnew, Alicia Nehl, and Dakota Wolf--were also honored.  Full men's list is HERE, women's HERE. 

Four men's teams were among those selected for the All Academic Team honor roll: Concordia St. Paul with a team GPA of 3.47,  U-Mary 3.19, MSU Mankato 3.07, and Winona State 3.01. Four women's teams also made the list: Winona State 3.66, U-Mary 3.54, Bemidji State 3.22, and UM Duluth 3. Full list of men's teams is HERE, women's HERE.

USTFCCCA NCAA D II All Region Team Named

Twelve Minnesota State Mankato and  five MSU Moorhead men were selected as USTFCCCA 2012 NCAA Division II All Region Team, along with eight each for Winona State and U-Mary, and one each from University of MN Duluth, MSU Mankato, MSU Moorhead on the women's team.  Full listing of all those honored is HERE.

Three Gopher Women on USTFCCCA NCAA DI Scholar Athlete List

Three University of Minnesota athletes were included among the USTFCCCA 2012 Division I Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Honorees:  Ashlie Decker, Laura Docherty, and Molly Kayfes  Full list is HERE.

The Gopher men's and women's teams were also listed among the USTFCCA All Acadmic Teams of the Year. The men's team had a GPA of 3.079, the women 3.471. Full listing of teams are HERE for the men, and  HERE for the women.

HS Girls All-Time Lists: 100 Meters

It's been a Down the Backstretch tradition to publish Minnesota high school all-time lists on our web-site. Beginning later this month, we'll post Tim and Bill Miles' annual and all-time boys lists for the fourth year in a row.

Kicking off the stats-fest this year are the all-time Minnesota high school girls' lists compiled by Kevin Moorhead, the Champlin Park cross country and distance coach. Moorhead, starting with lists fashioned by the Miles brothers compiling top girls' performances from 1972 until 1992, has brought those lists up-to-date and has added the 4 x800, triple jump and pole vault to the effort.

Moorhead stresses that the lists are "living documents," so he encourages corrections and amendments that come to light thanks to publication. Moorhead can be contacted at:

Kevin [DOT] Moorhead [AT] anoka [DOT] k12 [DOT] mn [DOT] us

11.71    Taylor    Anderson    Hopkins    2012
11.73    Heather    VanNorman    Windom    1986
11.74    Wensia    Johnson    Alexandria    2012
11.79    Kylie    Peterson    Apple Valley    2008
11.88    Kadeshia    Fortune    Mpls Washburn    2003
11.88    Denitria    Nichols    Owatonna    2007
11.92    Sasha    Davis    Park Center    2010
11.93    Vanessa    Clarida    Bloomington Kennedy    2002
11.94    Jessica    Mittelstadt    Mankato West    2000
11.96    Jaylene    Gerenz    Rosemount    1988

11.98    Analisa    Huschle    Bagley Fosston    2011
12.00    Phillis    Webb    Osseo    2012
12.01    Paige    Kuplic    Prior Lake    2009
12.02    Shai    Nichols    Owatonna    2007
12.06    Tammy     Robertson    Osseo    1990
12.06    Toni    Lawshea    St. Paul Arlington    1998
12.07    Kim     Troung    Apple Valley    2004
12.08    Ashley    Tingelstad    East Grand Forks    2009
12.08    Sid'reshia    Floyd    Robbinsdale Armstrong    2010
12.08    Amber    James    Woodbury    2000

12.09    Katie    Dosch    Rochester John Marshall    2001
12.10    Taylor    Anderson    Hopkins    2010
12.11    Nicole    Ryan    Apple Valley    1995
12.11    Jennifer    Bell    Bloomington Lincoln    1982
12.12    LIsa    Conteh    Moorhead    1998
12.13    Alex    Beckman    Eastview    2010
12.13    Mary     Tanoe    Hopkins    2010
12.13    Karolina    Haraldsdottir    Rochester Mayo    2004
12.13    Caitlin    Dhein    St. Cloud Tech    2007

12.14    Megan    Sartor    Faribault    2001
12.14    Stormy    Nesbit    Park Center    2009
12.14    Becky    Schwartz    Red Wing    1989
12.14    Kelsey    Conrad    Robbinsdale Cooper    2006
12.14    Tamara    Webb    Roseville    1988
12.14    Natasha    Moore    St. Paul Johnson    2012
12.15    Deb    Hoogeveen    Luverne    1989
12.15    Liesa    Brateng    Roseau    1987
12.15    Carolyn    Kruse    St. Croix Luthern    1988
12.15    Kristin    Mulrooney    Visitation    1987

12.16    Deborah    Cordner    St. Louis Park    1996
12.17    Carolina    Bowe    Minnetonka    2012
12.17    Erica    Rhodes    Mpls Edison    2003
12.17    Zoraa    Quoie    Woodbury    2003
12.18    Sharon    Kunz    Fergus Falls    1982
12.18    Kaitlyn    Seberson    Waseca    2009
12.19    Tracy    Eckert    Cretin Derham Hall    1995
12.19    Antonette    Tanoe    Hopkins    2007
12.20    Taylor    Browing    Apple Valley    2010
12.20    Tonnisha    Bell    Mpls Washburn    2002

12.21    Sade    Pollard    St. Paul Harding    2007
12.22    Jada    Narveson    Lakeville South    2007
12.23    Quina    Davis    Mpls Henry    1990
12.23    Rose    Jackson    Willmar    2012
12.24    Jerry    Domes    Albert Lea    1980
12.24    Karla    Stromme    Bryon    1990
12.24    Majik    Reed    DeLaSalle    1999
12.24    Amanda    Beckman    Eastview    2009
12.24    Alycia    Ashburn    MACCRAY    1992
12.24    Jordan    Ojanpa    Mankato East    1997
12.24    Cara    Vetter    Redwood Falls    1990
12.24    Rosalyn    Smaller    S.t Paul Central    1981
12.24    Teresa    Nelson    Spring Lake Park    1984
12.24    Bobbi Jo    Buyck    Tracy Milroy Balaton    2004
12.24    Megan    Geyen    Watertown Mayer    2009

12.25    Taylor    Morgan    Blaine    2012
12.25    Alex    McCannel    Delano    2003
12.25    Amy    Knudson    Mankato East    2005
12.25    Joy    Krekelberg    Pelican Rapids    1996
12.26    Ashley    Magelssen    Concordia Academy    2010
12.27    Kyndal    Hargrow    Blake    2003
12.27    Sommer    Haugrud    Pelican Rapids    2012
12.28    Charlene    Butler    Bertha Hewitt Verndale    1996
12.28    Ann    Kiecker    Coon Rapids    1985
12.28    Julia    Rozman    Edina    2007
12.28    Samantha    Zopfi    Providence Academy    2009

12.29    Jenny    Newsome    Breck    1995
12.29    Sue    Chopskie    Park Cottage Grove    1987
12.29    Paty     Wilson    Silver Bay    1990
12.30    Jewel    Kaydea    Hopkins    2010
12.30    Akuoma    Omeoga    Irondale    2009
12.30    Leah    Hanson    Mounds View    2008
12.30    Lauren    Cochlin    Owatonna    2004
12.30    Angela    Lindsey    Richfield    1992
12.31    Chichi    Omeoga    Irondale    2003
12.31    Carmen    Richardson    Irondale    1994
12.31    Claver    Williams    St. Paul Como Park    1984
12.32    Megan    Linder    Cretin Derham Hall    2012

12.33    Rosey    Erickson    Alexandria    2009
12.33    Angela    Klatt    Eagan    2000
12.33    Jessica    Smith    Mankato East    2006
12.33    Dominique    Thompson    Robbinsdale Armstrong    2008
12.34    A    Lindsay    Brooklyn Center    1991
12.34    Jes    Vork    Cloquet    2007
12.34    S.    Lawdermilt    East Grand Forks    1981
12.34    Denise    Bitz    Grey Eagle Swanville    1993
12.34    Kara    Biesener    Henry Sibley    1995
12.34    Lisa    Peterson    Minn Valley Lutheran    2004
12.34    Kristen    Haak    Mounds View    2005
12.34    Anne    Parker    Mounds View    1992
12.34    Denise    Bullocks    Mt. St. Ben    1981

HS Boys 2012 and All-Time Lists: 100 Meters

Once again, the dynamic brother duo of Bill and Tim Miles -- coaches at Wayzata High School and St. John's University, respectively -- have given Down the Backstretch the liberty to publish their comprehensive boys' high school performance lists.

The brothers Miles have compiled the top performances from the 2012 season and updated their all-time performance lists. We'll kick things off with the 100-meters.


100 METERS      

2012 BESTS
10.74    Quinton Coleman    12    Duluth East
10.75    D’Monte Farley    12    Park
10.79    Ayuk Tambe    12    Blaine
10.81    LeAndre Kennedy    12    Eastview
10.81    Joe Sando    11    Champlin Park
10.84    Travis Griffin    12    North St. Paul
10.88    Tristen Lawrence    12    Tartan
10.91    Shaheed Hickman    10    Hopkins
10.92    Elijah Campbell    11    St. Paul Central
10.94    Beau Bofferding    12    Marshall
[10]
10.94    Elvis Barclay    11    Roseville Area
10.94    Cole Boughner    12    Anoka
10.94    Rich Carr    11    Forest Lake
10.94    Michael Whitney    11    Breckenridge / Campbell-Tintah
10.97    Quinn Hooks    11    Apple Valley
10.97    Riwan Alowonle    12    Park
10.98    Michael Price    12    Academy of Holy Angels
10.99    Blake Johnson    12    Kenyon-Wanamingo
11.00    Javon Snelson    12    Benilde-St. Margaret
11.01    Tyler Olson    11    Buffalo
[20]
11.01    Tyler Beehler    10    Foley
11.02    Brandon Bell    11    Bloomington Kennedy
11.02    Met Hines    12    Eden Prairie
11.04    Tommy Ash    11    Robbinsdale Armstrong
11.06    Brady Anderson    10    Moorhead
11.07    Odell Howard    10    Fridley
11.08    Jason Williams    11    Minneapolis Washburn
11.08    Adam Drenckhahn    12    Caledonia / Spring Grove / M-C
11.10    Matt Huberty    12    Sauk Rapids-Rice
11.10    David Paynotta    12    Hinckley-Finlayson
[30]
11.11    Paul Akintade    11    St. Paul Highland Park
11.13    Jonah Remker    11    Owatonna
11.13    Akeem Sirleaf    9    North St. Paul
11.13    Jeffrey Borchardt    11    Wayzata
11.13    Aaron Wubben    12    Central Minnesota Christian
11.14    Derek Toso    12    Little Falls
10.9    Nick Beattie    11    Blue Earth Area
10.9    Mitch Sella    11    Virginia
11.15    Thomas Tyson    12    Forest Lake
11.16    Tyler Berry    12    Wayzata
[40]
11.16    Jack Thorny    11    Murray County Central
11.16    Thomas Larson    12    Holy Family Catholic
11.17    Barron Taylor    11    Roseville Area
11.18    Ryan Kuester    11    Glencoe-Silver Lake
11.18    C.J. Damey    9    Prairie Seed Academy
11.19    KeAndre Singleton    11    Minnetonka
11.19    Brady Schmidt    11    Bemidji
11.19    Sean O’Connell    11    St. Peter
11.19    Cade Stackpool    11    Virginia
11.20    Ben Nyers    12    Mankato East
[50]
11.20    Jake Gourley    10    Eagan
11.20    Blake Banham    10    Cretin-Derham Hall
11.21    Rob Grimsley    10    Hutchinson
11.22    David Shadduck    12    Spring Lake Park / St. Anthony
11.22    Rashawn Fountain    12    Eden Prairie
11.22    Shane Marshall    12    Minneapolis Southwest
11.22    Blake Toso    10    Little Falls
11.23    Undre Smith-Brewer    11    St. Paul Johnson
11.23    K.C. Ogbonnaya    12    Irondale
11.23    Ian Dulka    12    Minneapolis Southwest
[60]
11.24    Riley Driessen    12    Faribault
11.24    Tanner Griffin    12    Lakeville South
11.24    Jade Lawrence    9    Moorhead
11.24    Jordan Pangerl    12    Pine City
11.25    Lance Lundell    11    Shakopee
11.25    Jared Schmit    11    Totino-Grace
11.25    Michael Smith    10    Wayzata
11.27    DaShawn Lewis    10    Apple Valley
11.27    Kendrik Brewster    12    Cretin-Derham Hall
11.28    Casey Lewis    10    Coon Rapids
[70]
11.28    Rodney Smith    12    Stewartville
11.28    Brian Huber    11    Staples-Motley
11.29    DeAndre Singleton    11    Minnetonka
11.29    Andrew Hendrick    12    Breck
11.30    Laron Broadway    12    Hopkins
11.30    Austin Lorch    10    Andover
11.30    Eric Brown    11    Chisago Lakes
11.30    JD Foldesi    11    Duluth Denfeld
11.31    Abu Kamara    12    Bloomington Kennedy
11.31    A.J. Isabel    12    Eagan
[80]
11.31    Collin Scherber    11    Monticello
2012 STATE MEET CLASS AA
Wind: No reading indicated
1 Ayuk Tambe, 12, Blaine                                10.79
2 Travis Griffin, 12, North                             10.87
3 Joe Sando, 11, Champlin Park                         10.880
4 Dmonte Farley, 12, Park Cottage Grove                10.880
5 Tristen Lawrence, 12, Tartan                          10.96
6 Beau Bofferding, 12, Marshall                       11.000
7 Richard Carr, 11, Forest Lake                        11.010
8 Leandre Kennedy, 12, Eastview                         11.04
9 Quinton Coleman, 12, Duluth East                      11.14

2012 STATE MEET CLASS A
Wind: -0.1 m/s
1 Michael Whitney, 11, Breckenrdge/Camp-Tint       11.13
2 Tyler Beehler, 10, Foley                                  11.15
3 Adam Drenckhahn, 12, Caledonia/SpringGrove     11.25
4 Jack Thony, 11, Murray County Central                 11.27
5 Blake Johnson, 12, Kenyon-Wanamingo                  11.319
6 Cj Damey, 9, Prairie Seeds Academy                   11.320
7 David Paynotta, 12, Hinckley-Finlayson                11.36
8 Sean Oconnell, 11, St Peter                          11.44
9 Cade Stackpool, 11, Virginia                          11.50

100 METER ALL TIME BESTS
10.45    Ibrahim Kabia, Champlin Park  2003
10.50    Devin Crawford-Tufts, Edina  2010
10.51    Emmanuel Matadi, St. Paul Johnson  2009  
10.3    Joe Hemberger, Park  1988
10.3    Lawrence Means, Rochester JM  1988
10.3    Tim Whitney, St Paul Arlington  1998
10.3    Cameron Boy, Jordan  2009
10.58    Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2004
10.58    Jerrell Hancock, Anoka  2007
10.59    Jerry Burch, Cretin-Derham Hall  1998
[10]
10.4    Rod Smith, Roseville  1988
10.67    Nick Herold, North St. Paul 2006
10.68    Kassim Lakis, Robbinsdale Armstrong  2008
10.68    Joe Rancourt, Faribault  2008
10.71    Rolando Peco, Duluth Central  2000
10.71    Jay Thomas, Tartan  2004
10.72    Brandon Smith, New London-Spicer  2000
10.72    Calvin Clark, St. Paul Humboldt  2011
10.73    ChiChi Ojika, Irondale  2008
10.74    Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central  1979
[20]
10.5    Darren Wolke, Bloom Kennedy  1981
10.5    Jason Crocker, Minnehaha Academy 1985
10.5    Chad Hilton, Redwood Falls  1985
10.74    Ethan Allen, St Peter  1990
10.5    Dan Samion, Minnetonka 1990
10.5    Keith Harris, Eagan 1999
10.5    Anthony Dew, Coon Rapids  2001
10.5    Darby Ursell, Buffalo  2004
10.74    Trammelle Powell-Scott, Roseville Area  2005
10.74    Chris Anderson, Duluth Central  2007
[30]
10.74    Quinton Coleman, Duluth East  2012
10.75    Lamonta Bronaugh, Burnsville 1999
10.75    Chris Easterling, Morris Area  2001
10.75    Sean King, Cretin-Derham Hall  2008
10.75    D’Monte Farley, Park  2012
10.76    Jeff Tarnowski, Wayzata  1995
10.77    Jermaine Brown, Champlin Park  1996
10.77    Erik Hanson, Mesabi East  1996
10.78    John Bodine, Barnesville  1982
10.78    Bob Ewings, Forest Lake  1992
[40]
10.78    Antwon Simmons, Minneapolis North  2003
10.78    Diahn Zeon, Richfield  2008
10.78    Derek Bredy, West Central Area  2008
10.78    Nick Nelson, Lakeville North  2009
10.79    Billy Allen, St. Paul Highland Park  1992
10.79    Matt Skulborstad, Rosemount  1995
10.79    Ricky Thomas, Champlin Park  1997
10.79    Monte Stewart, North St. Paul  2001
10.79    Venus Griffin, North St. Paul  2003
10.79    Charlie Hrdlicka, United North Central  2008
[50]
10.79    Caleb Rissman, Triton  2008
10.79    Ayuk Tambe, Blaine  2012
10.80    Garrett Veal, Buffalo  1990
10.80    Johann Eckstrom, Mounds View  1992
10.80    Mike Graham,  Tartan  2003
10.80    Jonathan Anyaogu, Lakeville North  2009
10.80    Myint Maung, St. Paul Highland Park  2009
10.81    Mark Larson, St Francis  1990
10.81    Jesse Keller, Fergus Falls Hillcrest Luth.  1998
10.81    Chris Norgaard, Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony  2008
[60]
10.81    Joshua Jackson, Farmington  2009
10.81    A.J. Troup, Wayzata  2009
10.81    Skyler Jackson, Frazee  2009
10.81    LeAndre Kennedy, Eastview  2012
10.81     Joe Sando, Champlin Park  2012
10.82    Bobby Libby, Elk River  1989
10.82    Richard Lewis, St. Paul Highland Park  1998
10.82    Jeff King, East Grand Forks  1998
10.82    Paul LaClaire, Irondale  2003
10.82    Justin Suss, Lakeville  2005
[70]
10.82     Clarence Suttle, St. Paul Johnson  2007
10.83    Melvin Carter, St. Paul Central  1997
10.83    Tyler Buchholz, Robbinsdale Cooper  2006
10.84    Andre Billups, St. Paul Central  1979
10.6    Tom Andersson, Cannon Falls  1981
10.6    Jason Bruce, Burnsville  1984
10.6    Jim Berglund, Milaca  1986
10.6    Mike Freeman, Hopkins 1990
10.6    Mike Loge, Morris  1990
10.84    CJ Simonsen, Coon Rapids  1995
[80]
10.6    Joey Gleason, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 1995
10.6    Marc Brown, St Paul Highland Park  1995
10.6    Charlie Lenn, Pine Island  1999
10.6    Robb Merritt, Hopkins  2000
10.6    Jerry Fonville, St Agnes / St Bernard’s  2000
10.6    Eric Schmidt, Anoka  2001
10.6    Jerald Burton, Osseo  2003
10.6    Isaac Anderson, Blake  2005
10.84    Alex Rooker, Totino Grace  2006
10.6    Phillip Butler, St. Agnes  2009
[90]
10.6    Aaron Wubben, Central Minnesota Christian  2010
10.84    Travis Griffin, North St. Paul  2012
10.85    Demetre Martin, Minneapolis Henry  1987
10.85    Jason Braaten, Perham  1997
10.85    Matt Taylor, Duluth East  1998
10.85    Keith Hartman, Rochester Lourdes 1999
10.85    Jordan Wilkie, Eagan  2001
10.85    John Shevlin, Eagan  2002
10.85    Shayne Shaw, Eastview  2003
10.85    Jared Sandin, Minneapolis South  2003
[100]
10.85    Jonathan Thompson, St Louis Park  2003
10.85    Nate Mattson, Hawley/Ulen-Hitterdal  2009

JUNIOR BESTS
10.45    Ibrahim Kabia. Champlin Park  2003
10.50    Devin Crawford-Tufts, Edina  2010
10.3    Joe Hemberger, Park  1988
10.3    Tim Whitney, St Paul Arlington  1998
10.71    Jay Thomas, Tartan  2004
10.71    Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2005
10.73    ChiChi Ojika, Irondale  2008
10.74    Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central  1979
10.5    Dan Samion, Minnetonka  1990
10.5    Keith Harris, Eagan  1999
10.5    Anthony Dew, Coon Rapids  2001
10.5    Darby Ursell, Buffalo  2004

SOPHOMORE BESTS
10.58    Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2004
10.71    Rolando Peco, Duluth Central  2000
10.75    Jerry Burch, Cretin-Derham Hall  1996
10.78    Jermaine Brown, Champlin Park  1995
10.80    Myint Maung, St. Paul Highland Park  2009
10.6    Devin Crawford-Tufts, Edina  2009
10.6    Aaron Wubben, Southwest Central Christian  2010
10.90    LeAndre Kennedy, Eastview  2010
10.91    Charlie Lenn, Pine Island  1997
10.91    Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins  2012

FRESHMAN BESTS
10.76    Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2003
10.89    Jason Miller, Mahnomen  1989
10.92    Chuck Harris, Minnetonka  1992
10.94    Myint Maung, St. Paul Highland Park  2008
10.99    Jason Williams, Minneapolis Washburn  2010
11.00    Ashton Allan, Mounds Park Academy  1996
11.03    Adrian Perryman, St. Paul Central  2000
11.08    Ryan Kuester, Glencoe-Silver Lake  2010
11.09    Aric Perry, Fridley  2002
11.09    Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins  2011

Minnesota State Mankato Wins Second Straight NSIC Team Title

The Minnesota State Mankato men’s track and field team won their second straight Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship Saturday, the eighth time that they have won the team title. MSU (207.5) nearly doubled the points total for runner up MSU-Moorhead (111),   Augustana College (102.5)was third followed by  University of Sioux Falls (89), St. Cloud State (58.50), Minnesota-Duluth (51), University of Mary (39), Wayne State (28), Northern State (22), Concordia University (17.50), and Minot State (13).

MSU had four of the top eight point scorers at the meet with Nathan Hancock in second-place (36.5),Jerrell Hancock third-place (20), Chris Reed third-place (20), and Devin Allbaugh sixth-place (18).  Junior Jerrell Hancock established a NSIC indoor record in the 400 with a time of 48.48 in besting the old record of 48.96 set by Minnesota-Duluth’s Erik Hanson in 1998. Sophomore Nathan Hancock met the NCAA provisional qualifying standard finishing fifth-place with a time of 50.01.

Senior Robert Gunderson ran the 60-meter hurdles in 8.42 seconds to finish fourth.. MSU took third and fourth place in the 60-meter dash with  Junior Carmono Lane(6.92) in third and senior Nicholas Nelson(6.96) in fourth.  Senior Joshua Mellman won the 1000 in 2:31.20. Sophomore Alexander Schoneberger ran 2:35.90 to finish eighth. Sophomore Jacob Ball was third in the 5K in 14:58.65.

In the mile, MSU had second and fourth-place performances by juniors Devin Allbaugh(4:13.65) and Ryan Ness(4:17.06).  Junior Dan Guelle placed seventh in the 600 in 1:23.32. Senior Edward Van Pelt ran 1:58.67 placing eighth in the 800.

Junior Chris Reed’s record-breaking toss of 59' 7.5" in the shot put won his second consecutive NSIC indoor track & field championship. Reed's throw broke MSU’s record held by Mike Yonkey of 59' 6.24" that was set in 1989. He also tied the NSIC record held by Joe Remitz of Bemidji State set in 2008. Senior Grant Luer finished second with an NCAA provisional qualifying throw of 53' 2.25".

Jerrell Hancock won his second straight NSIC championship in the 200 with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 21.46.  Lane and Anthony Gustafson finished fifth and sixth-place with times of 22.27 and 22.39, respectively. 
Junior David Pearcill captured triple jump with a leap of 47' 1.50".  freshman Khalil Jor’dan was fourth with a jump of 46' .75". In the pole vault seniors Tandy Juell and Matt Masloski finished sixth and seventh-place with vaults of 15' 2.75" and 14'08.75, respectively.

The Minnesota State 4x400 team composed of Nathan Hancock, Carmono Lane, Dan Guelle, and Jerrell Hancock won in  3:16.61. That time broke the previous record time of 3:18.91 held by MSU-Moorhead’s 4x400 team. Complete results HERE.  Minnesota State will compete at the NCAA Division II Indoor national championships March 7-9 in Birmingham, AL.

Goucher Fifth in New Orleans Half

Duluth's Kara Goucher finished fifth in the New Orleans Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Sunday morning in 1:11:50.  An Achilles tendon injury hampered her preparation for the event, and Goucher knew going into the race that she wasn't ready to compete for a win.  A brief story on the event and listing of the top finishers in the men's and women's competition is HERE.

US Wins First XC Gold--Nordic XC Ski Gold--at World Champs

It's not running, but it is worth noting, the US team of   Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins won the Cross Country Skiing World Championship gold medal in the team sprint on Sunday in Italy.  Randall is from Alaska, Diggins is from Afton, MN. Story is HERE, HERE and HERE.

MSU Mankato Wins Men's Team Title, U-Mary the Women's at NSIC Indoor Championships

Minnesota State Mankato won the men's team title and the University of Mary the women's crown on Saturday in Mankato.  Mankato Free Press wrap up story on the meet is HERE. Complete results from the meet are HERE.

Minnesota Men Fifth, Women Seventh in Big Ten Team Race

In a team race where the difference between second and fifth was a point and a half, the Gopher men's track team took fifth with 86 points at the Big Ten Indoor Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.  Wisconsin won the team title with 90 points, Illinois scored 87.5, Penn State 87, Nebraska 86.66 for the top four spots. It was the tightest race for the team championship since 2003.

For the second year in a row, the Minnesota men came within four  points of the Gophers' fifth team title. Senior Harun Abda earned First Team All-Big Ten honors while Cameron Boy, Jacob Capek and Goaner Deng picked up Second Team awards.

Abda scored in three events. He narrowly missed out on the 600 crown with his runner-up time of 1:15.80 in his first race at the distance in 2013. The senior also made his first appearance of the year in the 400, finishing third in 46.99 - Minnesota's top time this season  -- and was a member of Minnesota's 4x400 relay team along with Capek, Boy and Deng that finished second at 3:07.19. The mark was the fifth-fastest time in Gopher men's indoor history and the fastest this season.

The Gophers had  a two-three finish in the 60  as senior Sean King came in second at 6.77 and newcomer Devin Crawford-Tufts was third in 6.80. Crawford-Tufts also placed eighth in the 200 at 35.11 while Boy finished fifth in 21.27.

After posting the meet's fastest preliminary time on Friday, Nick Hutton was fifth in the mile in 4:03.79.  Alex Brend was seventh in 4:04.99. In the long jump, Oladip Fagbemi lept the seventh-longest distance in school history at 7.46 meters to finish fifth while Sam Kettenhofen also had a personal best of  7.43 meters to finish sixth. Fagbemi also finished sixth in the triple jump at 15.36 meters - his top performance of the year in the event.

Jon Lehman was fourth in the weight throw at 21.79 meters while Travis Burkstrand finished fourth in the 800 int 1:50.38. Jack Szmanda placed fifth in the pole vault at 5.22 meters and was eighth in the heptathlon with 2,892 points. Full men's results are HERE. 

The Minnesota women’s track and field team finished seventh with 56 points, one point out of sixth. Laura Docherty and Todea-Kay Willis each earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors. Illinois won the team title with 115 points.

Docherty and Molly Kayfes finished second and third in the 5K and now rank second and third in school history. Docherty (16:15.00) and Kayfes (16:15.31) took over the second and third slots once the pack separated, and they held off other contenders to the end.

The Gopher 4x400-meter relay team was just .22 seconds away from the school record in finishing fourth. Megan Geyen, Te’Shon Adderley, Jessica Waldvogel and Alena Brooks ran the fastest time in their section of the relay. They were .10 seconds out of third place overall, with the fastest three teams running in the second section.

Adderley finished fourth in the 800  with a new personal record of 2:06.42, which ranks fourth in school history. Brooks came in fifth in the 600  with a time of 1:30.44. Willis, yesterday's runner-up in long jump, finished sixth in the 60 with a time of 7.48. Kylie Peterson finished ninth, just outside of the scoring. Becca Dyson finished eighth in the mile in 4:49.67. 

“I’m proud of Laura Docherty and Molly Kayfes,” director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle. “They had a great weekend and competed well. TK Willis set the long jump record, and the 4x400 was close to the school record. I’m proud of the team overall. We’ve come a long way since last year. We’re on the right path, but we still have a lot of work to do for outdoor.”

Recap of Gopher Scorers
2. Todea-Kay Willis: long jump, 20-7 3/4 (6.29m) *school record
2. Laura Docherty: 5,000 meters, 16:15.0
3. Molly Kayfes: 5,000 meters, 16:15.31
3. Laura Docherty: 3,000 meters, 9:23.60
4. Te’Shon Adderley: 800 meters, 2:06.42
4. Megan Geyen, Te’Shon Adderley, Jessica Waldvogel, Alena Brooks: 4x400-meter relay, 3:40.99
4. Katie Hill, Alena Brooks, Te’Shon Adderley, Maggie Bollig: distance medley relay, 11:17.94
5. Alena Brooks: 600 meters, 1:30.44
6. Molly Kayfes: 3,000 meters, 9:30.39
6. Todea-Kay Willis: 60 meters, 7.48
7. Katie Murgic:  pole vault, 12-7 1/2 (3.85m)
8. Becca Dyson: mile, 4:49.67

Full women's results are HERE. 

Running Movies Coming to the TC February 27

There Is No Finish Line, the film that chronicles and celebrates the life and running career of Joan Benoit-Samuelson, former women's marathon world record holder and first Olympic women's marathon champion, will premiere at the Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday, February 27 at 7 PM. Also shown will be Running The Rockpile, a documentary on the Mount Washington Road Race, and A Runner's Life, a short film made by Minneapolis native Alex Nichols about his former college cross country and track coach at Colorado College, Ted Castaneda, a five-time All-American runner in the '70s at the University of Colorado. Tickets are $10 in advance at www.imathlete.com/events/tinfl and $13 at the door the night of the show.

Gopher Men and Women Fifth After First Day at Big Ten Champs

A school record and runner-up finish by Todea-Kay Willis highlighted the University of Minnesota women's first day of the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Willis smashed the school long jump record on her way to the second runner-up finish of her Big Ten indoor career. Willis leaped 20 feet, 7 3/4 inches (6.29m) to finish second behind Nebraska’s Mara Griva (20-9). She passed Christin Kingsley’s Minnesota record of 20-5, set in 2009. Willis also finished second in 2011, and missed the 2012 indoor season with an injury.

Laura Docherty and Molly Kayfes ran Minnesota top-10 personal-record times to score in the 3,000 meters. Docherty finished third in 9:23.60, No. 3 in school history, while Kayfes finished sixth in 9:30.39, ninth all-time. The Gopher distance medley relay team placed fourth and now ranks eighth in Minnesota history. Katie Hill, Alena Brooks, Te’Shon Adderley and Maggie Bollig combined for a time of 11:17.94.

Katie Murgic pole vaulted to seventh. She tied her best mark of the season, clearing 12-7 1/2 (3.85m). Christina DeLakis just missed scoring in the shot put. She finished ninth with her best toss of the season, 50-2 1/2 (15.30m).

Several Gophers qualified for tomorrow’s running event finals. Before finishing second in the long jump, Willis posted a new PR in the 60-meter dash. She was the second-fastest qualifier in 7.42 seconds, and now ranks third in school history. Kylie Peterson also advanced to the 60-meter final (7.49). The Gophers advanced a handful of mid-distance runners to finals. Adderley’s 800m time of 2:07.43, sixth in school history, gives her the fifth seed for tomorrow’s final. Brooks won her heat of the 600m with the fourth-best time of the field, 1:30.61. In the mile, Becca Dyson qualified with a PR of 4:47.84.

“We had a really good day,” director of track and field/cross country Matt Bingle said. “People competed well in the pressure situation that is the Big Ten Championships. We had a lot of PRs, even with people who didn’t make finals. We’re where we’re supposed to be right now. We just need to come back tomorrow and take care of business.”

The women’s competition will resume tomorrow morning with the high jump at 11 AM CT. Twelve events remain. Minnesota women are currently in  fifth place with 24 points. Nebraska leads with 50.

For the men, Senior Nick Hutton paced Minnesota with the fastest preliminary time in the mile(4:03.37). The Gophers’ Alex Brend also advanced to the finals in the mile,  running 4:06.55. A pair of runners advanced to finals in two events--Harun Abda and Devin Crawford-Tufts. Abda, a returning two-time Big Ten champion in 2012, advanced to day two of competition in both the 400 (47.32, fourth) and the 600(1:16.81, seventh) with teammate Jacob Capek also qualifying for the final in the 400(47.54).

Crawford-Tufts posted the third fastest time in the 60 preliminaries (6.78) while also advancing with a seventh-place finish in the 200. Senior Sean King also advanced in the 60 in 6.73 that tied for the best qualifier in the event.  Cameron Boy joined Crawford-Tufts in the 200 finals with a time of 21.24. Minnesota’s final team member to advance to Saturday’s finals was Travis Burkstrand, who finished sixth in the 800 prelims.

The distance medley relay team of Burkstrand, Hutton, Kevin Bradley and Goaner Deng finished third in 9:41.20. Jack Szmanda was  fifth-place finish in the pole vault (5.22 meters, 17-01 1/2) and eighth in the heptathlon (2,892) while Oladipo Fagbemi(7.46 meters /24 ' 5.75" and Sam Kettenhofen(7.46 meters (24' 5.75") finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the long jump.  John Simons was seventh in the 3K in 7:55.93.

For the second-straight year, Minnesota is in fifth after the first day of Big Ten competition. Last season, the Gophers rallied to finish within four points of the team’s fourth-straight Big Ten title. This season, Minnesota will need to do the same as Wisconsin set the pace on the first day of competition with 39 points. Nebraska is second  at 29.666, with Indiana (27), Illinois (20.5) and Minnesota (19) rounding out the top five.

Full results of day one are HERE. Big Ten Championships Central page is HERE.