Gopher Big Ten Preview

Minnesota's men's team returns three All-Big Ten performers from last year's squad in Harun Abda, Micah Hegerle, and Jack Szmanda. Abda, who also was named 2012 Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year and Co-Track Athlete of the Big Ten Championships, picked up two individual titles in 2013 in the 400 meters (46.51 in his first race of the season) and the 600 meters (1:15.86, a Big Ten Indoor Championships record). Hegerle picked up his second-consecutive Big Ten title in the weight throw at 21.50 meters (70' 6.5") while Szmanda finished third in the heptathlon. 

Minnesota came up just four points short of its fourth-straight Big Ten indoor title last season after an impressive rally in the final day of competition. Minnesota  entered the final day of competition in fifth place with the team title coming down to the final event of the meet. The Gophers won back-to-back-to-back Big Ten indoor titles from 2009-11 after the school earned its first indoor championship in 1998.

Seniors Harun Abda and Micah Hegerle had memorable performances in the final home meet of their careers. Abda earned Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors with his winning time of 1:49.68 in the 800 meters. The performance set a new University of Minnesota Fieldhouse record, the second best mark in the Big Ten this season and the sixth best in the nation. Meanwhile, Hegerle earned Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Week honors after winning the weight throw at 21.84 meters. The senior's throw was the second best in the nation this year (best in the Big Ten) and was just short of Hegerle's school indoor record. 

Senior Sean King currently has the fastest 60-meter time in the Big Ten this season at 6.68 seconds, and the sprinter will look to make his mark in his final Big Ten indoor championship. King's time of 6.68 ranks second in school history while the time is the 17th fastest in the nation this season. 

"We're better than last year," director of women's track and field/cross country Matt Bingle said. "Most of our Big Ten competitors from last year are healthy this year. I think we'll score a lot more points than last year. We're heading in the right direction. The Big Ten is a really deep conference, but the team has worked hard and is heading into the meet with the right attitude. This weekend will help us move into the outdoor season."

Seven Big Ten scorers from last season are on this year’s travel roster. Seniors Kylie Peterson (seventh in the 60 meters) and Heather Brunn (eighth in the 800 meters) scored individually. Kathryn Ritter, Megan Geyen, Jessica Waldvogel, Katie Moraczewski and Lauren Domski ran on the Gopher relay teams. Todea-Kay Willis, the 2011 Big Ten indoor long jump runner-up, missed last year’s indoor season with an injury but is back in the mix this year.

Todea-Kay Willis, Kylie Peterson and Alena Brooks highlight a senior class that will compete in its final indoor conference championships this weekend. Willis set new personal records of 20'3.75" (6.19m) in the long jump (second at the ISU Classic) and 7.50 in the 60-meters (first at the Jack Johnson) this season. Peterson won the 60 meters at ISU in 7.46, .01 away from her PR.

Why is the Big Ten Meet in Geneva, Ohio? Minnesota Men Sweep Big Ten Honors

What Big Ten school is in Geneva, Ohio?  If you answered none, you are correct.  So, why are this year's Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships being held in Geneva?  The Minnesota Daily covers the story HERE.

In more Big Ten news, Gopher seniors Micah Hegerle and Harun Abda  swept this week’s Big Ten Conference awards with for their performances at Friday’s Snowshoe Open. Hegerle was named the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week after winning the weight throw at 21.84 meters – the second best throw in the nation this year and the best in the Big Ten. The senior also nearly matched his school record in the event. Today’s honor marks Hegerle’s fourth career indoor track and field weekly honor.

Abda was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week after picking up an individual title in the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.68. The senior’s time ranks second in the Big Ten, sixth in the NCAA, and set a new University of Minnesota Fieldhouse record. Today’s honor marks Abda’s second career indoor track and field weekly honor.

NSIC Weekly Summary

The NSIC Indoor Conference Championships are being hosted by Minnesota State University, Mankato February 22-23. Below is a roundup of last week's results from conference teams.

Bemidji State
Senior Taylor Sautbine (Tamarack, MN) led the Beavers at Bemidji State Twilight February 14 with two first-place finishes. In the 60, she came just one hundredth of a second from matching her season-best time and .two hundredths of a second from matching the BSU record in 7.99. She won the 200 in a season-best time of 26.85.

Jessica Cagle (Jr., Grand Rapids, MN) won the shot put  with a toss of 45' 5.75" to best the field by nearly five feet.

Concordia-St. Paul
Senior Brittany Dohmen placed tenth in the 200 (27.01) and 400(60.75) at the University of Minnesota’s Parent’s Day Open. Sarah Pieper  cleared 3.21 meters in the pole vault to finish seventh.

Nic Cass turned ran 4:36.77 in the mile  at St. Olaf College’s Tostrud Classic. Senior Nate Thienes broke his own school record with a throw of 15.84 meters to win the shot put.Men's Tostrud Classic results are HERE. 

University of Mary
Chase Dixon (Hurdles, Sr., Grass Valley, CA) posted two national provisional qualifying times at the University of Minnesota Snowshoe Open. The senior captured the 200 in 22.29, his best  this season and the fourth best mark in the NSIC. Dixon placed second in the 60 meter hurdles in 8.22 seconds, his top time this season and second best in the conference.
 
Jordan Washington posted a national provisional qualifying mark of 49.89 in the 400 and fifth  in the NSIC. Tracy Lide placed fifth in the 60 in 7.00 seconds, his best time this year. Thomas Hartwell claimed second place finishes in both the long jump and the triple jump. He posted his top mark this season in the long jump of 22' 11.75" and 45' .5" in the triple jump. Dustin Rueb finished fourth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6' 7.5", his top effort in 2013. He was sixth in the long jump with a mark of 21' 5.25". Aaron Teigan placed fourth in the triple jump (44' 8.75") and eighth in the long jump (21'1.5").

Brittney McKinley, a junior from Los Angeles, CA, won in the 60(7.86) at the Parents' Day Open, posted a NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 60 hurdles,  and placed fifth in the triple jump. After posting an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 8.87 seconds in the preliminaries of the 60 meter hurdles, McKinley placed fourth in the finals. She also finished the day with a top leap of 37' 2.5" in the triple jump to place fifth.
 
As the two-time defending Northern Sun champions prepare to defend their title, the Marauders posted five national provisional qualifying times, including two by Melissa Walker, one in the 60 meter hurdles and the other inthe triple jump. The All-American ran the 60 meter hurdles in 8.95 seconds, a season best, to place third in the event. Walker also claimed third in the triple jump, leaping 37' 8.5". Additionally she finished third in the long jump with an effort of 17' 7",
" 
All-American Kathryn Stewart posted her best time of the season to win the 400 with a provisional qualifying effort of 56.98 seconds. That is the top time posted in the NSIC this year.  Janet Johnson again reached the provisional standards in the 60 meter hurdles, running 8.73. She ranks first in the conference in the event. The Marauders 4x400 meter relay team of Kaitlyn Wurnig, Megan Jenkins, Kameya Johnson and Josie Guptill posted a provisional qualifying time of 3:54.30 to place third.

Minnesota Duluth
Seven member of the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s track and field team competed in distance events at the Snowshoe Open and six came away with career best marks.
 
Team captain Cole Toepfer ran an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying  time of 4:16.01 in the mile run, good for ninth place, while while fellow junior Tyler Stevens came in at 4:25.75 (17th). Tim Lasch, won captured the 5K title with a time of 16:00.09 at the St. Olaf College Tostrud Classic in Northfield.
 
Kelsi Ring was second in 60-meter hurdles in 8.90 and seventh in the triple jump (35’-09.25”).  Sophomore Ameila Maher clocked in at 60.15, finishing fifth in the 400,  while junior Kayla Johnson finished sixth in the 1,000-meter run (3:04.94). Sophomore Jennifer Hitchock (49’-03.50” in the weight throw), freshman Kayla Wiltrout (10’-06.25” in the pole vault) and sophomore Erin Pangerl (7.97 in the 60-meter dash) all earned seventh place finishes at their events at the Parents Open..

Minnesota State
Minnesota State athletes had three  NCAA provisional qualifying marks at the Snowshoe Open.
 
Jerrell Hancock  won the 400 with a provisionally-qualifying time of 47.91 seconds. Hancock’s mark was good for first-place in the event and is the ninth-best time in the nation. This is the fourth event that Hancock has met the qualifying standard in as the St. Louis native also has the seventh-best mark in the 60 (6.78), the third-best time in the 200(21.41) and is the anchor of MSU’s 4x400 relay team, which owns the 15th-best mark of 3:15.85.
 
Sophomore Anthony Gustafson (Faribault, MN) provisionally qualified in the 200 with a time of 22.03. Gustafson is the fourth Maverick to meet the provisional mark in the 200-meter dash. MSU’s distance medley relay team of Ryan Ness (St. Paul, MN), Austin Eliason (Rosemount, MN), Joshua Mellman (Rockwell, Iowa) and Devin Allbaugh (Bettendorf, Iowa) recorded the 15th-best time with a mark of 10:00.34.
 
 Kate Sanft (Sr., Wausau, WI)  finished in fourth in the 800 at the Parents Day Open. Sanft’s time of 2:15.64 bested the qualifying mark of 2:15.79 to provisionally qualify her for the NCAA Championship.
 
MSU Moorhead
sophomore Jackson Henrich (Morris, MN/Morris Area HS) had a good showing at the University of Minnesota’s Snowshoe Open, winning the unseeded shot put with a throw of 47'1.5" 1/2, a season-best.
 
Senior Laquone Robinson (Minneapolis, Minn. / Brooklyn Center HS) won the 60-meter hurdles 8.03, a season-best and the fastest in the NSIC. He was also the second leg of the Dragon 4x400 relay team that won the title at 3:17.52, the eighth-best time in Division II and best in the NSIC.
 
Senior Heather Schultz (Dent, Minn. / Perham HS) finished fourth in the shot put with a throw of 45' 4 1/4" at the Parents Day Open. She is ranked sixth in the event heading into next week’s NSIC Indoor Championships. sophomore Karlene Lorenz ( Lisbon, N.D. / Lisbon HS)   was third in the 400 in 58.92, a mark that is eighth-best in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this season. Lorenz was also eighth in the 200 in 26.80.

St. Cloud State
Becky Schmidt (White Bear Lake, MN) won the Parents Day Open long jump with a national qualifying provisional distance of 18' 2.25". Schmidt currently is third in conference in the long jump and 200 with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 25.80.
 
In other field events Kellan Flynn finished eighth in the high jump at 5' 2.25" and Alesha McPhail tied for tenth in the pole vault at 10' 6.25".Candice Wayne took sixth in the 400 with a time of 60.37.
 
At the Snowshoe Opent, Dustin McColley was second  in the high jump with a height of 6' 7.5", while teammate Joe Mooney took tenth. Ryan Johnson was sixth in the shot put (47' 5.25") and eleventh in the weight throw in 49' 5".
 
George Kawalawu (Brooklyn Park, MN) took second in the 60 with a national qualifying provisional time of 6.83. He also took fourth in the 200 with another national qualifying provisional mark of 22.59. Kawalawu is third in conference standings in the 60 and eighth in the 200.
 
Tendeh Brownell,  took fourth place in the 60 in 6.98 and eighth in the 200.  Leon Cheneyon took seventh in the 400  posting a provisional qualifying time of 49.80, fourth in the conference standings. The men’s 4x400m relay team took second, also posting a provisional qualifying time of 3:21.21, which ranks them third in conference.
 
Winona State 
Senior Brittney Rynda (New Prague, MN) led the  4x400 relay team to a win at the Parent’s Day Open with a Meet Record, seventh fastest time in D2, fastest time in the NSIC, and School Record  of 3:49.13 splitting 56.3 seconds on her leg of the relay.  Her teammates on the relay were Kelsey Bethke, Katie Bagley, and Catherine Whitcomb.
 
 Anna Blaske (Senior, Shoreview, MN) won the Long Jump at the UW-La Crosse Dual with a  lifetime best jump of 5.57m (18’ 3 ¼”).  On the track Anna also won the 60m Hurdles in a time of 9.01 seconds.

NSIC Championships meet schedule, information, live stream video of meet, results are HERE.

Pick Ten: Big Ten Indoor Championships

The University of Minnesota Gophers will travel to Geneva, Ohio, for the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday.  The men will be vying for the team title again this year, having placed second to Indiana University by four points last year.  The women's squad had a disappointing 2012 Big Ten Indoor Meet, finishing last with eleven points, but are positioned to finish higher this year.

With all the great athletes competing at this meet, we decided to choose ten of them and attempt to pick final places at the meet.  With this, we will hold the first Pick Ten contest of 2013.

Pick Ten has a simple concept: predict the finish place for each of 10 Minnesota athletes at the Big Ten 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 Todea-Kay Willis to place first in the long jump, and she places first, you get 10 points. If you pick Willis to place first and she finishes second, you get zero points. If you pick Willis 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 11:30 A.M. CST on Friday, February 22nd 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 ... Big Ten Indoor Chmpionship:

University of Minnesota Women (Team):
Alena Brooks (600 OR 800 Meters):
Todea-Kay Willis (Long Jump):
Cami Gilson (Pole Vault):
Kylie Peterson (60 Meter Dash):
University of Minnesota Men (Team):
Jon Lehman (Weight Throw)
Sean King (60 Meter Dash)
Oladipo Fagbemi (Triple Jump)
Harun Abda (600 OR 800 Meters)

For Harun Abda and Alena Brooks, it is very unlikely that either will run the 600 and the 800, so you will be picking the place of whichever race they decide to run.  If they do happen to run both, we will take the higher place as their official place.

Here is some information to help you with your picks:

The Big Ten Performance Lists are HERE.  The rankings below are based on the performance lists, not on heat sheets.

Alena Brooks is currently ranked second in the 600 and third in the 800 in the Big Ten.  Todea-Kay Willis has the second best long jump in the Big Ten in 2013.  Cami Gilson is eighth on the list of female pole vaulters  and Kylie Peterson is tied for fifth in the 60 meter dash.

On the men's side, Jon Lehman is ranked third in the weight throw.  Sean King is currently first in the 60 meter dash.  Oladipo Fagbemi is fifth among Big Ten triple jumpers.  Harun Abda is second in the 800 and unranked in the 600.

Here are some additional links:
- 2013 Live Results - Big Ten Championships
- Division I Team Rankings
- Big Ten Championship Site
- 2012 Big Ten Indoor Results

Good luck!

Last week's Yes/No question was:  Will Garrett Heath finish in the top five at the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games on Saturday?  The answer was no.  Heath ran a very solid 3:55.55 for seventh.  It was a tough question this week as only five players answered correctly.  Fourteen contestants answered correctly this week including the three tied for the lead:  Dylan Dragswiek, Lori Anne Schwiesow, and Dimitri Drekonja.

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

MIAC Athletes of the Week

Friday, St. Olaf's Brian Saksa (Dassel, Minn./Dassel Cokato) won the mile at the University of Minnesota's Snowshoe Open. Saksa setting a new meet record of 4:09.64. For his performance, Sasksa was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.

His  time is first in the MIAC this season by nearly three seconds, and it's the second-fastest time recorded in Division III in 2013. Saksa's latest heroics come after earning All-MIAC honors while helping St. Olaf capture the MIAC men's cross country championship in the fall.


A quartet of St. Thomas underclassmen won the 4 by 400 title at Saturday's University of Minnesota Parent's Day Open in Minneapolis. They finished second behind Division II Winona State with a new UST school record of 3:51.71, the best time in school history, and the best time in Divison IIIin the nation this season. For their record-setting performance, Angela and Erika Tipp, Emily Van Heel and Kayla Goeman were collectively named the MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athletes-of-the-Week.
 
St. Thomas' time in the 4x400 was 3:51.71, is a St. Thomas record  the best time in the nation this season for D-III. By comparison, the quartet's time is the only MIAC sub-four-minute mark and nearly 14 seconds better than the second-fastest time recorded in the conference this season (4:05.01). The Tipp sisters and Goeman are all sophomores and Van Heel is a junior. The same four runners are the MIAC's defending champions in the women's 4x400 relay.

 Hamline senior Becky Culp ( Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) had a career day at Saturday's Parent's Day Open.. The Piper thrower recorded career-best marks in both the shot put of 13.92 meters( 45 feet, 8 "). That ranks as the top throw in the MIAC by a full foot, and is the fifth-ranked throw in Division III this season.   

Culp added a fourth-place finish in the weight throw, with only teammate Shawny Kramer and D-I athletes ahead of her in the top three spots. Her distance of 15.63 meters(51' 3") is second in the MIAC behind Kramer and among the top 30 throws in D-III. Culp is the MIAC's reigning indoor shot put champ, and was fifth in the weight throw a year ago. For her performance, Culp was named the MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.

USTFCCA Rankings

The University of Minnesota men's team rose from 23rd to 15th in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I rankings this week. Division I poll is HERE.

In the Division II men's rankings, Minnesota State Mankato went up a notch to sixth place, while MSU Moorhead stayed at 22nd.  Those week-by-week rankings are HERE. For the women, U Mary fell one place to 14th Winona State also dropped a stop to 24th.  Full DII rankings are HERE.

In the Division III men's rankings, St. Thomas dropped one place to 14th.  Those week-by-week rankings are HERE. The St. Thomas women rose from 23rd to fourth.

If you're curious what these rankings are based upon, Here is the current breakdown of each teams' point score based on the performances of their athletes.  Division I is HERE (broken down by Region).  Division II is HERE .  Division III is HERE.

Minnesota Daily pre-meet coverage of last weekend's meets is HERE.  Post meet coverage is HERE.

MIAC Spotlight

Allyson Voss, Gustavus Adolphus College
Senior, Women’s Track and Field
Wausau Wis./ Wausau West
Major(s): Anthropology and Spanish
 
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete?
I think one of the most valuable lessons I learned as a student-athlete at Gustavus was how to be driven and competitive while still keeping it all in perspective.  At the end of the day whether I am successful or not in one meet doesn’t make me a better or worse person, as long as I give it my all for myself and my team.  I think it is really important to realize that in athletics.

Who has been the most influential person in your athletic career?
The most influential person in my athletic career has been Fred Berg.  Having the chance to work with him as a coach for the past three and a half years has been a blessing and I consider him to be a very important mentor in my life.  Without Fred’s daily affirmations, life tips, science jokes and positive attitude I would not have been able to stay grounded and see that every day I just get to be in the pole vault pits is a gift and a great day whether or not it is actually a good vaulting day or not.  Fred has made me a better athlete and a better person and I will take his life lessons with me off the track after this season is over!

If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what one question would you ask them?
 I would definitely choose to meet Sergei Bubka.  He was such a phenomenal athlete that lifted the sport of pole-vaulting to what it is today.  I would love to ask him why he didn’t go all out and jump as high as he possibly could while he was in his physical prime.  It kills me that we will never know just how high he could have gone and what the world record would be today!

What is your greatest sports moment?
The greatest moment of my collegiate athletic career so far was competing at the DIII Outdoor National Championships in 2012.  My entire family was able to be there to watch me break my personal record as well as the school record in the pole vault in order to earn my first All-American title.

What is something that most people do not know about you?
I think that a lot of people would be surprised to know that I love to dance the tango.  Whenever I have the chance I grab a dress, throw on some high heels and get to a milanga or tango lesson, particularly when my twin sister is around! 
 
If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why?
Since the fall of my freshman year I have been involved in the Big Partner Little Partner mentorship program through Gustavus.  I have met with the same little girl on a weekly basis for close to four years and watching her grow up and keep taking steps towards who and what she wants to be in the future has been an unbelievable experience.  

Gopher Women Match Men and Win Eight Titles in Final Indoor Meet at Fieldhouse This Year

The Golden Gopher women's track and field team won eight event titles and honored its seniors at the Parents Day Open on Saturday in their final home meet of the season.

The Gophers’ distance medley relay team of Becca Dyson, senior Heather Brunn, Jamie Vandenberg and Kaitlin Mincke started the day by winning with a meet record time of 11:48.04. Te’Shon Adderley won the 600 meters in 1:33.23. Madison Smith, last year's champion, finished second. Lauren Domski finished ahead of Anne Ferguson and Andie Zeman to win the 800 meters.

Cami Gilson finished third in the pole vault, but first among collegiate competitors. She is now tied for sixth all-time in school history after clearing 12' 10" (3.91m). Missa Varpness won the mile in 4:55.82 after making a late push to pass Ashlie Decker, who finished second. Gophers also dueled for first in the 1,000 meters. Kaitlin Mincke passed Jamie Vandenberg on the final lap to take the title.

In the field events, senior Melissa Flucke won the high jump with her second-best jump of the season, clearing 5' 5.25" (1.66m). Christina DeLakis won the shot put. Bria Halama leaped her second-best triple jump of the season (39' .5") to finish first. The track event schedule took a short break during the meet to recognize Minnesota's senior class. Each senior, accompanied by her parents if they were in attendance, received a plaque with her name and picture on it.

"It was nice to be able to take time to honor our seniors, and to have some of their parents here today," director of women's track/cross country Matt Bingle said. "Now we need to have a good week of practice to prepare for the Big Ten Championships next weekend." Full results are HERE. 

Seniors Honored at the MeetEmily Betz
Alexandra Brackenwagen
Alena Brooks
Heather Brunn
Caitlyn Dongoske
Rachel Edwards
Melissa Flucke
Becca Gusmer
Jeri Johnson-Chambers
Bri Jones
Kelsey Joson
Amy Kubat
Marie Muscala
Caitlin Olson
Paige Orcutt
Kylie Peterson
Kathryn Ritter
Toni Salvatore
Jessica Schmidt
Annie Talajkowski
Bre Valle
Todea-Kay Willis

Leer Fifth in Millrose Two-Mile; Heath Seventh in Wanamaker Mile

At the Millrose Games in NYC Friday night, Will Leer finished fifth in the two mile in 8:21.53.  Bernard Lagat won the race in 8:09.49, an American, Armory, and Millrose record. Garrett Heath finished seventh in the Wanamaker Mile in 3:55.55.  Lopez Lomong won in 3:51.21, also an Armory and Millrose record.

Gopher Men Win Eight Events at Snowshoe Open

Senior Micah Hegerle made his final home meet at the University of Minnesota memorable on Friday night, posting the second-best weight throw in school history to win the event. With a winning toss of 21.84 meters (71' 8".), Hegerle recorded the Gopher men's indoor track and field team's top weight throw of the season - while the senior nearly matched his own school record of 21.95 meters set last season.  The Gophers  finished 1-2-3 in Friday's weight throw with Justin Barber recording a personal record of 20.31 meters  (66'  7.75") to finish second.Quentin Mege placed third at the Snowshoe with a throw of 18.77 meters (61' 7 ".).

 Harun Abda set a University of Minnesota Fieldhouse record of 1:49.68 to his win the 800 meters.  Sam Kettenhofen set a new Snowshoe Open record in the long jump of 7.34 meters (24-01 ft.). Mark Jennings did likewise in the shot put, pacing a 1-through-5 sweep for the Gophers in the event with a Snowshoe Open record setting toss of 17.65 meters (57'11").

Minnesota also won individual titles in the 60-meter dash (Sean King, 6.74), the 600-meter run (Goaner Deng, 1:20.12, edging teammate John Holton in second at 1:20.87), the 3,000-meter run (Derek Storkel, 8:27.49), and the triple jump (Oladipo Fagbemi, 15.21 meters, 49' 11").

In the Devil's Mile, Justin Grunewald outkicked Foley HS's Charlie Lawrence to win in 4:32.91 to 4:33.01 for Lawrence.  Full meet results are HERE.

Parents Day Open Honors Gopher Senior Women

The Parents Day Open is a one-day meet hosted annually by the Minnesota women's team. The day will feature recognition for the  senior class with events beginning at 10 AM.  Full meet information is HERE.

The Big Ten Indoor Championships are quickly approaching. Here is a look at where some of the women rank in the conference.
2. Todea-Kay Willis, long jump, 20-3 3/4
2. Alena Brooks, 800 meters, 2:06.24
3. Alena Brooks, 600 meters, 1:30.39
3. Distance medley relay, 11:28.31
t-5. Kylie Peterson, 60 meters, 7.46
5. Molly Kayfes, 5.000 meters, 16:31.47
5. 4x400-meter relay, 3:42.63
6. Laura Docherty, 5,000 meters, 16:32.35
8. Cami Gilson, pole vault, 12-8 1/4
8. Todea-Kay Willis, 60 meters, 7.50
9. Katie Murgic, pole vault, 12-7 1/2
10. Christina DeLakis, shot put, 49-9 3/4
10. Alena Brooks, 400 meters, 55.06

Snowshoe Open Honors seniors

The Snowshoe Open marks the Gophers men's final home meet of the season with the Big Ten indoor championships next weekend in Geneva, Ohio. The meet begins Friday afternoon at 4 PM.  A brief presentation will honor 15 seniors on as they compete in the final home meet of their careers. 

2013 Senior Class

Harun Abda

Cameron Boy

Kevin Bradley

Travis Burkstrand

Oladipo Fagbemi

Micah Hegerle

John Holton

Nick Hutton

Adam Isakson

Sam Kettenhofen

Sean King

Kevin Lachowitzer

Quentin Mege

Jack Szmanda

Ryan Todhunter

Minnesota will also honor 2012 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner David Pachuta  and have a new event, the Devil's Mile.  Nine participants are set to participate with ages and abilities varying from Masters runner Lance Elliott to Foley High School senior  Charlie Lawrence. Full info on the meet HERE.

Yes/No: Heath in top five in Wanamaker Mile?

Madison Square Garden in New York City had been the illustrious venue for the Millrose Games for nearly a century, playing host to the event from 1914 until 2011.  A move to the nearby Armory didn't dampen the intrigue... the very next year's performances were ones for the record books.

Garret Heath claimed a starring role in the Wanamaker Mile, taking third place with a personal best of 3:55.24 in an ultra-competitive race (8 runners broke 3:58).  Matthew Centrowitz won the race in 3:53.92, the fastest ever mile at the Armory, and Miles Batty set a collegiate record with his second-place time of 3:54.54.

Heath will return in 2013 to face Centrowitz and a field that could boast even more depth than last year.  Let us know how he will fare...

Yes/No: Will Garrett Heath finish in the top five at the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games on Saturday?

The 2013 Wanamaker Mile features three favorites: Matthew Centrowitz, Lopez Lomong and Ryan Gregson.  Bringbackthemile.com sets the field and lists Heath as having the fourth fastest mile-best and the fifth fastest among 1500 personal records.

Other top runners in this race include Robbie Andrews, Ciaran O'Lionaird, Lawi Lalang and Donn Cabral

To play our game, simply type "yes" or "no" into the subject line of an e-mail and send it to us at DtBFantasy [AT] gmail [DOT] com before 8:45 P.M. CDT, Saturday, February 16th.  Please put your answers in the subject line of the e-mail and make sure your full name appears somewhere in the e-mail.  We will offer a bonus for participants making their 2013 debut in Yes/No - a correct answer will be worth two points for anyone who has not played yet this year.

My Answer:  No

Last week's questions was:  Will Harun Abda finish ahead of Zach Mellon and run sub 1:48:00 in the 800 meters at Iowa State?  The answer was no.  Abda ran 1:49.34 for fourth place while Mellon ran 1:50.92 for seventh.  It was a tough question this week as only five players answered correctly. There are now five players tied for first with four points:  Mike Mason, Dylan Dragswiek, Lori Anne Schwiesow, Toby Hatlevig and Dimitri Drekonja.

For all the results, please visit DtB Fantasy Corner, HERE.

NSIC 2103 Multi Event Champs

UMD  sophomore Chanel Miller wins NSIC pentathlon title Sunday in Mankato, breaking the school record with 3,776 points.  Duluth News Tribune report HERE. Full results are HERE.

Minnesota State’s Nathan Hancock (So., Independence, Mo.) recorded a school record en route to capturing the men's NSIC heptathlon championship. Hancock’s 5,301 is the third-best mark by a Division II athlete this season and bested his previous automatic qualifying mark of 5,165 points. At the multi championship, Hancock won the long jump with a leap of 6.91-meters and the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:43.37. Hancock also finished in third-place in the pole vault with a vault of 13-07.25, high jump with a mark of 1.99-meters and the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.14. This marks the second time that Hancock has cleared the automatic qualifying standard of 5,158 points. Full results are HERE.

Recap of the week for NSIC competition is HERE. The rest of the NSIC Indoor Championships events begin on February 22 in Mankato.

Beth Alford Sullivan Named Head Coach of US Women's Team for Moscow IAAF World Championships

Hopkins High and Gopher grad Beth Alford-Sullivan, currently the at the Director and Head Coach for Track and XC at Penn State University, received another honor being named the Head Women's Coach for the US team for the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow this summer.  More on that HERE.

MIAC Athletes of the Week/Spotlight

Christian Willman, HamlineHamline  senior Christian Willman (Rosemount, MN) lit up Saturday's 'Meet of the Hearts' at Carleton College. Willman won the 600 in impressive fashion, breaking Hamline's school record as well as the Knights' fieldhouse record while turning in the top time in the MIAC this season, 1:22.67. For his record breaking performance, Willman was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
His winning effort not only re-wrote the record books, but it also helped Hamline amass 179 team points to finish first in the four-team field. He had company, though as less than .4 seconds separating the top three finisherss.  Prior to Saturday's race, no MIAC runner had broken 1:23 in the 600 in 2013.
 
Willman and his Piper teammates have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be hosted by St. Olaf on February 28 to March 2. This weekend they'll travel to the site of the MIAC meet, with a noon start at St. Olaf on Saturday, and next Friday, Feb. 22, Hamline will be in the field at the Macalester Pre-Conference Meet. That event is scheduled for a 5 PM start.
 

Erik Olson, ConcordiaConcordia senior Erik Olson (Buffalo, MN) rose to new heights over the weekend against Division I competitors at the North Dakota State Bison Open in Fargo, ND. Olson was  seventh in the pole vault, breaking the Cobbers' school record for the second time this season, and finishing behind six Division I vaulters. For his record breaking performance of 4.58m/15' .25" Olson was named the MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
This new historic performance came just two weeks after Olson cleared 15 feet even to break a 30-year old school record. Olson's performance tied for second among all MIAC men's pole vaulters behind Gustavus' Josh Owens, who has cleared 4.91m.
 
The Cobbers and Olson have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll travel to Collegeville as one of four teams in the Saint John's Quadrangular meet, which begins Saturday at 11:30 AM. Next Friday, February 22, Concordia will participate in the Ole Qualifier in Northfield at 5 PM.
 

Erin Statz, St. ThomasSt. Thomas junior  Erin Statz (Lincoln, NB./Pius X) finished second in the 5,000-meter run, recording a PR of 17:10.72,  a time that ranks in the top 10 for NCAA Division III this season. For her performance, Statz was named the MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
Statz finished second behind teammate Taylor Berg, who won in 17:00.90. The dynamic duo took traded the lead until the final laps, as they pushed the pace in an attempt to achieve national qualifying times. Statz, who was an All-American in cross country in the fall,  has the second fastest time in the MIAC this season behind Berg, and  ranks seventh in NCAA Division III..
 
St. Thomas and Statz have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll compete in Saturday's U of M Parent's Day Open, hosted by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis at 10 AM. Next Friday, Feb. 22, the Tommies will participate in the Ole Qualifier in Northfield at 5 p.m.
 
Shawny Kramer, Hamline
Hamline sophomore thrower Shawny Kramer (Watkins, MN./Eden Valley-Watkins) won the weight throw Saturday at Carleton's 'Meet of the Hearts" setting a new personal record by more than a meter of 17.59m/ 57' 8.5" . This puts her at the top of the MIAC performance list, and in the top three in  NCAA Division III. For her performance, Kramer was named the MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.
 
Kramer's throw is the second-best mark in Hamline school history, and it ranks first in the MIAC by more than seven feet, and is the top throw by a sophomore in the nation in 2013.
 
Kramer and the Pipers have two more competitions on the indoor schedule to prepare for the 2013 MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. This weekend they'll compete in Saturday's U of M Parent's Day Open.  Next Friday, February 22, Hamline will be in the field at the Macalester Pre-Conference Meet.  

MIAC Spotlight Athletes
Seth Lage, Concordia College Moorhead
Senior, Football and Track
Pelican Rapids, MN/ Pelican Rapids
Major: Exercise Science, Minor: coaching
 
Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
I wanted to have a good education and stay focused about my academics while being able to compete in sports.
 
How do you hope your combined academic and athletic college experience will help you as you pursue future endeavors?
Knowing that all the little things you are the building blocks to greatness.
 
If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what one question would you ask them? 
Adrian Peterson, how much time did you spend in the off season to become who you are today?
 
What is your greatest sports moment?
Scoring a kickoff return for a touchdown for the Cobbers my senior year, on my first kickoff return.
 
Do you have any pregame/pre-event rituals? If so, what are they?
Gatorade and a candy bar while listening to music
 
What is something that most people do not know about you?
I was hit by a cow at the fair during the summer when I was about 10. I hit my head on the cement. I was knocked out for like five minutes. I could have been blind if I would have hit my head again within a couple weeks.

 
Megan Smith, College of Saint Benedict
Senior, Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field
Lakeville, MN/ Lakeville North
Major: Biology, Minor: Spanish
 
Why did you choose to be a Division III student-athlete? 
 Being a division III athlete allows me to have the best of both worlds. My academics don’t take a back seat to my athletic career. I devote myself to training and competing because I’m passionate about running, not because I have to maintain a scholarship. Competing at the collegiate level is a unique and challenging experience; It’s something I would have missed out on had I chosen a division I school.
 
What has been the greatest part of your collegiate athletic career thus far? 
My team has become my family; we push each other, we struggle together and we triumph together. Everyone is supportive and truly wants the best for one another. My favorite college memories are and will always be with those teammates.
 
What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete? 
Patience. Like running, you’re going to work tirelessly at something, and still finish unsatisfied or disappointed. Things are going to go wrong. But I’ve learned to be patient, work on things I can change and let go of the things I can’t. I’ve learned that success requires dedication, pushing your limits and having faith. Then its patience; one day that amazing race is going to happen and all the work and time you put in will be worth it.
 
What is your most embarrassing sports moment?
Falling over a steeple barrier that wasn’t even the water barrier. It took a few seconds before I registered what happened and got back up. Luckily, very few people saw so it was only embarrassing to me.
 
If you have been involved in community service projects, which project has been the most rewarding and why? 
I worked at an orphanage for young children while I was studying abroad in Chile. I truly felt like I made a difference after just a few months there, providing mental stimulation and a positive role model for the children, something they otherwise lacked. These kids will never experience the childhood I was fortunate enough to have, but if I could make them smile or giggle, I know I improved their day even for just that minute.

USTFCCCA Weekly NCAA Indoor Track Rankings

In this week's USTFCCCA NCAA Division I rankings, the Gopher men fell from eighth to 23rd.  In Division II, Minnesota State Mankato men fell from sixth to seventh, while MSU Moorhead went from 90th to 22nd. In the Division II women's rankings, Winona State stayed at 23rd, while U-Mary rose from 18th to 13th. In Division III, the St. Thomas men fell from fifth to 13th.  The St. Thomas women rose from 37th to 23rd in the rankings.

Anderson to Speak at Fools Five Road Race

Former Gopher All-American and 2012 Olympic Trials competitor Gabriele Anderson will be one of the featured speakers at the Fools Five Road Race in Lewiston, MN, on Sunday, April 7. The 8-kilometer race raises money for cancer research.

The Fools Five is Minnesota-certified 8K race, as well as a 1-mile race. Walkers and wheelchairs are welcome in both distances. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to raise pledges. There will be a live/silent auction event the night before the race. This year is the 35th anniversary of the Fools Five.

Anderson, a cancer survivor, will speak after the race. She last competed for the Gophers in 2010. She finished second in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships after coming back from a battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma. Anderson then beat thyroid cancer prior to competing in the 2012 Olympic Trials, where she finished fourth in the 1,500m.

To register or learn more about the race, please visit foolsfive.org or find the Fools Five page on Facebook.

Want To Run A Mile?

Want to run a mile in Friday's Snowshoe Open on the University of Minnesota's Indoor track?  The Gophers are attempting to put together a "Devil take the Hindmost" event for "citizen runners."  One caveat, you must have run a verified 5 minute and 30 second mile.

Main reason for the cutoff being that this format, if you're not familiar with it, it is not your standard one mile run. Each lap the last runner in the field has to drop out.  Over the eight laps of the mile, seven runners who started won't finish.

First running event starts at 4:30 PM on Friday.  The mile will be early in the program.  If you want to enter, click HERE.  Put in your information and select the Snowshoe Open on the list of events.  That will take you to the page for selecting your event.  Fill in the information and select "Mile" as your event.  Send in your entry.  The top 20 entrants for the event--according to time--gain entry to the race. Any questions, contact Jo Rider at rider003@umn.edu.

Heat sheets and the meet time schedule will be posted on Gophersports.com on the men's track and field page by 10 AM , Thursday, February 14.

RRCA Acquires RunPro Camp, Website

The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) announced today it has acquired the RunPro.com web site (www.RunPro.com) and the RunPro Camp and will operate the two entities as official RRCA programs.

RunPro.com and the RunPro Camp were developed by Team USA Minnesota with the support of a 2010 Excellence Challenge Grant from USATF.  The purpose of the RunPro effort is to be the go-to source that assists promising young distance runners make the transition from collegiate to professional running.

“We are very excited to take the reins from Team USA Minnesota and carry on the great legacy they started with RunPro.com and the RunPro Camp,” said Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director.  “The RRCA has a long history of supporting elite athlete development, including financially supporting athletes going to international events back in the late 1950s, to our Roads Scholar program that has provided nearly $400,000 in grants to emerging elites.”

The web site provides athletes with a comprehensive overview of what it takes and what is involved in becoming a professional distance runner – competing on the track, the roads and in cross country.  The companion three-day camp, scheduled to be held again in mid-July in Arlington, is designed specifically for athletes who are interested in pursuing a professional running career.

“Our goal with the RunPro effort was to attract more talented distance runners to the sport,” said Patricia Goodwin, president and founder of Team USA Minnesota.  “After successfully launching the web site in 2011 and holding the RunPro Camp in Minneapolis that summer, we realized that we didn’t have the time or resources to continue the effort long term.

“We are pleased that RRCA has stepped forward to take RunPro under its wing.  We are confident they will do an excellent job with managing and enhancing the website and the camp, and in turn we will be able to focus all our resources on developing national and international distance runners.”