University of Minnesota Athletics
TWO GOPHERS QUALIFY FOR NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
3/2/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
ABOUT THE ATHLETES - Gulbrandsen won the 1999 Big Ten Indoor triple jump title a week ago with a school- record leap of 42 feet, 10 1/4 inches. That mark is the sixth-best in the nation this season. She also placed fourth in both the long jump and the pole vault. Gulbranden is making her first trip to the NCAA Championships and will compete in the triple jump.
Schmitt, who won the Big Ten indoor shot put title a week ago after winning the outdoor title in 1998, will compete at the NCAA Championships for the third time. She won the shot put with a career-best throw of 52-9 1/4, just 3/4 inch off the school record of 52-10 set in 1991 by Rachel Lewis. Schmitt placed 11th in the indoor shot put in 1998, becoming just the third first- year athlete in Minnesota history to compete at the national championship. Schmitt competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the shot put and the discus, placing 10th and 17th, respectively.
GOPHER REWIND: TWO COMPETE AT IOWA STATE QUALIFIER - Junior Minna Haronoja (Illo, Finland/Vammala) and sophomore Corinne Nimtz (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) competed at the Iowa State Qualifier on Friday in Ames, Iowa. Haronoja placed third in the 3000 meters in a time of 9 minutes, 59.02 seconds, while Nimtz placed fourth in the 5000 meters in a personal-best 17:04.28.
HEAD COACH GARY WILSON - Head coach Gary Wilson is in his 14th season at Minnesota. Wilson guided the Golden Gophers to the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the second consecutive year in 1998. The cross country team also finished third at both the Big Ten meet and the NCAA regional meet for the second consecutive year. Along the way, junior Rasa Michniovaite won the individual title at the regional meet and earned All- America honors by placing 16th. Wilson also coached the Minnesota track and field team to top-25 finishes at the NCAA outdoor championships in 1990, 1991, 1995 and 1996.
Minnesota Indoor Track and Field Records Set in 1999
60 meters, 7.74, Kim Heath, 1/9 400 meters, 56.10, Yvette White, 2/21 60 hurdles, 8.72, Yvette White, 1/16 Triple Jump, 42-10 1/4, Christine Gulbrandsen, 2/21 Pole Vault, 11-6, Christine Gulbrandsen, 2/13 Weight Throw, 59-9 1/2, Aubrey Schmitt, 2/21
Players Mentioned
