University of Minnesota Athletics
GERDING AND JOHANNSEN CAPTURE BIG TEN TITLES
2/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Champ University of Minnesota senior sprinter Tom Gerding ran a 1:16.19 in the 600-meter dash to take first place and set new Big Ten and Minnesota records at the 2001 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships. Gerding beat the previous Big Ten record of 1:17.35, held by Bobby True of Illinois by over a second. The previous school record was 1:17.55. Fellow senior, high jumper, Marc Johannsen captured the Big Ten title in the high jump with a NCAA provisional qualifying leap of 7-2 1/4. The two first place finishes helped lead the Golden Gophers to a fourth place finish in the team standings.
Minnesota was in eighth place with 12 points after the first day of competition. The added 71 points today with outstanding performances by several other athletes to move to their fourth place finish.
Freshman Mitch Potter also set a new Minnesota record with his time of 46.45 in the 400m dash. His time was good enough for second place in the meet and was and NCAA provisional qualifying time. Gerding just two set the previous record of 46.96 just two weeks ago.
Sophomore Toby Henkels was the third Minnesota recordbreaker. Henkels ran a 1:49.29 in the 800m to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships and break the Minnesota record. The previous record was 1:50.35 set by Mike Moran in 1983.
Three of Minnesota's four heptathletes scored points for the team. Junior Lyndon McDowell led the way, finishing second with a career-high 5,593 points. He achieved career bests in the long jump, pole vault and first day totals. Freshman Erik Svensson finished fourth with a career- high total score of 5,398. He reached career bests in the 60m, shot put, high hurdles, 1000m and first day totals. Junior Jesse Madsen rounded out the heptathlete scoring with 5,041 points. He also set new career highs in total points, day one points, shot put, hurdles and 1000m. The Golden Gopher heptathletes won four of the seven events. McDowell took first on the long jump and high jump, Svensson won the hurdles and Madsen won the shot put.
Senior Steve Burkholder took seventh in the 60m dash with a time of 6.86. Sophomore Andy Wohlin scored for Minnesota with an eighth place finish in the 400m. Freshman Adam Steele grabbed four points for the Gophers with a fifth place finish and a career-best time of 1:18.86 in the 600m. In addition to Henkels, fellow sophomore Zach Edmonson and senior Brian Meyer all earned points in the 800m. Both ran career-best times of 1:51.57 and 1:52.23, respectively. Freshman Ryan Melena placed eighth in the 60m high hurdles with his career-best time of 8.08. The Minnesota 4x400m relay provisionally qualified for NCAA Championships with their time of 3:08.85.
Minnesota only scored in two other field events, besides the high jump. Jack Brewer took seventh place in the triple jump with a career-best leap of 48-8. Senior Mark Fahey took eighth in the weight throw with a toss of 59-7.
The Golden Gophers have had athletes provisionally qualify for NCAA Championships in five events; 400m (Gerding and Potter), 800m (Henkels), 3000m (Will McComb), high jump (Johannsen) and 4x400m relay. Head Coach Phil Lundin and his team will find out on March 5 how many of these athletes will be allowed to enter the Championship. Those that do qualify will compete in the 2001 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 9-10 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
Minnesota has one more chance to clock automatic qualifying times and add other provisional times at the NCAA qualifying meet in Ames, Iowa on March 2.
Minnesota was in eighth place with 12 points after the first day of competition. The added 71 points today with outstanding performances by several other athletes to move to their fourth place finish.
Freshman Mitch Potter also set a new Minnesota record with his time of 46.45 in the 400m dash. His time was good enough for second place in the meet and was and NCAA provisional qualifying time. Gerding just two set the previous record of 46.96 just two weeks ago.
Sophomore Toby Henkels was the third Minnesota recordbreaker. Henkels ran a 1:49.29 in the 800m to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships and break the Minnesota record. The previous record was 1:50.35 set by Mike Moran in 1983.
Three of Minnesota's four heptathletes scored points for the team. Junior Lyndon McDowell led the way, finishing second with a career-high 5,593 points. He achieved career bests in the long jump, pole vault and first day totals. Freshman Erik Svensson finished fourth with a career- high total score of 5,398. He reached career bests in the 60m, shot put, high hurdles, 1000m and first day totals. Junior Jesse Madsen rounded out the heptathlete scoring with 5,041 points. He also set new career highs in total points, day one points, shot put, hurdles and 1000m. The Golden Gopher heptathletes won four of the seven events. McDowell took first on the long jump and high jump, Svensson won the hurdles and Madsen won the shot put.
Senior Steve Burkholder took seventh in the 60m dash with a time of 6.86. Sophomore Andy Wohlin scored for Minnesota with an eighth place finish in the 400m. Freshman Adam Steele grabbed four points for the Gophers with a fifth place finish and a career-best time of 1:18.86 in the 600m. In addition to Henkels, fellow sophomore Zach Edmonson and senior Brian Meyer all earned points in the 800m. Both ran career-best times of 1:51.57 and 1:52.23, respectively. Freshman Ryan Melena placed eighth in the 60m high hurdles with his career-best time of 8.08. The Minnesota 4x400m relay provisionally qualified for NCAA Championships with their time of 3:08.85.
Minnesota only scored in two other field events, besides the high jump. Jack Brewer took seventh place in the triple jump with a career-best leap of 48-8. Senior Mark Fahey took eighth in the weight throw with a toss of 59-7.
The Golden Gophers have had athletes provisionally qualify for NCAA Championships in five events; 400m (Gerding and Potter), 800m (Henkels), 3000m (Will McComb), high jump (Johannsen) and 4x400m relay. Head Coach Phil Lundin and his team will find out on March 5 how many of these athletes will be allowed to enter the Championship. Those that do qualify will compete in the 2001 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 9-10 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
Minnesota has one more chance to clock automatic qualifying times and add other provisional times at the NCAA qualifying meet in Ames, Iowa on March 2.
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