University of Minnesota Athletics
TRACK AND FIELD TEAM TO COMPETE AT NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
3/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Minnesota will send its NCAA qualifiers to the 2001 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 9 and 10.
NCAA Qualifiers
Senior Aubrey Schmitt (Hastings, Minn./Hastings), a three-time Big Ten indoor shot put champion, will compete in both shot put and weight throw at this weekend's NCAA Championships. Senior Beth Howard (North Branch, Minn./North Branch) joins her in the weight throw. Newcomer Tahesia Harrigan (Tortola, Virgin Islands/FAMU Developmental) will make her first national championship appearance, competing in the 60-meter dash.
Schmitt ranks first in school and Big Ten history in the indoor shot put with a toss of 54 feet, 4 3/4 inches. Howard holds the school record in the weight throw with a mark of 64-1 3/4. Harrigan set the school's 60 record four times during this season, with a personal-best 7.35 seconds.
Minnesota Recently: Last Chance Meets
The Gophers had another record-breaking meet at the Iowa State Qualifier on Saturday in Ames, Iowa. Minnesota's 4x400 relay team of Jessica Shuster, Amber Day, Shani Marks and Ali Gartner broke the school record by nearly two seconds with a time of 3:42.55.
Marked as the last chance meet before this weekend's NCAA Championships, the Gophers placed fourth and fifth in the distance medley relay. The team of Shuster, Gartner, Jenny Moylan and Darja Vasiljeva finished with a time of 11:46.11, placing them second on the Minnesota all-time top 10 list. The team of Crystal Glenn, Day, Tanna- Marie Simmons and Anita Menden had a time of 11:54.73, which places them ninth on the school's all-time performance list.
Sophomore Shani Marks and senior Beth Howard competed at the Nebraska Last Chance meet in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday. Howard threw a season best and won the weight throw (62-10 3/4) to place her 15th in the nation and qualify for the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Marks won the triple jump with a leap of 40-2 but failed to improve her season high of 41-9 3/4, which she jumped at the Big Ten Championships on February 25. Marks finished the year 24th in the nation in the triple jump.
Next Up
The Golden Gophers prepare for the 2001 Outdoor Track and Field season, which starts April 7 at the Texas Relays.
Players Mentioned
