University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Men Invited to NCAA Track & Field Championships
5/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
All-American Mikael Jakobsson automatically qualified running a 49.87 to win the Big Ten Championships, bettering his own school record. Jakobsson will enter the NCAA Meet with the seventh fastest time, while teammate Bob Quade will enter the race with the 14th fastest mark after placing third at the conference meet in 50.25. LSU's Lueroy Colquhoun owns the nation's fastest time (48.91).
Minnesota's Toby Henkels</ a> will be making his first trip to the outdoor championships, after earning All-America honors at the last two indoor championships. Henkels placed second in the Big Ten 800-meter run final, clocking a personal-best 1:48.32. Henkels will enter the championships with the 19th fastest time, while Otukile Lekote of South Carolina owns the nation's fastest 800-meter effort (1:45.27).
The Golden Gopher 4x400-meter relay team, which won the conference title for the second consecutive year, missed nationals by a miniscule seven hundredths of a second, after running a 3:05.78 at the Sea Ray Relays. Minnesota has earned All-America accolades in the 4x400 at the last three NCAA Championships, including a fourth place finish at the 2002 indoor meet.
"We're disappointed that our 4x400 team didn't make it, especially since two members were already going in the 400-meter hurdles, but that decision isn't up to me," Minnesota head coach Phil Lundin said. "I'm happy for the guys who did qualify and we will simply do our best at the meet, but I'm sure if our 4x400 team had been invited that we would have made the finals."
The championships will be held May 29-June 1, at Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU will serve as the host. A total of 776 participants will compete in the championships.
