University of Minnesota Athletics
High School Track Standouts to Become Gophers
5/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Kelley is a 6-9 high jumper and one of the outstanding prep long jumpers in the state, while Akpaette set the state triple jump record of 49-0 last spring, claiming the state crown. Omot will add outstanding speed as the defending 400-meter Class AA state champion. Tiedt, Stoudt and Engebretson are all tremendous all-around athletes that have potential to become stellar decathletes.
Head cross country coach Steve Plasencia also announced that Antonio Verga of Oakdale, Minn. and Will Enns of Long Prairie, Minn. will be running for the Gophers.
Enns was the 2001 Class A cross country state champion and 3,200-meter winner in track last spring for Long Prairie-Gray Eagle High School, while Vega placed fourth in the Class AA cross country championships for Tartan High School.
This spring's signings will join Faribault High School's Tom Schmidt, Adam Schnaible of Burnsville, Minn., and Nick Lagos of White Bear Lake, Minn., who signed letters of intent in the fall.
Schnaible has a personal-best shot put of over 59 feet and placed second to current Golden Gopher freshman Karl Erickson at last year's Class AA Minnesota State Championships.
Lagos will be the state's top returning hurdler after being ranked second among Minnesota preps after clocking a 14.37 in the 110-meter high hurdles and a 37.85 in the 300-meter low hurdles in 2000.
Schmidt won the 2001 Class AA Minnesota State High School cross country crown and placed second in the Class AA 800 meters in 1:51.82 behind current Golden Gopher freshman Trent Riter.
