University of Minnesota Athletics
Liz Roehrig Wins Seventh Career Big Ten Title
5/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Minnesota senior Liz Roehrig won the heptathlon to collect her seventh multi-event Big Ten title and set the standard for the most individual Conference titles in Golden Gopher women’s track history. Roehrig had been tied with thrower Rachel Lewis (1988-91) with six.
The heptathlon came down to one of the more dramatic finishes in several years. Heading into the final event, the 800 meters, Roehrig owned just a 42-point lead over Big Ten rival Michigan’s Bettie Wade. That point differential translated to a 3-second margin, meaning Wade had to better Roehrig by that much time to overtake the Gopher All-American and grab the title. Roehrig met the challenge head-on, sticking right on Wade’s back to finish just .38 of a second behind the Wolverine and secure her third Big Ten heptathlon crown.
Roehrig broke her own Minnesota for the sixth time in her career tallying 5,871 points. Wade finished with 5,834 points. Minnesota redshirt freshman won the 800 meters with a time of 2:19.73 to jump into scoring position at eighth with a score of 4,689 points.
“I knew what I had to do in the 800 meters,” said Roehrig. “There was no way was going to let Bettie get away from me in the race. This was the closest heptathlon I’ve competed in at the Big Ten meet. It was a battle but I’m so excited to win this one, my last one.”
Roehrig took the lead after the second event, the high jump, and owned a 165-point lead after the first day. Wade and Hunter cut into Roehrig’s lead with big efforts in the long jump to start day two. Roehrig managed to hold her lead, though it was only nine points, by landing a season-best leap of 19 feet, 9 inches. The Gopher senior then added points back to her lead winning the javelin with a toss of 118-1.
Minnesota owns a slim lead in the team battle with 54 points after eight events scored. Penn State is second with 47, followed by Indiana (45), Purdue (42) and Michigan (36). The Gophers have 14 qualifiers for event finals on Sunday to 12 for Michigan and nine for Penn State. The first event on Sunday is the triple jump at 10 a.m. CT.
The Gophers picked up team points in three other events on Saturday, the long jump, 3,000-meter steeplechase and the shot put.
Senior Christin Kingsley finished seventh in the long jump with a distance of 19-3 1/2. Senior Jamie Cheever also contributed a seventh-place showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:34.66.
Freshman DeAnne Hahn scored in her second event of the Championships finishing eighth in the shot put with a throw of 46-6. Hahn, who finished third in the hammer on Friday, will compete in her third event, the discus, on Sunday.
The Gophers flexed their muscle to qualify four runners for the final of the 800 meters: Julie Schwengler (2:08.84), Heather Dorniden (2:08.84), Nikki Swenson (2:09.42) and Jamie Dittmar (2:11.51). Swenson added her first NCAA regional qualifier in the event with her time. She already owned a regional time in the 1,500 meters.
The Gophers have three sprinters who advanced to the final of the 100 meters: Nyoka Giles (11.98), Chioma Omeoga (11.98) and Kylie Peterson (12.01). Giles also advanced in the 200 meters with a career-best time of 23.80 seconds, the third-best time in Gopher history.
Giles, Omeoga and Peterson teamed with Chimerem Okoroji to clock a regional qualifying time in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 45.59 seconds, the fourth-best time in school history.
Other Gophers to advance to Sunday’s finals were Dorniden and Elizabeth Yetzer in the 1,500 meters and Kelly Stalpes in the 400-meter hurdles.
The heptathlon came down to one of the more dramatic finishes in several years. Heading into the final event, the 800 meters, Roehrig owned just a 42-point lead over Big Ten rival Michigan’s Bettie Wade. That point differential translated to a 3-second margin, meaning Wade had to better Roehrig by that much time to overtake the Gopher All-American and grab the title. Roehrig met the challenge head-on, sticking right on Wade’s back to finish just .38 of a second behind the Wolverine and secure her third Big Ten heptathlon crown.
Roehrig broke her own Minnesota for the sixth time in her career tallying 5,871 points. Wade finished with 5,834 points. Minnesota redshirt freshman won the 800 meters with a time of 2:19.73 to jump into scoring position at eighth with a score of 4,689 points.
“I knew what I had to do in the 800 meters,” said Roehrig. “There was no way was going to let Bettie get away from me in the race. This was the closest heptathlon I’ve competed in at the Big Ten meet. It was a battle but I’m so excited to win this one, my last one.”
Roehrig took the lead after the second event, the high jump, and owned a 165-point lead after the first day. Wade and Hunter cut into Roehrig’s lead with big efforts in the long jump to start day two. Roehrig managed to hold her lead, though it was only nine points, by landing a season-best leap of 19 feet, 9 inches. The Gopher senior then added points back to her lead winning the javelin with a toss of 118-1.
Minnesota owns a slim lead in the team battle with 54 points after eight events scored. Penn State is second with 47, followed by Indiana (45), Purdue (42) and Michigan (36). The Gophers have 14 qualifiers for event finals on Sunday to 12 for Michigan and nine for Penn State. The first event on Sunday is the triple jump at 10 a.m. CT.
The Gophers picked up team points in three other events on Saturday, the long jump, 3,000-meter steeplechase and the shot put.
Senior Christin Kingsley finished seventh in the long jump with a distance of 19-3 1/2. Senior Jamie Cheever also contributed a seventh-place showing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:34.66.
Freshman DeAnne Hahn scored in her second event of the Championships finishing eighth in the shot put with a throw of 46-6. Hahn, who finished third in the hammer on Friday, will compete in her third event, the discus, on Sunday.
The Gophers flexed their muscle to qualify four runners for the final of the 800 meters: Julie Schwengler (2:08.84), Heather Dorniden (2:08.84), Nikki Swenson (2:09.42) and Jamie Dittmar (2:11.51). Swenson added her first NCAA regional qualifier in the event with her time. She already owned a regional time in the 1,500 meters.
The Gophers have three sprinters who advanced to the final of the 100 meters: Nyoka Giles (11.98), Chioma Omeoga (11.98) and Kylie Peterson (12.01). Giles also advanced in the 200 meters with a career-best time of 23.80 seconds, the third-best time in Gopher history.
Giles, Omeoga and Peterson teamed with Chimerem Okoroji to clock a regional qualifying time in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 45.59 seconds, the fourth-best time in school history.
Other Gophers to advance to Sunday’s finals were Dorniden and Elizabeth Yetzer in the 1,500 meters and Kelly Stalpes in the 400-meter hurdles.
Players Mentioned
MD
/ Women's Track & Field
MD
/ Women's Track & FieldMD
/ Women's Track & Field
JU/SPR
/ Women's Track & Field
THR
/ Women's Track & FieldJU/SPR
/ Women's Track & Field
JU/SPR
/ Women's Track & FieldSPR
/ Women's Track & Field
SPR
/ Women's Track & FieldME
/ Women's Track & FieldMD
/ Women's Track & Field
JU/SPR
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
/ Women's Track & Field
DIST
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