University of Minnesota Athletics
NCAA Track Championships Updates - Day Four
6/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
The fourth and final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships is underway The Golden Gopher have only one competitor today that begin Heather Dorniden in the final of the 800 meters at 12:19 p.m. The meet is being televised live by CBS.
12 noon
We are minutes away from Heather’s race. Somehow it is fitting to have her as the Gophers’ final competitor of this NCAA Championships. As the most decorated women’s track athlete in Minnesota history, Heather will be running in her eighth national championship race in the 800 meters. Race video and an interview with Dorniden will be posted as soon as possible after the race.
The Minnesota women have 13.5 points heading into the 800 meters. The most points the Gophers have ever scored was 15 points at last year’s meet.
1 p.m.
Well Gopher fans, the 800 meters didn’t quite go as we had all hoped. Dorniden finished eighth in a time of 2:04.44. She did, however, add her Minnesota-best ninth All-America honor to her Golden Gopher track resume.
As we witnessed at the Big Ten Championships, Michigan’s Geena Gall is running very well. She defended her national title in the 800 meters running a career-best time of 2:00.80.
“At the 550-meter mark, I knew I just didn’t have it today,” said Dorniden. “I was still going to give it all I had. There was no way I wasn’t going to earn All-America honors in my last race.”
The Minnesota women finish the NCAA Championships with 14.5 team points, just a half a point off last year’s highest total in history. At this point, the Gophers are in 13th place.
4 p.m.
Texas A&M celebrate team titles in both the men's and women's championships. The Gopher women finish 18th. The Minnesota men tie for 37th with seven points.
Players Mentioned
