University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Compete in Two Meets This Weekend
4/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Sun Angel Classic
Friday-Saturday
April 9-10, 2010
Hosted by Arizona State
Sun Angel Stadium
Tempe, Ariz.
Hamline Invite
Saturday
April 10, 2010
Hosted by Hamline
Klas Center
St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota to Compete in Sun Angel Classic
21 Golden Gophers will compete at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
At least one participant from each of the following teams will compete with the Gophers this weekend: Air Force, Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Boise State, Bradley, BYU, Central Arizona, Central Michigan, Colorado State, CS Northridge, DePaul, Gergetown, Hawaii, Houston, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Mesa CC, Michigan State, New Mexico, Northern Arizona, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Portland State, Syracuse, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UNLV, and West Virginia. Five of the competing teams are ranked in the most recent USTFCCCA rankings: #6 Penn State, #9 Oklahoma, #12 BYU, #14 Auburn, and #17 Arizona.
Minnesota's All-American Megan Duwell will compete for the first time in the 2010 outdoor season.
Sun Angel Holds Special Significance for Anderson
Gabriele Anderson will return to the Sun Angel Classic this year, competing in the 1,500-meter run. At last year's Sun Angel, Anderson ran the seventh-best time in Gopher history in the 1,500-meter. Her time of 4 minutes, 22.67 seconds was also a career best. Anderson's performance was even more impressive because it was delivered the day after she was diagnosed with cancer.
The Tempe, Ariz. meet was the senior's last of the 2009 outdoor season, but she has been granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA and will race the Sun Angel again this weekend.
Gopher Throwers to Hamline Invite
Minnesota will send 11 throwers to the Hamline Invite. If Nikki Tzanakis places first in the discus, it will be her third win in as many meets.
Brooks Represents Homeland in the Carifta Games
Minnesota Freshman Alena Brooks captured two silver medals while representing her homeland of Trinidad & Tobago at the 2010 Carifta Games last weekend in George Town, Cayman Islands. Brooks ran a time of 2 minutes, 8.97 seconds to earn silver in the 800-meter run, and anchored the 4x400 relay team (3:37.32) to a second place finish. Brooks also finished fourth in the 400-meter dash (54.83).
Gophers Finish Second at Jim Click Shootout
Minnesota's 136 points put them in second place at the Jim Click Shootout on Saturday, April 3rd. The Gophers finished behind the meet's host, the University of Arizona Wildcats.
Two first place finishes paced the Gophers. Nikki Tzanakis won the discus with a throw of 166 feet, 8 inches, and Amy Laskowske placed first in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9 minutes, 43.98 seconds. Elizabeth Yetzer (9:52.99) and Mallory Van Ness (9:55.39) finished in second and third place in the 3,000-meters.
Minnesota's top finishes included two second place finshes by Kylie Peterson in the 100-meter dash (11.81) and the 200-meter dash (24.43). Other top sprinting performances came from Chimerem Okoroji, who took third in the 100-meters (12.07), Nyoka Giles, who finished third in the 200-meters (24.48), and Adrienne Thomas who placed fourth in the 200-meters (24.69).
Alicia Rue placed second in the pole vault in her first outdoor meet of the season with a vault of 13-7 3/4. Samantha Sonnenberg vaulted to third place (12-6).
DeAnne Hahn took second in the hammer throw (181-7), and Kelly Stalpes was the runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles (1:01.34)
The Gophers also had a handful of third place finishes from Todea-Kay Willis (19-6 1/4) in the long jump, Nikki Swenson (2:07.80) in the 800-meters, Jessica Cagle (161-2) in the discus, and Rikita Butler (54.76) in the 400-meters.
Tzanakis' Throw is a Career Best
Junior Nikki Tzanakis threw the discus 166 feet, 8 inches to win the event at the Jim Click Shootout. The throw was a career best for Tzanakis and was the 10th-best throw in Minnesota history.
Hahn Delivers Top-Ten Throw
DeAnne Hahn finished second in the hammer throw at the Jim Click Shootout. Her throw of 181-7 was the sixth-best in Gopher history.
Gabe Anderson Granted Sixth Season of Outdoor Track Eligibility
Track/cross country standout Gabriele Anderson was honored with the Richard "Pinky" McNamara Student-Athlete Achievement Award at the recent U of M Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony. The award is given to a student-athlete who has inspired all by making an extraordinary effort to succeed despite difficult circumstances, persevering during a time of tremendous adversity and/or overcoming a great challenge.
After helping the Gopher cross country team to back-to-back Big Ten titles, Anderson embarked on her senior track season in 2009 with high expectations. She ran a runner-up finish in the mile helping the Gophers win another Big Ten indoor track team title. Then in April, she was diagnosed with adenoid cystic caranoma (a cancer of the neck). With an uncertain future and knowing of her battle ahead, Anderson decided to run one more race before treatment five days ahead of her. She responded by running a career-best time, the seventh-fastest time in school history, in the 1,500-meter run. Anderson underwent surgery and treatment while her team wore "Gabe" patches on their uniforms. She made a successful petition to the NCAA for a sixth season and will complete her Minnesota track career this outdoor season.
The Golden Gopher Coaching Staff
Matt Bingle is in his fourth season as the Golden Gophers head women's track & field coach and his eighth overall coaching in the Minnesota program. Bingle is a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year honoree. Bingle heads an extremely experienced coaching staff that includes assistants Gary Wilson (25th season, third as an assistant coach after 21 years as head coach) and Lynne Anderson (30th season).
Players Mentioned
