University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational
Sprinters Shine at Husker Invitational
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Feb. 7, 2015
LINCOLN, Neb. - The 4x400-meter relay team of Jessica Waldvogel, Erin Hawkins, Emerald Egwim and Titania Markland ran the second-fastest indoor time in Minnesota program history as the Gophers wrapped up the weekend at Nebraska's Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational Saturday evening.
Minnesota placed second in the 4x400m relay in 3:37.80, just 1.13 seconds off the program record mark of 3:36.67 set by Markland, Waldvogel, Alena Brooks and Megan Geyen last season.
"The 4x400-meter relay team ran a well-executed race," director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle said. "They ran faster than I expected them to, so that was a good tribute to them competing well and putting forth a team effort. They were all committed to racing well."
Along with her performance anchoring the 4x400m relay, Markland won the 600-meter dash in a career-best 1:31.00, marking the fourth-best time among all-time Gophers in the event.
"I thought Titania had a really good weekend," Bingle said. "She did a great job in the 600-meter. She executed well and followed a good race plan."
Likewise, Hawkins and Waldvogel had impressive races in the 200-meter dash. Hawkins tied her career-best mark, placing 15th in 24.36 seconds. Waldvogel set a new career best at 24.66 to move into ninth among all-time Gopher sprinters indoors. Kat Keller also posted a career-best time of 25.12 seconds in the 200m.
Friday at the Husker Invitational, Egwim ran a 55.20 in her first collegiate open 400-meter dash to rank seventh in Minnesota program history as all four 4x400m relay team members were successful in multiple events over the weekend.
"Overall, this whole weekend, I thought everybody responded well to a higher level of competition and stuck their heads in there and fought," Bingle said. "There are still some things we can improve on and do better, but it was a good team effort, especially in a tough environment."
On Saturday, freshman Emma Spagnola finished seventh in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.67 seconds. Junior Kimberly Golding just missed advancing to Saturday's final and finished 10th in a career-best 8.63 seconds in Friday's preliminary.
Saturday's field events included the women's shot put; freshman Agnes Esser placed ninth (14.30m) and redshirt junior Lyndsey Thorpe was 16th (13.26m).
On day one of the Husker Invitational Friday, Devin Stanford picked up the Gophers' first event title of the weekend, winning the weight throw (19.45 meters).
Minnesota's distance runners and pole vaulters competed at the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame this weekend.
Along with having representatives at two track meets this weekend, Minnesota had three freshmen race at the 2015 USA Junior Cross Country Championships in Boudler, Colo., on Saturday. Bailey Ness led the way, placing 10th in 23:04. Fellow Gopher rookies Patty O'Brien (23:59) and Emily Castanias (24:02) finished 18th and 19th, respectively.
Most of the Gophers will head to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic next weekend, and those not on the team's travel roster will remain local at the St. Thomas Showcase.
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