University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
University of Arkansas John McDonnell Invitational
Gophers Take Home Three Titles in Arkansas
4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The Gophers took home three individual titles and recorded 18 personal-best marks, including nine Minnesota all-time top-10 marks, as the team wrapped up the weekend's action at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.
Two event titles came in the throwing events as Nicolle Murphy won the javelin (season-best 45.83m) and Agnes Esser won the discus (career-best 53.66m). On the track, Jamie Piepenburg won the 3,000m steeple chase in a career-best 10:42.06.
Emma Spagnola clocked the second-fastest time in program history with a 13.66 for fourth place in the 100m hurdles. She also took third in the long jump at 5.81m and finished fourth in the 400m hurdles.
Erin Hawkins posted career-best times in both of her events. She finished sixth in the 100m in 11.67 seconds and also took sixth in the 200m in 23.93 seconds. Both times rank Hawkins fifth among all-time Gopher sprinters as well.
All three Gopher 400m runners recorded career-best and top-10 times, led by Titania Markland in 53.71 for third all-time. Emerald Egwim was on her heels in 54.18 seconds for sixth in Gopher history, and Jessica Waldvogel posted an outdoor career-best of 55.09 to rank 10th all-time.
Likewise, three Gophers earned personal-best times in the 800m and four in the 1,500m run. Lauren Domski (2:10.27), Anne Ferguson (2:11.64) and Kate Shelerud (2:13.96) ran their career-best times in the 800m, and Kaila Urick (4:25.03), Liz Berkholtz (4:28.85), Stacey Swatek (4:34.33) and Kate Bucknam (4:37.93) ran their best times in the 1,500m.
Along with her discus title, Esser recorded a career-best mark in the hammer throw at 49.83m and an outdoor collegiate-best in the shot put at 13.58m.
Both Gopher relay teams placed second at the meet and moved into the program's all-time top-10 ranks. The 4x400m relay team ranks sixth in Minnesota history at 3:38.95, and the 4x100m relay team finished in 45.47 seconds for eighth all-time.
Members of the team also competed unattached at the Hamline Invitational on Saturday, including event titles by Kimberly Golding (100m hurdles) and Kiley Sabin (shot put and discus).
Next weekend, the Gopher multi-event athletes are set to compete at the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Va., and members of the team will also compete at the Concordia St. Paul Invite.
Gopher Top 5 Finishes
1. Esser, discus, 53.66m
1. Murphy, javelin, 45.83m
1. Piepenburg, 3,000m steeple chase, 10:42.06
2. 4x100m relay, 45.47 seconds
2. 4x400m relay, 3:38.95
2. Stanford, hammer, 59.24m
3. Strandemo, 3,000m steeple chase, 10:47.79
3. Spagnola, long jump, 5.81m
3. Thorpe, hammer, 55.40m
3. Melum, javelin, 43.45m
4. Urick, 1,500m, 4:25.03
4. Stanford, discus, 49.52m
4. Guenther, hammer, 53.66m
4. Spagnola, 400m hurdles, 1:01.96
4. Spagnola, 100m hurdles, 13.66 seconds
5. Burks, hammer, 51.36m
5. Kamps, shot put, 14.18m
5. Markland, 400m, 53.71 seconds
5. Mikkalson, 3,000m steeple chase, 11:04.78
###
Players Mentioned
