University of Minnesota Athletics
Wieland Honored with Bjorklund Award
5/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS (Gophersports.com) -- The University of Minnesota men's track & field program has named NCAA heptathlon champion and two-time Big Ten champion Luca Wieland as the recipient of the Garry Bjorklund Award, given annually to the Gophers' most valuable competitor.
"Luca has been a great representative of our program, and we are proud to honor him with this award," Minnesota Director of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country Steve Plasencia said. "He's had a tremendous season, and the growth that he's shown since he's arrived on campus has been nothing short of awesome."
A native of Saarbrucken, Germany, Wieland set a school record to win the NCAA indoor heptathlon title with 6,070 points -- the eighth-most points ever by a collegiate athlete in the event -- while his two point win over Georgia's Garrett Scantling marked the closest finish in NCAA championships history.
The sophomore is also just the fourth Gopher in the program's 117-year history to sweep the Big Ten multi-events titles -- joining Benjamin Jensen (1997), Travis Brandstatter (2005) and R.J. McGinnis (2010). Wieland originally broke Jensen's 17-year old school record with 5,787 points to win the Big Ten heptathlon title (later re-set his own record at the NCAA meet) and added the Big Ten decathlon title last weekend with 7,635 points -- the 10th-most points ever by a Gopher in the event. The Gopher multi-eventer ranks fourth on Minnesota's all-time performers list in the decathlon behind Jack Szmanda (7,862), Brandstatter (7,736) and Jensen (7,716).
In addition to his NCAA and Big Ten titles, Wieland was also named a First Team All-American for the indoor season and was a First Team All-Big Ten honoree in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Wieland is the second recipient of Minnesota's Garry Bjorklund Award following two-time All-American and three-time Big Ten champion pole vaulter Zach Siegmeier in 2014.
With the top decathlon performance in the Big Ten and the eighth-best mark in the NCAA this season, Wieland and the Gophers return to action with the NCAA West Regional, May 28-30, in Austin, Texas.
About the Garry Bjorklund Award:
The Minnesota men's track & field program annually bestows the Garry Bjorklund Award to the program's most valuable player. The Minnesota alum won the 1971 NCAA title for the Gophers in the six-mile run and went on to compete in the 1976 Summer Olympic Games. A native of Duluth, Minn., Bjorklund earned a total of five All-America nods between cross country and track & field and won a total of 10 Big Ten championships.
Plasencia on the Bjorklund Award:
"Garry Bjorklund has always been a great representative of the University of Minnesota and the Gopher track & field program, and we believe it is fitting to acknowledge his contributions to the sport with our team most valuable competitoraward."
