University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships First Round
Three Gophers Punch Tickets to Oregon
5/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Link: Results
AUSTIN, Texas (GopherSports.com) -- Goaner Deng, Gian Ferretti and Luke Johnson punched their tickets to the 2015 NCAA Track & Field Championships next month as all three members of the University of Minnesota men's track & field program advanced on Friday at the 2015 NCAA Track & Field West Preliminary Round at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
"It was great to see three more guys earn the right to compete for a national championship next month in Oregon," Minnesota Director of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country Steve Plasencia said. "Goaner, Gian and Luke certainly put up some great performances -- two of the three hit personal records. As a team, we've had some really nice showings across the board this weekend, and I'm excited to see how we close things out tomorrow."
Deng, an All-American after earning a berth to the NCAA championships as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team in 2013, picked up his first individual bid to the national meet with a personal record in the 800 meters on Friday. Deng clocked a 1:48.64 to take over 10th on Minnesota's top performers list. Mitch Hechsel, who battled Deng for the Maroon & Gold's top 800 meter time all season long, clocked a 1:50.84 to finish 20th in Austin.
While Deng makes his second trip to the national meet, Ferretti and Johnson will both make their first appearance at the event after qualifying in the hammer throw and the shot put, respectively. Ferretti, who opened the outdoor season with a new school record and then bested his own mark at the Big Ten meet earlier this month, cleared 65.39 meters (214-06 ft.) to finish sixth at the regional while Johnson hit a new personal record and moved up to seventh on Minnesota's top performers list with his mark of 18.70 meters (61-04.25 ft.) -- finishing ninth at the regional.
Meanwhile, senior captains Mark Jennings and Justin Barber closed out their careers on Friday. Jennings was just short of the qualifying mark in the shot put with a 15th-place finish at 18.61 meters (61-00.75 ft.) while Barber finished 31st in the hammer throw at 59.38 meters (194-10 ft.). Aaron Bartnik rounded out his season with a 35th-place showing in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 9:13.28.
Deng, Ferretti and Johnson join Luca Wieland as Maroon & Gold representatives heading to the 2015 NCAA Track & Field Championships, June 10-13, in Eugene, Ore. Wieland, the NCAA and Big Ten heptathlon champion for the indoor season and the Big Ten outdoor decathlon champion, earned a bid for the national meet with his performance earlier this month at the Big Ten meet.
Minnesota closes out the 2015 NCAA Track & Field West Preliminary Round on Saturday with Blayne Dulian running in the 1,500-meter quarterfinals and the 4x400 meter relay squad of Nate Roese, Rashawn Fountain, Deng and Hechsel competing in the quarterfinals.
Players Mentioned
