University of Minnesota Athletics
Wieland Named B1G Field Athlete of the Week
12/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Gophers All-American senior Luca Wieland has been tabbed as this year's first Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week after breaking his own school record in the heptathlon earlier this month.
Wieland, who was also honored as the season's first NCAA Division I Men's Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA), posted one of the top heptathlon scores in NCAA history to kick off his senior year.
A native of Saarbrucken, Germany, Wieland led all seven events at the SDSU Holiday Open and Multi to score 6,089 points - a new University of Minnesota record, the third highest score in Big Ten history and the 12th highest heptathlon score in NCAA history.
At the two-day meet, Wieland led the field in the 60 meters (6.92), the long jump (7.46 meters, 24-05.75 ft.), the shot put (14.83 meters, 48-08.00 ft.), the high jump (2.10 meters, 6-10.75 ft.), the 60-meter hurdles (8.23) and the 1,000 meters (2:46.39). He also tied for the lead in the pole vault (4.80 meters, 15-09.00 ft.).
The multi-eventer now owns the top three heptathlon scores in program history - originally hitting 5,787 points to win the 2015 Big Ten heptathlon title (breaking a 17-year old school record) before upping his record to 6,070 points to win the 2015 NCAA title - the 13th individual national championship in program history.
In addition to the 2015 NCAA heptathlon title, Wieland is a two-time First Team All-American, a three-time Big Ten champion and a three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection. The two-time Academic All-American is pursuing a degree in entrepreneurial management from the Carlson School of Management.
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