University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Owns Top Marks Among B1G
2/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS - As Minnesota prepare for this week's Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championship, several Golden Gophers rank among the conference's top performers in their events this indoor season.
All four Gophers competing in the B1G pentathlon rank among the league's top five performers. Jess Lehman (4,262), Alex Beckman (3,771), Sofie Albrechtsen (3,768), and Audra Winter (3,750) rank second through fifth, respectively. Lehman is the defending Big Ten pentathlon champion after setting a Big Ten record with 4,361 points. She also ranks sixth in the long jump 6.06m (19-10.75).
Last year's Big Ten 600-meter runner-up, Titania Markland leads the B1G in the event this year with a career-best time of 1:28.51. Markland also ranks fifth in the 400m (53.91) followed by Emerald Egwim at ninth (54.56).
The Gophers' 4x400m relay team (3:39.66) and the distance medley relay (11:28.26) both rank fourth. Egwim, Kat Keller, Erin Hawkins, and Markland clocked a season-best 4x400m time of 3:39.66 at the Jack Johnson Classic, while the distance medley relay team of Kaila Urick, Kate Shelerud, Stacey Swatek and Haley Johnson finished in 11:28.26 at the Meyo Invite. Johnson, Egwim, Swatek, and Madeline Strandemo and slated to race the DMR for the Gophers at the Big Ten Championship.
Shanique Wright is one of the top Gophers in the field events, ranked third in the triple jump at 12.72m (41-08.75).
Kiley Sabin is the top Gopher in the shot put at 15.39m (50-06) to rank ninth in the league while three Gophers are among the Big Ten's top 11 performers in the weight throw: Lydnsey Thorpe (19.72m, 64-08.50 for sixth), Agnes Esser (19.25m, 63-02 for eighth), and Ke-ke Burks (19.06m, 62-06.50 for 11th).
Heta Tuuri is fifth in the high jump at 1.79m (5-10.50) followed by Taylor Wiebke and Sofie Albrechtsen tied for eighth in the league at 1.77m (5-09.75).
Two Gophers are among the B1G's top 10 performers in the 3,000-meter run with Liz Berkholtz ranked sixth in 9:19.79, a career-best time she ran at the Iowa State Classic to move into second among all-time Gophers, and Strandemo is ninth in a career-best 9:21.81. The duo is also among the league's top-20 performers in the 5,000-meter run with Berkholtz ranked 12th (16:37.77) and Strandemo at 19th ( 16:54.53).
Madeline Strandemo is the top ranked Gopher in the mile at 12th with a time of 4:45.37. Haley Johnson is close behind in 15th at 4:46.91. Among B1G entries, Strandemo is eighth and Johnson is 10th.
Kimberly Golding and Emma Spagnola are both among the Big Ten's top 10 in the 60-meter hurdles. Golding, Minnesota's program record-holder, is sixth at 8.32 seconds while Spagnola is ninth with a season-best time of 8.42 seconds.
The Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships is set for this Friday and Saturday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Day one action includes finals for women's pole vault, shot put, long jump, 3,000m, and distance medley relay, along with the pentathlon.
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Players Mentioned
