University of Minnesota Athletics
Distance Gophers Set for Raleigh Relays
3/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
March 22, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS -- Members of the Minnesota women's track & field team are set to compete at the Raleigh Relays this Friday and Saturday. The meet is hosted by North Carolina State at Paul Derr Track in Raleigh, N.C. Running events are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. CT Friday with field events to follow at 9 a.m. CT, and Saturday's action begins with field events at 9 a.m. CT and running event finals to follow at 10 a.m. CT.
Members of the Gophers distance corps and pole vaulter Cami Gilson are set to make their outdoor debuts this weekend. Minnesota has entrants in seven events at the Raleigh Relays: 1,500m (Ally McSherry, Stacey Swatek, Tess Wasowicz); 5,000m (Danielle Anderson); 10,000m (Tamara Gorman, Bailey Ness, Patty O'Brien), 3,000m steeplechase (Taylor Mikkalson, Jamie Piepenburg, Madeline Strandemo); 4x800m relay; 4x1500m relay; and pole vault (Cami Gilson).
Last Time Out: Jaguar Classic
The Gophers took home three event titles at the Jaguar Classic hosted by the University of South Alabama last weekend. Erin Hawkins (400m, 55.62 seconds), Lyndsey Thorpe (hammer throw, 191-06, 58.37m), and Nicolle Murphy (javelin, 169-09, 51.74m) won their events before the meet was cut short due to rain.
Gophers Break Four Indoor Records
The Gophers broke four program records during the 2016 indoor season, including the 400-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, 4x400-meter relay, and pentathlon. Emerald Egwim (53.41) and Titania Markland (54.34) both broke the previous record in the 400m this indoor season. In the 60m hurdles, Kimberly Golding improved upon her own record (8.18 seconds). She and Emma Spagnola, ranked second in program history at 8.33 seconds, further improved Minnesota's top two times this season after both breaking the record for the first time last season.
Minnesota's 4x400-meter relay record fell this season as well. The team of Kat Keller, Emerald Egwim, Erin Hawkins, and Titania Markland clocked a time of 3:35.33 to improve on the mark of 3:36.67 set by the team of Markland, Alena Brooks, Jessica Waldvogel, and Megan Geyen, which set the record and placed third at the 2014 Big Ten Indoor Championship.
Jess Lehman (Herauf) broke her own record in the pentathlon, scoring 4,393 points to win the pentathlon title at the Big Ten Championship. Lehman first broke the pentathlon record last season, improving on the mark of 4,218 points held by Liz Roehrig from 2008 to 2015.
2016 Indoor Season Ends with B1G Fourth-Place Finish
The Gophers capped the 2016 indoor season with a fourth-place showing at the Big Ten Conference Indoor Championship led by Titania Markland's 600-meter title and Jess Lehman's pentathlon title. Minnesota scored 89 points to finish fourth, its highest indoor team finish since also placing fourth in 2014. Michigan took home the team title with 109 points, followed by Purdue (102 points) and Penn State (96.50 points) in the top three.
Up Next: UCLA Legends of Track & Field Invite and Hamline Invite
The Gophers will compete at two meets next week with members of the team headed to UCLA for the Bruin Legends of Track and Field Invitational Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 while other Gophers remain at home to compete locally at the Hamline Invitational at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 2.
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Players Mentioned
