University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Stay Local this Weekend
4/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
| 2016 TomCat Twilight (St. Thomas) | |||||||||||
| Date | Thursday, April 14 | ||||||||||
| Time | Field: 2:45 p.m. CT | Track: 4:30 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| (Discus held at UofM) | |||||||||||
| Location | O'Shaughnessy Stadium | St. Paul, Minn. | ||||||||||
| Meet Links | Heat Sheets & Schedule | ||||||||||
| Social Media | @GopherMCCTF | Facebook | ||||||||||
| 2016 Holst Invitational (Concordia-St. Paul) | |||||||||||
| Date | Saturday, April 16 | ||||||||||
| Time | Field: 10 a.m. CT | Track: 11 a.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Location | Sea Foam Stadium | St. Paul, Minn. | ||||||||||
| Meet Links | Heat Sheets 1 | Heat Sheets 2 | Schedule | ||||||||||
| Social Media | @GopherMCCTF | Facebook | ||||||||||
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- The University of Minnesota men's track & field program returns to action this weekend with a pair of local meets in St. Paul. The Gophers will kick off the weekend on Thursday, April 14 at St. Thomas' TomCat Twilight with Concordia-St.Paul's Holst Invitational following on Saturday, April 16.
Gophers Pace Big Ten in Program of the Year Rankings
As track & field season transitions from indoor to outdoor, the University of Minnesota men's track & field and cross country program stands 19th in the USTFCCCA Division I John McDonnell Program of the Year Award, which honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution's finish at the NCAA Championships.
Behind a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in the fall and a 44th-place finish last week at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, the Maroon & Gold posted 65.5 points - the top ranking among Big Ten programs. The final rankings will be announced following the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in June.
Minnesota Carries Five All-Americans During Indoor Season
The University of Minnesota sent five men to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2016 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships last week, and all five came home as All-Americans. Luca Wieland repeated as a First Team All-American in the heptathlon while Gian Ferretti (weight throw), Goaner Deng (800 meters), Luke Johnson(shot put) and Ryan Lockard (high jump) were named Second Team All-Americans. Johnson and Lockard earned national acclaim for the first time in their careers while Deng (third overall, first indoor) and Ferretti (second overall, first indoor) repeated as Second Team All-Americans.
Remembering Roy Griak
For the first time in more than half a century, the University of Minnesota men's track & field team will head into competition without Roy Griak on its coaching staff. The legendary coach passed away in July after dedicating his life to the University of Minnesota and the sports of cross country and track & field. A Minnesota alum, Griak spent more than 50 years on the Gophers coaching staff including 33 as head coach of the men's track & field and cross country programs. In that time, he guided the Gophers to three Big Ten titles, three national champions, 47 All-Americans and 60 Big Ten champions.
Three to Lead in 2016
The Gophers have tabbed a trio of seniors to serve as team captains this season with Luke Johnson(Redwing, Minn.), Goaner Deng (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Adam Zutz (St. Francis, Minn.) earning the honor for the Maroon & Gold.
Players Mentioned
