University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Mesa Classic
Gophers Begin Weekend in Arizona
4/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 8, 2016
Sun Angel Meet Results 
| Mesa Classic Meet Results
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Golden Gopher women's track & field team competed at two meets Friday evening in Arizona, kicking off the two-day Sun Angel Classic hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., and competing at the Mesa Classic hosted by Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz.
At the Mesa Classic, Titania Markland won the 800-meter run in a career-best 2:08.52, her second-straight PR performance and her second-straight event title after winning the UCLA Legends Invitational 800m in 2:09.84.
The Gophers took the top three spots in the 3,000-meter steeple chase led by Taylor Mikkalson's career-best 10:29.48. Kaila Urick was second in her 2016 steeple debut in 10:30.08, followed by Jamie Piepenburg in third (10:55.14).
Kimberly Golding was the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles, posting a time of 13.59 seconds, less than a week after recording a new Minnesota program record time of 13.46 seconds.
Two Gophers posted top-10 finishes in the 400-meter hurdles as Emma Spagnola finished third in a career-best 59.68 and Lindsey Smits was 10th in 1:04.58. Meanwhile, in the 400-meter run, Kate Shelerud clocked a career-best time of 57.84 seconds for eighth place.
Agnes Esser (52.98m, 173-02) and Kiley Sabin (45.07m, 147-10) placed ninth and 14th in the discus throw invitational at the Mesa Classic. Gopher alum Liz Podominick was the discus invitational runner-up with a throw of 58.27m (191-02) as well.
In the hammer throw, Agnes Esser, Angie Guenther, and Lyndsey Thorpe finished third through fifth, respectively. Esser posted a throw of 57.97m (190-02) just ahead of Guenther (57.85m, 189-09) and Thorpe (57.19m, 187-07).
Minnesota also began competition at the Sun Angel Classic with the hammer throw and the pole vault on Friday. Thorpe led the way with career-best throw of 60.86m (199-08) to move into a tie for second in Minnesota history with Liz Alabi. Her performance earned her a sixth-place finish in the premiere section of the hammer throw.
Fellow Gophers Guenther, Ke-ke Burks, and Allie Heifort also competed in the hammer throw at Arizona State. Guenther won the open section with a throw of 58.87m (193-02) while Burks was sixth (55.45m, 181-11) and Heifort was 15th (50.77m, 166-07).
In pole vault competition at the Sun Angel Classic, Cami Gilson tied for second, clearing 3.90m (12-09.50).
Action continues at the Sun Angel Classic on Saturday, beginning with field events at 12 p.m. CT. Six Gophers are also set to race the 1,500-meter run at the UW La Crosse Ashton May Invitational on Saturday.
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Players Mentioned
