University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Gophers Add Three More All-Americans
6/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. - Three Gophers earned All-American honors as the University of Minnesota women's track & field team wrapped up the 2016 season at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Saturday at Hayward Field.
Jess Lehman, Agnes Esser, and Shanique Wright each earned All-American accolades, joining Nicolle Murphy (First Team, javelin) and Lyndsey Thorpe (First Team, hammer throw) to make up Minnesota's five All-American honorees this season, the most individual All-Americans in a single season in program history. A year ago, six Gophers were All-American honorees, including four as part of the 4x400m relay team.
The Big Ten Conference co-champion Gophers finished tied for 22nd place in the NCAA team standings with 10 points, marking the highest team finish at the outdoor national championship since placing 18th in 2009.
Lehman led the way with First Team All-American honors after placing seventh in the heptathlon with 5,835 points. After opening day two in 11th place with 3,435 points, Lehman jumped 5.85m (19-02.50) to place 13th in long jump and followed up with a fourth-place finish in javelin at 44.61m (146-04). She was seventh entering the 800m and ran 2:18.77 to maintain her seventh place standing and collect the second All-American award of her career in the heptathlon. Lehman ends her Gophers career as a four-time All-American.
Meanwhile, Wright and Esser each picked up Second Team All-American honors in their NCAA debuts. Wright placed 12th in the triple jump with a mark of 12.99m (42-07.50), and Esser finished 15th in the discus with a throw of 52.61m (172-07).
Heta Tuuri also represented the Maroon & Gold on the final day of the 2016 NCAA Championship on Saturday, tying for 17th in the high jump in her NCAA debut. She cleared 1.73m (5-08.00) but missed all three attempts at 1.78m (5-10.00).
Earlier in the meet, Murphy and Thorpe each earned First Team All-American honors. Murphy placed fourth in the javelin with a career-best throw of 55.84m (183-02), and Thorpe recorded a sixth-place finish in the hammer throw in her NCAA Championship debut, breaking her own program record with a throw of 63.30m (207-08).
In total, eight Gophers competed in individual events at the 2016 NCAA Championship as Kaila Urick and Liz Berkholtz also represented Minnesota. Urick finished 21st in the 3,000m steeplechase in 10:38.33. Berkholtz ran 34:18.29 to place 22nd in the 10,000m run, marking her second fastest time of the season.
Minnesota's eight individual national championship qualifiers was the most in program history.
Minnesota's 2016 NCAA Finishes
4. Nicolle Murphy, javelin (55.84m)
6. Lyndsey Thorpe, hammer throw (63.30m)
7. Jess Lehman, heptathlon (5,835)
12. Shanique Wright, triple jump (12.99m)
15. Agnes Esser, discus (52.61m)
T-17. Heta Tuuri, high jump (1.73m)
21. Kaila Urick, 3,000m steeplechase (10:38.33)
22. Liz Berkholtz, 10,000m (34:18.29)
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Players Mentioned
