University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Kick Off Season with Minnesota Open
1/13/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
| Minnesota Open | |||||||||||
| Date | Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 | ||||||||||
| Location | UofM Fieldhouse | Minneapolis, Minn. | ||||||||||
| Meet Info | Home Meet Info | Schedule | Heat Sheets | ||||||||||
| Time | 11 a.m. Field events | 12:30 p.m. Running events | ||||||||||
| Coverage | Live Results | @GopherMCCTF | #Gophers | ||||||||||
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- The No. 18 Minnesota men's track & field program officially kicks off the 2017 indoor campaign this Saturday, Jan. 14, with the Minnesota Open at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse on campus.
Field events for the Minnesota Open begin at 11 a.m. CT with running events set to begin at 12:30 p.m.
Gophers Open Season Ranked 18th
The Maroon & Gold enter the 2017 indoor campaign ranked 18th in the nation by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Minnesota is the top-ranked Big Ten school followed by Penn State (20th) and Ohio State (21st).
Four to Lead in 2017
The Minnesota track & field program will feature four new captains for the 2017 season as Luca Wieland, Gian Ferretti, Mitch Hechsel and Charlie Lawrence will lead the Gophers throughout the year. Wieland, Ferretti and Hechsel were all honored as All-Americans during the 2016 season while Lawrence also served as captain of the cross country team this year and earned All-Big Ten honors.
Wieland Sets School Record in Season Debut
One of several Gophers to compete already this year, senior multi-eventer Luca Wieland closed out 2016 with a huge performance at the SDSU Holiday Open and Multi. Wieland, who won the 2015 NCAA heptathlon title, broke his own school record in the event by totaling 6,089 points -- the third highest point total in Big Ten history and the 12th highest point total in NCAA history. Wieland was honored as the USTFCCCA national athlete of the week and the Big Ten athlete of the week for his accomplishment.
Up Next -- Minnesota/Wisconsin Dual
Following this weekend's Minnesota Open, the Gophers return to action next Saturday, Jan. 21, with the third annual Minnesota/Wisconsin Dual in Madison, Wis. The Gophers have won the first two duals with the Badgers -- taking the inaugural title in Madison back in 2015 and repeating as team champions in Minneapolis in 2016.
Players Mentioned
