University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Minnesota vs. Wisconsin Dual
Gophers Win Third-Straight Dual Title
1/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Jan. 21, 2017
MADISON, Wis. - Kiley Sabin crushed Minnesota's program record in the shot put and the Golden Gophers women's track & field team won eight event titles to secure an 82-80 win over the rival Badgers in the third-annual Minnesota-Wisconsin Dual Saturday afternoon.
Sabin threw 17.17m (56-04.00) to win the shot put, improving on one of Minnesota's oldest program records by nearly two feet. Sabin's mark bested the old record held by Aubrey Schmitt at 16.58m (54-04.75) since 1999 and improved on her own career-best mark by nearly five feet (15.79m, 51-09.75).
"It's well-deserved on her part," director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle said of Sabin's performance. "Kiley has been working hard in the off season, so we're glad to see her mature and really kill it like that. It was very exciting. She had a good series, so it was good for her and good for Coach Miller."
The Gophers throwers also rewrote Minnesota's all-time top-10 list in the weight throw led by Angie Guenther's runner-up finish at 19.51m (64-00.25) to move into fifth in program history. Nina Horvath was fourth with a career-best toss of 18.92m (62-01.00) to tie for ninth all-time while Temi Ogunrinde threw 18.52m (60-09.25) for the 10th-best mark in program history.
"The throws group had a solid day," Bingle said. "They had lots of PRs of season-bests between the two throws, so that was good to see.
The third-annual Minnesota-Wisconsin Dual came down to the final event of the day, which turned out to be the women's triple jump. Minnesota led 78-73 following a win in the 4x400-meter relay, and the Gophers secured four more points, good for the 82-80 win, behind Shanique Wright's runner-up showing at 12.67m (41-07.00) and Emma Spagnola's fourth-place finish (11.45m, 37-06.75).
"The meet didn't quite run the way it was supposed to, so it came down to the triple jump," Bingle said. "Based on who we had and who they had, we kind of knew how it should play out. It wasn't very dramatic. It would've been more exciting if it would've ended with the 4x400-meter relay, but it was good for them to execute.
"We knew coming into the meet that it was going to be close, so it was good to see the women compete, do their jobs, and come through in a tight situation. It was encouraging to get things done how it happens."
On the track, the Gophers won five events, including Madeline Strandemo winning both the 800-meter run and the mile. Strandemo paced the 800m field in a career-best 2:12.66, racing her first collegiate indoor 800m, and Paige Peschel took third in 2:15.90. In the mile, Strandemo won in 4:53.28, and Tess Wasowicz came in fourth in 5:04.40 to lead the Gophers.
Minnesota won both the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay as well. Emerald Egwim won the 400-meter dash in 54.55 while Bolade Jinadu ran a career-best 56.87 for third and Rachel Schow ran 57.11 for fourth in her first collegiate open 400m. Minnesota's team of Kat Keller, Brieasha Hobbs, Jinadu, and Egwim won the relay crown in a meet-record 3:44.23 ahead of the Badgers' runner-up team in 3:50.32.
"They all just had a great spirit about themselves today," Bingle said. "They fought together and hung together. They really competed for each other, which is what you want to see."
Kimberly Golding and Emma Spagnola repeated as the top two finishers in the 60-meter hurdles. Golding defended her Border Battle title from 2016 in a meet- and facility-record time of 8.22 seconds, and Spagnola clocked a career-best time of 8.25 seconds as runner-up.
"It was a good early season performance for the hurdlers," Bingle said. "Technically, they still have a lot of room where they can improve, so it was exciting to see them do that based on where they're at with training."
Along with picking up significant points in the throwing events, the Gophers won both the pole vault and the high jump. Cami Gilson won her second title of the season in pole vault, clearing a season-best 4.02m (13-02.25) while Macy Narr set a career-best mark at 3.72m (12-02.50) for fourth place.
Minnesota program record-holder Heta Tuuri won high jump with a leap of 1.77m (5-09.75), clearing each height on her first attempt until 1.80m (5-10.75). Taylor Wiebke took third, also clearning 1.77m (5-09.75).
"Maddie did a good job winning two events," Bingle said. "Also, Emerald running that kind of time in the 400m this early, based on what we've seen so far, is really pretty good. That was a good time as well. There were a lot of good little breakthroughs with the high jump, and that was a really good early season mark for Cami in pole vault. Even though there wasn't a ton of competition, a lot of kids did well."
In the sprints, newcomers Tayler Whittler and Brieasha Hobbs led the Gophers as the duo finished second and third, respectively, in both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. A fifth-year senior transfer, Whittler ran 7.56 seconds in the 60m and 24.83 in the 200m while Hobbs, a true freshman, ran collegiate-best times in both events at 7.62 in the 60m and 24.99 in the 200m.
All three Gophers ran career-best times in the 600-meter run, led by Kat Keller's 1:35.11 as runner-up. Amelia Barczi (1:38.58), racing in her hometown, and Kayla Nelson (1:39.61) finished fourth and fifth with career-best times as well.
Emma Spagnola led Minnesota in the long jump with a runner-up finish of 5.71m (18-09.00) in her first jump of the season. Shanique Wright also picked up points for the Maroon & Gold with a third-place jump of 5.67m (18-07.25).
Patty O'Brien led three Gophers with career-best times in the 3,000-meter run. O'Brien came in fourth in a PR 9:47.13, followed by Tamara Gorman in sixth in 9:57.39 and Bailey Ness in 9:59.48 for seventh place.
Minnesota returns home to host the Jack Johnson Classic next Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28 at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse.
Minnesota Event Titles
400m, Emerald Egwim
800m, Madeline Strandemo
Mile, Madeline Strandemo
4x400m Relay, Kat Keller, Brieasha Hobbs, Bolade Jinadu, and Emerald Egwim
60m Hurdles, Kimberly Golding
Shot Put, Kiley Sabin
High Jump, Heta Tuuri
Pole Vault, Cami Gilson
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Players Mentioned
