University of Minnesota Athletics
Horizon Once Again Bright for Gopher Throwers
1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota women's track & field throws group returns five Gophers holding nine spots among the program's all-time top-10 performers. Coming off a strong 2016 season, the six veterans look to pick up where they left off a year ago while five newcomers join the lineup.
Returners Agnes Esser, Angie Guenther, Allie Heifort, Nicolle Murphy, Temi Ogunrinde, and Kiley Sabin make up Minnesota's most experienced throwers. Ryan Crotty and Natalie Manders join the squad as true freshmen while Shay Nielsen and Wilsonique Delson will make their debuts in Maroon & Gold after competing unattached in 2016. Nina Horvath, a transfer from Southern Illinois, will also make her Gophers debut after an unattached season.
Assistant coach Peter Miller, who coaches the throwers and high jumpers, reflects on the team's fall training, assesses the group's leadership, and breaks down the indoor events as the Gophers kick off the 2017 season this week.
On this year's fall training...
Miller: This year's training was really good. We approached it a little differently than in the past; we threw a lot more. I finally feel like we have a more experienced team, so it's been nice that a lot of people have been in the system for a couple years. They were able to take the freshmen under their wings, and I had to teach a little bit less and guide a little bit more. The weather was great, and with the new throws practice site, everything was set up to be able to throw a lot and we took advantage of it. I feel like we're in a really good place. I'm definitely excited about the development we had in the fall and everyone is healthy.
On the team's strongest events...
Miller: This team is definitely still an outdoor team. I think we're getting closer to being a really good indoor team, but I still think the hammer, the discus, and the javelin are very good areas for us. The shot now, with Kiley Sabin and Shay Nielsen, is an area that can be really good, too. We're still working on the weight throw. The Big Ten is just so good and deep in that event that it'll still be a challenge. But, Agnes Esser, Angie Guenther, and Nina Horvath are ready. I think we'll be better indoors and hopefully as good outdoors.
On this year's leadership...
Miller: We're a more experienced team overall, but Angie is our only senior. Nicolle Murphy is a true senior but her eligibility is still flexible with her being an outdoor-only competitor [in the javelin]. Kiley Sabin and Temi Ogunrinde have stepped up and taken on leadership roles, and Angie has done a good job of taking some of the younger kids under her wing and developing them. That's been a big thing for us, helping the younger kids realize that you don't have to be a captain to be a leader. We have some kids on the team who have taken that to heart and are really helpful but also learning how to focus on themselves at practice. Track is an individual event, so you have to know how to create energy yourself.
On the weight throw...
Miller: Agnes Esser returns as the No. 5 all-time weight thrower in program history. She has two more years. She has had a great fall in the weight room and is a totally different athlete than she was a year ago. She's been able to throw a lot and emotionally is in a good place. Angie Guenther is one who's had two really good years in the hammer, but the weight hasn't quite taken off for her but I think we're figuring it out and she'll have a big step forward this year. I think she's confident and ready to compete. Nina Horvath is a transfer who had a great intrasquad for us and has shown glimpses of some good things in the weight. She's probably still a year away from helping at the Big Ten level, but I definitely think she'll crack the top-10 all-time list and get some travel experience this year. Temi Ogunrinde is somebody who's had a great fall of training and it's already paid off for her. All six of her throws at the intrasquad were better than her previous lifetime best. She's knocking on the door to throw really, really far. I think the hammer for her is going to be really fun this year. Allie Heifort is our other weight thrower who had a solid fall of training. She's already in our top-10 all-time and so hopefully will make progress and put herself in a position to compete for a Big Ten roster spot, too.
On the shot put...
Miller: For Kiley Sabin, returning as the fifth-best thrower in school history, I think the school record is the goal this year, both indoors and outdoors. She's had throws in practice where the national meet should be a goal for her. She's still young in her third year of rotating, so it's still a new event for her. Of everyone on the team, I think we've made the most technical changes to her shot put technique this year. That can be good or bad, but so far she threw over 50 feet at the intrasquad. Since then she's been even better technically. I'm excited to see what she can do. She may not be as consistent as she wants to be with all those technical changes, so the big thing for her will be to focus on the process. I think she can compete for a Big Ten title. I think the world of her, and she's worked super hard.
Shay Nielsen was a redshirt for us last year who had a good outdoor season. She threw a big lifetime best at the intrasquad despite being sick and has had some glimpses in training of some bigger things. We'd love to see her open up at 46 or 47 feet and then be chasing 50 feet throughout the year. If you throw 50 feet at the Big Ten meet, you should be making the final, and if you make the final at the Big Ten meet as a freshman, you're in a really good spot.
We're two deep there and we have a great recruiting class signed in the shot as well. Natalie Manders is a true freshman for us who will throw some shot as a redshirt, and Angie Guenther has toyed with the shot as well, so we'll see how that experiment goes.
On high jump...
Miller: High jump is the other indoor event I coach, and we have the same two girls as last year, Taylor Wiebke and Heta Tuuri. They're both Big Ten returning scorers, so you can't ask for much more than that. Both are way ahead of last year at this point, but with the high jump that could mean everything or that could mean nothing. I've been really happy with how they've matured as athletes and as people and as competitors. I think Taylor , of all the athletes I coach, had the best fall training of anybody. We've made some technical changes with her as well, but she's bought in and has trained hard. Heta always trains hard. I can't say a negative thing about her. She's done a great job and is learning how to handle the stress of school. She's super talented; if she's happy, she can beat anybody in the Big Ten on any day.
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Players Mentioned
