University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Iowa State Classic
Gophers Wrap Up ISU Classic
2/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
AMES, Iowa - Cami Gilson earned a runner-up finish in the pole vault and Tess Wasowicz led the Gophers in the mile as the University of Minnesota women's track & field team wrapped up competition on day two at the Iowa State Classic on Saturday.
Gilson cleared 3.95m (12-11.50) to take second and lead Minnesota in the pole vault. She cleared each of the first three heights she attempted on her first try but missed at 4.10m (13-05.25) to take second overall. Macy Narr recorded a career-best mark of 3.80m (12-05.50) to tie for third, and Lexi Kiefer tied for eighth (3.50m, 11-05.75).
Three Gophers ran PRs in the mile led by Wasowicz, who cut over four seconds off her previous season best with a career-best time of 4:56.81 to place fourth overall. Abby Lange ran 5:00.61 for ninth place while Samantha Prouty came in 12th in 5:02.18.
"It was just a really, really good team weekend," director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle said. "It was a great weekend to be a Gopher. Everybody bought in, brought energy, and competed. That was the best part. It just makes you feel good because it was all about the team.
"That's what we want to see with a new, young group. We want to see the culture of fighting for each other, running for each other, and competing for each other. We're in a good spot."
In the 800-meter run, Titania Markland ran an indoor career-best 2:08.90 while racing unattached to place 14th overall. Paige Peschel (2:12.99) and Anne Haakenstad (2:15.74) also clocked PRs while Amelia Barczi ran 2:18.66, less than a second off her career best.
Lindsey Smits ran a career-best 57.22 in the 400-meter dash a day after running a PR in the 200m (25.67), and four others Gophers also clocked PRs while racing unattached in Val Larson (56.64), Sophia Anderson (56.74), Erin Huls (57.53), and Meleah Biermaier (57.78).
"The Iowa State Classic is a great distance meet, and the team rose up to the level of competition and competed well in their heats," Bingle said. "Madeline Strandemo ran really well in the 3K on Friday, and there were a lot of great PRs from the distance group overall.
"It was just a great team weekend. The group at St. Thomas and the unattached athletes there all did a good job, the unattached group that traveled themselves to Iowa State all PR'd, and Titania ran well. It was good to get into a few different environments and face some different competition. We're where we want to be at this point of the season. We have a lot of great development and a lot of work still to be done, but we're in the right spot."
The Gophers wrapped up their three-meet weekend on day two at the Music City Challenge hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday in addition to competing at the ISU Classic. Minnesota also had a group compete locally at the UST Showcase hosted by the University of St. Thomas on Friday.
Next weekend, the Gophers return home to host the Parents Day Invite at the Minnesota Fieldhouse. Action is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m. CT, and Gophers will honor their graduating seniors during the meet.
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