University of Minnesota Athletics
Plasencia Named U.S. Junior Cross Country Coach
2/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Minnesota Director of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country Steve Plasencia has been named the head coach of the U.S. junior men's team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships on Sunday, March 26 in Kampala, Uganda.
Hamza Ali will join Plasencia in Uganda as a competitor for the U.S. squad while Nick Rink has been named to the U.S. team for the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton, Fla., on Saturday, March. 4.
"Anytime you have the chance to represent your country, it's a special opportunity and an honor whether it's as a runner or as a coach," Plasencia said. "We're proud to have so much Maroon & Gold wearing the Red, White & Blue."
Plasencia recently completed his 21st season at the helm of the Gophers cross country program and is in the middle of his ninth year as Director of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country at Minnesota. Representing the United States is nothing new for the Gophers coach, who competed in the 10,000 meters at both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games as well as four World Championships.
A true freshman from Minneapolis, Minn. Ali earned a roster spot for the World Cross Country Championships with a third-place finish at the USATF Cross Country Championships earlier this month in Bend, Ore. Ali traversed the eight-kilometer course in 26:14.5 after setting a Gophers record to win the Twin Cities 5K earlier this year at 14:47. A true freshman from Appleton, Wis., Rink finished ninth at the USATF Cross Country Championships in 27:00.0 to earn a position on the U.S. team for the NACAC Cross Country Championships.
The last year has seen an impressive amount of international competition from runners with ties to the Gophers. Minnesota alums Hassan Mead and Ben Blankenship both made their Olympic debuts at the 2016 Games in Rio with Mead finishing 11th in the 5,000 meters and Blankenship finishing eighth in the 1,500 meters.
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