University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Earn Big Ten Outdoor Honors
5/16/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
All-Big Ten Honorees | Gophers Big Ten History
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Three members of the University of Minnesota men's track & field program were officially recognized as All-Big Ten performers after their performances at the 2017 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships this weekend in University Park, Pa.
Luca Wieland was named First Team All-Big Ten while Mitch Hechsel and Obsa Ali picked up Second Team All-Big Ten accolades.
A native of Saarbrucken, Germany, Wieland cleared a personal record of 2.20 meters (7-02.50 ft.) to win the Big Ten high jump competition on Sunday - his fourth overall Big Ten event title (and fourth First Team All-Big Ten honor) and first in the high jump. The 2017 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient for the University of Minnesota, Wieland totaled 20 points at the Big Ten outdoor meet, adding a third-place finish in the high jump and a fifth-place showing in the 4x100 meter relay.
A native of Richfield, Minn., Ali totaled 12 points over the weekend for the Maroon & Gold and picked up All-Big Ten honors with his second-place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. The redshirt sophomore ran 8:45.55 in the event - recording the seventh fastest mark on Minnesota's all-time performers list. He added a fifth-place finish in the 5,000 meters later in the weekend. Ali previously earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors during the 2015 cross country season.
A native of Apple Valley, Minn., Hechsel picked up his fourth career All-Big Ten honor with a runner-up showing in the 800 meters. The redshirt senior ran 1:50.84 in the event finals and totaled 11 points for the Gophers by adding a sixth-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay.
Additionally, redshirt senior high jumper Nick Bachinski was honored as Minnesota's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
The Gophers finished seventh at the 2017 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships with 66 points.
The Maroon & Gold return to action with the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field First Round in Austin, Texas on May 25-27.
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Players Mentioned
