University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
NCAA West Prelim
Spagnola Makes It Six
5/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
AUSTIN, Texas - With a 12th-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, Emma Spagnola became the sixth Gopher to punch her ticket to represent the University of Minnesota women's track & field team at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Spagnola rounded out Minnesota's national championship qualifiers on the third and final day of the NCAA West Prelim at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
Spagnola took fourth in her heat of the 100m hurdles quarterfinal in 13.20 seconds and ended up 12th overall, securing her debut at the outdoor national meet after earning Second Team All-American honors during the 2017 indoor season by finishing 11th in the 60m hurdles (8.16) at the NCAA Championship.
"It was good for Emma to come back today after she had a rough day yesterday," director of women's track & field and cross country Matt Bingle said. "I was very happy for her. She made a nice adjustment emotionally, got locked in, and responded well."
In total, six individuals will represent the Maroon & Gold at the national championship as Temi Ogunrinde (hammer throw), Angie Guenther (hammer throw), Emerald Egwim (400m), Taylor Wiebke (high jump), and Madeline Strandemo (3,000m steeplechase) all advanced in their respective events on the first two days of the NCAA West Prelim.
"I thought everybody did a nice job this weekend," Bingle said. "It was a good team environment, and everyone was supporting one another. It was a fun weekend."
On the first day of the meet, Ogunrinde broke Minnesota's program record in the hammer throw with a mark of 64.01m (210-00) to place eighth. Guenther also recorded a PR at 60.94m (199-11) to take 12th overall and move into fifth in Minnesota history.
"I'm very excited for Temi," Bingle said. "She's been on a roll here, breaking the school record and having a two-meter PR. It's so well-deserved for her, and it's very cool."
Day two of the meet saw Egwim place seventh in the 400m dash in 52.24 seconds to secure her place at the NCAA Championship and Strandemo take fifth in the 3,000m steeplechase in 10:10.68 to advance. Wiebke also punched her ticket to the national meet on day two, tying for seventh in high jump at 1.79m (5-10.50).
"I was happy for Emerald, after making it to nationals indoors, to be able to come out here and run well again," Bingle said. "Same thing with Maddie; they both were very locked in and focused. They were very much in control and took care of what they were supposed to do.
"It was great to see Taylor make it, too. It's a nice step for her, and especially to do so in a pressurized situation as it came down to her last attempt at that bar to advance. That was cool for her and a character-building experience."
Day three of the meet also saw the Gophers compete in the triple jump and shot put. Shanique Wright ended her season with a 23rd-place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 12.75m (41-10). Kiley Sabin placed 15th in the shot put with a throw of 15.81m (51-10.50) while Shay Nielsen came in 22nd with her second-best mark of the season at 15.34m (50-04).
"It was good for Shay to come back after Big Tens and throw better today," Bingle said. "She and Kiley both gave a good effort. Same with Shanique, she competed well and was focused. They just fell a little short. You could say that for a lot of kids -- that's the way this meet is; if you're just a little off, it's a very, very tough meet."
Minnesota's six qualifiers will join the other advancing athletes out of both the East and West preliminary meets at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships set for Wednesday, June 7 through Saturday, June 10 in Eugene, Ore.
Minnesota's 2017 NCAA Championship Qualifiers
Emerald Egwim, 400m
Angie Guenther, hammer throw
Temi Ogunrinde, hammer throw
Emma Spagnola, 100m hurdles
Madeline Strandemo, 3,000m steeplechase
Taylor Wiebke, high jump
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Players Mentioned
