University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Parents Day Invite
Gophers Rewrite Weight Throw Top-10
2/17/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 11 Golden Gopher women's track & field team won five events and rewrote the program's all-time top-10 list in the weight throw as the Maroon & Gold prepared for the championship season with the annual Parents Day Invite at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Kaitlyn Long crushed her own Minnesota program record in the weight throw with a winning toss of 23.14m (75-11.00). Agnes Esser (21.67m, 71-01.25) and Nayoka Clunis (21.43m, 70.03.75) finished second and third at the meet with the second and third-ranked marks in Minnesota history; the trio also now owns three of the top-10 marks in the NCAA this season.
Temi Ogunrinde recorded a career-best mark in the weight throw as well, throwing 20.59m (67-06.75) to take fourth at the meet and improve on her sixth-ranked mark among all-time Gophers. In total, Minnesota claimed the top seven spots in the seeded section of the weight throw as Nina Horvath (18.97m, 62-03.00) placed fifth and unattached rookies Tess Keyzers (18.45m, 60-06.50) and Erin Dunning (17.05m, 55-11.25) were sixth and seventh, respectively.
Highlights in the field events also saw Karlie Place win pole vault, just shy of her career-best with a mark of 4.26m (13-11.75). Lexi Kiefer improved on her PR, clearing 3.96m (12-11.75) as runner-up and Macy Narr finished fourth (3.56m, 11-08.00).
The Gophers took the top three places in the shot put as well, led by Kiley Sabin's winning mark of 16.69m (55-07.75) and followed by Clunis (15.83m, 51-11.25) and Shay Nielsen (14.94m, 49-00.25).
Minnesota won two events on the track as Sophia Anderson led the field in the 400-meter dash in 56.85 seconds and Meleah Biermaier won the 600-meter run in a season-best 1:35.51. Molly Eastman ran a career-best 10:02.29 as runner-up in the 3,000m run, and Carissa Dock was the top Gopher in the 800m in a career-best 2:15.14 for fourth place.
The Gophers recognized their 19 graduating seniors during Saturday's meet: Courtney Alama, Amelia Barczi, Emily Castanias, Molly Eastman, Emerald Egwim, Agnes Esser, Delaney FitzPatrick, Nina Horvath, Sarah Klecker, Titania Markland, Nicolle Murphy, Macy Narr, Bailey Ness, Patty O'Brien, Lindsey Smits, Emma Spagnola, Madeline Strandemo, Heta Tuuri, and Rachel Wians.
Minnesota is back in action next weekend at the 2018 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championship at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The two-day meet takes place Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24.
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Players Mentioned
