University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Back Among Nation's Top-10
4/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota women's track & field team climbed four places to No. 10 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Week Four National Team Computer Rankings after a record-breaking weekend on the west coast.
No. 1 LSU, No. 2 USC, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Georgia, and No. 5 Arkansas make up the nation's top five teams in the week four rankings. Two teams represent the Big Ten Conference as No. 11 Purdue joins the Gophers among the top-25.
As of the week four rankings, Minnesota is among the nation's top 10 teams in seven events: first in hammer throw, first in heptathlon, second in 400m hurdles, third in 10,000m, fourth in shot put, fifth in high jump, eighth in javelin, and ninth in 400m.
Led by Temi Ogunrinde's career-best throw of 67.45m (221-03), the Gophers lead the nation in the hammer throw with an average of 61.90m (203-01). Minnesota's throwers recorded three PRs over the weekend as Nayoka Clunis (64.26m, 210-10) and Agnes Esser (63.62m, 208-08) improved their marks while Nina Horvath (52.27m, 171-06) rounds out the top four Gophers in the event this season.
Minnesota also leads the country in the heptathlon with a 5,123 average after a strong showing from the Gopher multis last week. Ayesha Champagnie (5,521) leads the Gophers and ranks 19th in the nation while Ashley Ramacher (5,231), Sofie Albrechtsen (5,143), and Kayla Nelson (4,596) all set career-best marks at the Bryan Clay Invitational last week.
The Gophers rank No. 2 in the nation in the 400m hurdles with an average time of 58.96 seconds. Emma Spagnola's new Minnesota program record time of 57.35 seconds leads the team and ranks seventh in the country, followed by Rachel Schow (58.08), Erin Huls (1:00.21), and Lindsey Smits (1:00.21).
Minnesota slipped one place to No. 3 in the nation in the 10,000m run with an average time of 35:40.97 in the week four rankings. Led by Megan Hasz's 34:19.48 for 44th in the NCAA, the top four Gophers also includes Bailey Ness (35:44.67), Molly Eastman (35:45.02), and Emily Betz (36:54.70).
The Gophers also come in among the nation's top event squads in shot put led by Kiley Sabin's season-best mark of 16.63m (54-06.75) set last weekend. Nayoka Clunis (15.67m, 51-05), Shay Nielsen (14.96m, 49-01.00), and Sofie Albrechtsen (12.88m, 42-03.25) join Sabin to have the Gophers coming in at No. 4 with an average of 15.04m (49-04.00).
The Gophers' high jump corps of Ashley Ramacher (1.81m, 5-11.25), Heta Tuuri (1.76m, 5-09.25), Taylor Wiebke (1.75m, 5-08.75), and Sofie Albrechtsen (1.66m, 5-05.25) ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 1.75m (5-08.75).
Minnesota ranks eighth in the country in the javelin (45.91m, 150-07) led by Nicolle Murphy (56.17m, 184-03) and followed by Ayesha Champagnie (45.47m, 149-02), Ryan Crotty (43.08m, 141-044), and Sofie Albrechtsen (38.93m, 127-08).
New to the nation's top-10 foursomes this week is Minnesota's 400m dash squad with an average of 54.07 seconds to rank ninth in the country. Emerald Egwim (52.44) leads the way ranked 13th individually, followed by Titania Markland (52.64), Val Larson (54.61), and Sophia Anderson (56.59).
The Gophers will split up for four meets next week with members of the distance group competing at the Drake Relays and the Kip Janvrin Invite in Iowa and the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and throws group heading to the Louisville Lenny Lyles and Clark Wood Invite. Those not traveling will compete locally at the Janis Rider Invite hosted by Macalester College.
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