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Photo by: Christopher Mitchell
Gophers Celebrate Team Award Winners
4/28/2020 11:15:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota track & field program handed out its annual team awards during the inaugural Gopher Track & Field Online Banquet on Sunday evening as the Maroon & Gold gathered together virtually to celebrate the 2019-20 campaign, which on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.
Despite the shortened indoor season and the canceled outdoor campaign, the Gophers had much to celebrate in 2020 with a Big Ten champion (Sammie Houston), two school records (Bethany Hasz and Sammie Houston) and eight All-Big Ten performances leading the way. Additionally, both genders finished the season in the USTFCCCA national rankings with the men coming in at No. 13 and the women finishing at No. 24.
Team Award Honorees
Women's Track MVP: Bethany Hasz
Men's Track MVP: Alec Basten
Women's Field MVP: Nayoka Clunis
Men's Field MVP: Sammie Houston
Women's Newcomer of the Year: Janielle Josephs
Men's Newcomer of the Year: Michael Burke
Most Improved Award: Sammie Houston, Abby Kohut-Jackson, Dawson LaRance, Molly Reeves, Kaleb Siekmeier
Tough as Nails Award: Elliott Davis, Evan Ferlic, Megan Hasz, Tess Keyzers, Rachel Schow
Iron Gopher Award: Lorean Murray, Jonathan Tharaldsen
Coach's Award: Teddy Frid, Erin Huls, Hunter Lucas, Jon Nerdal, Ben Psicihulis, Sophie Schmitz
Blue Collar Award: Owen Hoeft, Molly Roach, Lexi Romero, Connor Rousemiller
Academic Commitment Award: Jayla Campbell, Zach Nelson
Team Captains
Women: Ayesha Champagnie, Ryan Crotty, Erin Huls, Abby Kohut-Jackson, Rachel Schow
Men: Alec Basten, Teddy Frid, Owen Hoeft, Kieran McKeag, Jonathan Tharaldsen, Jackson Wellenstein
School Records
Bethany Hasz: 5,000 Meters (15:25.33)
Sammie Houston: Triple Jump (16.18 meters, 53-01.00 ft.)
USTFCCCA Midwest Region Honors
Bethany Hasz: Women's Track Athlete of the Year
Peter Miller: Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
All-Big Ten Selections
Sammie Houston: First Team/Big Ten Champion (Triple Jump)
Michael Burke: Second Team (High Jump)
Ayesha Champagnie: Second Team (Pentathlon)
Nayoka Clunis: Second Team (Weight Throw)
Bethany Hasz: Second Team (One Mile)
Dawson LaRance: Second Team (800)
Val Larson: Second Team (600)
Kieran McKeag: Second Team (Weight Throw)
NCAA Indoor Qualifiers
Women: Devia Brown (Shot Put), Ayesha Champagnie (Pentathlon), Nayoka Clunis (Weight Throw and Shot Put), Bethany Hasz (5,000m)
Men: Michael Burke (High Jump), Elliott Davis (4x400 and DMR), Owen Hoeft (DMR), Sammie Houston (Triple Jump), Dawson LaRance (DMR), Jordan MacIntosh (DMR alternate), Kieran McKeag (Weight Throw), Jon Nerdal (Weight Throw), Ben Psicihulis (4x400), Kaleb Siekmeier (Weight Throw), Shane Streich (DMR), Jonathan Tharaldsen (Shot Put), Lucas Trap (4x400 alternate and DMR alternate), Jonathan Webb (4x400), Jackson Wellenstein (4x400)
First-Year Letter Winners
Women: Meleah Biermaier, Devia Brown, Jayla Campbell, Octavia Cato, Ryan Crotty, Lauren Hansen, Janielle Josephs, Akilah Lewis, Lexi Romero, Candesha Scott, Libby Halbmaier
Men: Kion Benjamin, Michael Burke, Erik Eckleben, Ben Gucinski, Kevin Nedrick, Ben Ose
USTFCCCA #EventSquad Top-20 Rankings
1: Men's Weight Throw
2: Women's Pentathlon
2: Women's Shot Put
4: Women's 5,000m
4: Women's Weight Throw
4: Men's High Jump
7: Men's 800m
7: Men's Pole Vault
12: Women's Mile
16: Women's 60m
17: Women's 3,000m
19: Women's High Jump
19: Men's 400m
19: Men's 5,000m
20: Women's 400
Despite the shortened indoor season and the canceled outdoor campaign, the Gophers had much to celebrate in 2020 with a Big Ten champion (Sammie Houston), two school records (Bethany Hasz and Sammie Houston) and eight All-Big Ten performances leading the way. Additionally, both genders finished the season in the USTFCCCA national rankings with the men coming in at No. 13 and the women finishing at No. 24.
Team Award Honorees
Women's Track MVP: Bethany Hasz
Men's Track MVP: Alec Basten
Women's Field MVP: Nayoka Clunis
Men's Field MVP: Sammie Houston
Women's Newcomer of the Year: Janielle Josephs
Men's Newcomer of the Year: Michael Burke
Most Improved Award: Sammie Houston, Abby Kohut-Jackson, Dawson LaRance, Molly Reeves, Kaleb Siekmeier
Tough as Nails Award: Elliott Davis, Evan Ferlic, Megan Hasz, Tess Keyzers, Rachel Schow
Iron Gopher Award: Lorean Murray, Jonathan Tharaldsen
Coach's Award: Teddy Frid, Erin Huls, Hunter Lucas, Jon Nerdal, Ben Psicihulis, Sophie Schmitz
Blue Collar Award: Owen Hoeft, Molly Roach, Lexi Romero, Connor Rousemiller
Academic Commitment Award: Jayla Campbell, Zach Nelson
Team Captains
Women: Ayesha Champagnie, Ryan Crotty, Erin Huls, Abby Kohut-Jackson, Rachel Schow
Men: Alec Basten, Teddy Frid, Owen Hoeft, Kieran McKeag, Jonathan Tharaldsen, Jackson Wellenstein
School Records
Bethany Hasz: 5,000 Meters (15:25.33)
Sammie Houston: Triple Jump (16.18 meters, 53-01.00 ft.)
USTFCCCA Midwest Region Honors
Bethany Hasz: Women's Track Athlete of the Year
Peter Miller: Men's Assistant Coach of the Year
All-Big Ten Selections
Sammie Houston: First Team/Big Ten Champion (Triple Jump)
Michael Burke: Second Team (High Jump)
Ayesha Champagnie: Second Team (Pentathlon)
Nayoka Clunis: Second Team (Weight Throw)
Bethany Hasz: Second Team (One Mile)
Dawson LaRance: Second Team (800)
Val Larson: Second Team (600)
Kieran McKeag: Second Team (Weight Throw)
NCAA Indoor Qualifiers
Women: Devia Brown (Shot Put), Ayesha Champagnie (Pentathlon), Nayoka Clunis (Weight Throw and Shot Put), Bethany Hasz (5,000m)
Men: Michael Burke (High Jump), Elliott Davis (4x400 and DMR), Owen Hoeft (DMR), Sammie Houston (Triple Jump), Dawson LaRance (DMR), Jordan MacIntosh (DMR alternate), Kieran McKeag (Weight Throw), Jon Nerdal (Weight Throw), Ben Psicihulis (4x400), Kaleb Siekmeier (Weight Throw), Shane Streich (DMR), Jonathan Tharaldsen (Shot Put), Lucas Trap (4x400 alternate and DMR alternate), Jonathan Webb (4x400), Jackson Wellenstein (4x400)
First-Year Letter Winners
Women: Meleah Biermaier, Devia Brown, Jayla Campbell, Octavia Cato, Ryan Crotty, Lauren Hansen, Janielle Josephs, Akilah Lewis, Lexi Romero, Candesha Scott, Libby Halbmaier
Men: Kion Benjamin, Michael Burke, Erik Eckleben, Ben Gucinski, Kevin Nedrick, Ben Ose
USTFCCCA #EventSquad Top-20 Rankings
1: Men's Weight Throw
2: Women's Pentathlon
2: Women's Shot Put
4: Women's 5,000m
4: Women's Weight Throw
4: Men's High Jump
7: Men's 800m
7: Men's Pole Vault
12: Women's Mile
16: Women's 60m
17: Women's 3,000m
19: Women's High Jump
19: Men's 400m
19: Men's 5,000m
20: Women's 400
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