University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Photo by: Christopher Mitchell
Best of 19-20: Houston Takes Flight
6/11/2020 4:38:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Golden Gopher track & field and cross country program had many memorable moments in 2019-20 worth revisiting and celebrating despite the indoor season ending early and the outdoor season being canceled on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten Conference and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.
One of those memorable moments came in the final meet of the season as Sammie Houston broke the Gophers men's triple jump record to win a conference championship at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Houston cleared a personal record of 16.18 meters (53-01.00 ft.) at the SPIRE Institute, breaking Keita Cline's school record of 16.16 meters (53-00.25 ft.) from 1995. Houston's performance, which ended up being the best triple jump by a Big Ten competitor this year and the ninth-best jump performance in the nation, is Minnesota's first Big Ten championship in the men's triple jump since Adrian Ellis in 1996.
One of an NCAA-best 14 Gophers on the men's side to qualify for the eventually canceled 2020 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Houston was eventually rewarded with his first career All-America honor to close out his collegiate career.
One of those memorable moments came in the final meet of the season as Sammie Houston broke the Gophers men's triple jump record to win a conference championship at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships.
A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Houston had been climbing Minnesota's all-time top-10 list all season after starting the year off in ninth, and the redshirt senior finally reached the summit with a school record and the Gophers' first Big Ten indoor title in the discipline in 24 years."Mr. Houston, you are cleared for takeoff."
— Minnesota Cross Country, Track & Field (@GopherCCTF) March 6, 2020
The #Gophers redshirt senior took home the 2020 #B1GTF men's triple jump title, broke the Minnesota school record and punched his ticket for next week's #NCAATF championships all with one jump. pic.twitter.com/OCzgbBTVFe
Houston cleared a personal record of 16.18 meters (53-01.00 ft.) at the SPIRE Institute, breaking Keita Cline's school record of 16.16 meters (53-00.25 ft.) from 1995. Houston's performance, which ended up being the best triple jump by a Big Ten competitor this year and the ninth-best jump performance in the nation, is Minnesota's first Big Ten championship in the men's triple jump since Adrian Ellis in 1996.
One of an NCAA-best 14 Gophers on the men's side to qualify for the eventually canceled 2020 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Houston was eventually rewarded with his first career All-America honor to close out his collegiate career.
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