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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
Trio of Gopher Men Earn Academic All-America Honors
6/29/2023 10:54:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota led all Big Ten men's programs with three track & field and cross country Academic All-Americans, the College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced on Thursday. Isaiah Schafer, Matthew Wilkinson and Kaleb Siekmeier were all honored, with Siekmeier picking up the honor for the third time in his career.
Schafer and Wilkinson led the way with First Team honors, both earning the distinction for the first time in their college careers at the Division I level. For Siekmeier, the Third Team academic honor is the second of his career and is the third year in a row he has been recognized by the organization.
Wilkinson, who hails from Greenwood, Minnesota, started his postseason with a bang, winning both the steeplechase and 5000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships – becoming the first athlete to accomplish that feat since Mason Ferlic in 2016. Just about one month later, Wilkinson finished fifth in the steeplechase at the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Wilkinson finished with the No. 2 time in the NCAA in the steeplechase this season at 8:29.35. He also was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Championships after scoring 20 team points and leading Minnesota to a 2nd-place team finish.
Schafer, a first year Gopher, had a stellar start to his Minnesota career in 2022-23. He ended his season at the NCAA West Regional after transferring in from Division II Davenport where he was a two-time NCAA champion. In 2022-23 Scahfer finished 15th at the NCAA West Regional and was the Drake Relays champion in the shot put with a mark of 19.21m (63-0 1/4). He tossed his season-best throw at the Longhorn Invitational in March, a mark of 19.79m (64-11 1/4) that put him No. 4 all-time at the University of Minnesota in his first outdoor meet with the Maroon and Gold. Schafer also went on to win the Clyde Hart Classic and the Running on Hope Invitational.
A graduate of Mahtomedi High School, Siekmeier concluded his career as a Gopher at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento this past season. He narrowly missed out a chance to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but wrapped up his career at Minnesota as a three-time All-American, a three-time Big Ten medalist and a nine-time Big Ten scorer in his six years in Dinkytown. Siekmeier leaves with the No. 4 mark in program history in the discus at 59.99m (196-10), a mark he set in 2022 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to finish as a First Team All-American.
The 2023 Academic All-America Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the summer.
Schafer and Wilkinson led the way with First Team honors, both earning the distinction for the first time in their college careers at the Division I level. For Siekmeier, the Third Team academic honor is the second of his career and is the third year in a row he has been recognized by the organization.
Wilkinson, who hails from Greenwood, Minnesota, started his postseason with a bang, winning both the steeplechase and 5000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships – becoming the first athlete to accomplish that feat since Mason Ferlic in 2016. Just about one month later, Wilkinson finished fifth in the steeplechase at the 2023 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Wilkinson finished with the No. 2 time in the NCAA in the steeplechase this season at 8:29.35. He also was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Championships after scoring 20 team points and leading Minnesota to a 2nd-place team finish.
Schafer, a first year Gopher, had a stellar start to his Minnesota career in 2022-23. He ended his season at the NCAA West Regional after transferring in from Division II Davenport where he was a two-time NCAA champion. In 2022-23 Scahfer finished 15th at the NCAA West Regional and was the Drake Relays champion in the shot put with a mark of 19.21m (63-0 1/4). He tossed his season-best throw at the Longhorn Invitational in March, a mark of 19.79m (64-11 1/4) that put him No. 4 all-time at the University of Minnesota in his first outdoor meet with the Maroon and Gold. Schafer also went on to win the Clyde Hart Classic and the Running on Hope Invitational.
A graduate of Mahtomedi High School, Siekmeier concluded his career as a Gopher at the NCAA West Regional in Sacramento this past season. He narrowly missed out a chance to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but wrapped up his career at Minnesota as a three-time All-American, a three-time Big Ten medalist and a nine-time Big Ten scorer in his six years in Dinkytown. Siekmeier leaves with the No. 4 mark in program history in the discus at 59.99m (196-10), a mark he set in 2022 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to finish as a First Team All-American.
The 2023 Academic All-America Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
For more information on the Gophers, continue to check back with GopherSports.com. Keep up with the University of Minnesota cross country and track and field team on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the summer.
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