University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, April 11
Ramona, OK
All Day
University of Minnesota
at
Throwtown Ramona World Invitational
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Minnesota Headed to Ramona for Oklahoma Throws Series
4/10/2025 10:25:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
The Gophers will also have competitors at the Bethel Invitational on Saturday.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota's throws group is headed to Ramona, Okla., for the 2025 Throwtown Ramona World Invitational from April 10-13. The meet will be contested at Millican Field and is a USATF sponsored event that is run by the Seal Throwing Club. Additionally the Maroon and Gold will have student-athletes compete at the Bethel Invitational on April 12.
ABOUT THE THROWTOWN RAMONA WORLD INVITATIONAL
Founded in 2023, Throwtown Ramona has been one of the best places in the United States to put forth lifetime bests and records for throwers. Minnesota's attendance in 2025 is a first for the program and begins on Thursday afternoon with the women's discus. Minnesota will compete each of the four days of the event, concluding with Anthonett Nabwe in the women's shot put at 10 a.m. CT. The meet will have live results provided by BlackSquirrelTiming.com. The competition is not scheduled to be streamed. Lastly, due to NCAA rules, marks set at the meet in Oklahoma will not count toward the USTFCCCA rankings and NCAA top lists but results do count toward World Rankings and school records.
ABOUT THE BETHEL INVITATIONAL
Most of the Maroon and Gold will not compete during the Bethel Invitational, but a portion of the team will make the trip over to Arden Hills for Saturday's competition at Royal Stadium. The meet will have a dedicated track one-camera stream throughout and is anticipated to begin around 9 a.m. CT. Fans can follow live results via WayataTiming.com.
LAST TIME OUT
The men's track and field team saw five different school-record performances go down at the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla. The school-record breaking tone was set by none other than three-time Big Ten hammer throw champion, Kostas Zaltos. The Greek national broke his own school record for the second time during the 2025 outdoor campaign, this time with a mark of 77.91m (255-7) on his second attempt. A day later on the track it was Christian Martin who put on a show in consecutive 110m hurdles races. The graduate student clocked a school record 13.61 (+0.7 m/s) in the prelims before dropping his own school record just a short time later to 13.49 (+0.7 m/s) in the final.
Minnesota's 4x100m relay team of Zion Campbell, Kion Benjamin, Aaron Charles and Devin Augustine put down a preliminary time of 38.74, which was the second best time in school history, and then dropped that to 38.66 in the final on Saturday to break the school record. The final program record at the Pepsi Florida Relays came via Hakeem Ford in the men's triple jump with a peal of 16.54m (54-3 1/4). Ford smashed Keita Cline's 33-year-old school record of 16.18m (53-1) and now sits atop the Big Ten in the triple jump this season. For the full Pepsi Florida Relays recap, click here.
MINNESOTA'S MEN RANKED SECOND NATIONALLY
The University of Minnesota men's track and field team came in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) team rankings at the No. 2 spot, the organization announced on April 8. The No. 2 ranking for the Maroon and Gold men's squad is the second highest ranking in program history.
The only other time the men have been ranked higher in the current USTFCCCA ranking system was back in 2023 when the team opened the first outdoor ranking at No. 1. That season the Golden Gopher men finished the season ranked No. 20 and finished tied for 20th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Additionally since 1921, according to the USTFCCCA, in the final national poll Minnesota has been ranked No. 1 once (1948).
ZALTOS, OPINION EARN BIG TEN WEEKLY HONORS
For the first time this outdoor season the No. 2 University of Minnesota men's track and field team has earned weekly honors from the Big Ten Conference. Kostas Zaltos earned the Field Athlete of the Week honor while Precious Opinion was tabbed as the Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Zaltos threw the No. 7 hammer throw mark in NCAA history (77.91m | 255-7) to win the Pepsi Florida Relays over teammate Angelos Mantzouranis who put down the No. 9 hammer throw in NCAA history (77.43m | 254-0). In the process the Greek natinoal broke four-time Olympian Jud Logan's 39-year-old Percy Beard Track facility hammer throw record of 254-10 that was set back in 1986. Zaltos' throw in Gainesville broke his own school record that had held since 2023 and has him ranked No. 5 in the world this year according to WorldAthletics.org. Additionally, Zaltos' performance in Florida moved him into the No. 14 spot on the 'Road to Tokyo' rankings and 25th on the IAAF World Rankings.
Opinion finished second in the triple jump (15.53m | 50-11 1/2) and third in the long jump (7.44m | 24-5) at the Pepsi Florida Relays. The first-year Gopher currently sits as the top freshman in the Big Ten in both the long jump and triple jump this season. Overall he sits at the No. 4 spot in the conference in the triple jump and No. 5 in the long jump. Nationally the Nigerian is the No. 3 ranked freshman in both the long jump and triple jump and currently sits at the No. 24 spot nationally in both. At the Pepsi Florida Relays, Opinion became the first Gopher to reach the program top 10 in both the long jump and triple jump since 2007 (Derek Gearman).
MINNESOTA'S EVENT SQUAD RANKINGS
Alongside the national rankings, the USTFCCCA released its latest Event Squad rankings with the Gophers holding on to its two top spots in the long jump and hammer throw. The men's long jump (7.60m | 24-11 1/4 average) and men's hammer throw (68.81m | 225-9 average) lead the way while the men's 200m (No. 5), shot put (No. 5) and 100m (No. 6) all sit inside the top six in the nation. The women's top event squad group is its 3000m steeplechase quartet that is No. 2 nationally with an average time of 10:37.75. For the full rankings, click here.
UP NEXT
Next week Minnesota will compete at the Brian Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., the St. Thomas Easter Invitational in St. Paul, the 65th Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, Calif., and the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif. Those meets are contested between April 16-19.
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 X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.
ABOUT THE THROWTOWN RAMONA WORLD INVITATIONAL
Founded in 2023, Throwtown Ramona has been one of the best places in the United States to put forth lifetime bests and records for throwers. Minnesota's attendance in 2025 is a first for the program and begins on Thursday afternoon with the women's discus. Minnesota will compete each of the four days of the event, concluding with Anthonett Nabwe in the women's shot put at 10 a.m. CT. The meet will have live results provided by BlackSquirrelTiming.com. The competition is not scheduled to be streamed. Lastly, due to NCAA rules, marks set at the meet in Oklahoma will not count toward the USTFCCCA rankings and NCAA top lists but results do count toward World Rankings and school records.
ABOUT THE BETHEL INVITATIONAL
Most of the Maroon and Gold will not compete during the Bethel Invitational, but a portion of the team will make the trip over to Arden Hills for Saturday's competition at Royal Stadium. The meet will have a dedicated track one-camera stream throughout and is anticipated to begin around 9 a.m. CT. Fans can follow live results via WayataTiming.com.
LAST TIME OUT
The men's track and field team saw five different school-record performances go down at the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla. The school-record breaking tone was set by none other than three-time Big Ten hammer throw champion, Kostas Zaltos. The Greek national broke his own school record for the second time during the 2025 outdoor campaign, this time with a mark of 77.91m (255-7) on his second attempt. A day later on the track it was Christian Martin who put on a show in consecutive 110m hurdles races. The graduate student clocked a school record 13.61 (+0.7 m/s) in the prelims before dropping his own school record just a short time later to 13.49 (+0.7 m/s) in the final.
Minnesota's 4x100m relay team of Zion Campbell, Kion Benjamin, Aaron Charles and Devin Augustine put down a preliminary time of 38.74, which was the second best time in school history, and then dropped that to 38.66 in the final on Saturday to break the school record. The final program record at the Pepsi Florida Relays came via Hakeem Ford in the men's triple jump with a peal of 16.54m (54-3 1/4). Ford smashed Keita Cline's 33-year-old school record of 16.18m (53-1) and now sits atop the Big Ten in the triple jump this season. For the full Pepsi Florida Relays recap, click here.
MINNESOTA'S MEN RANKED SECOND NATIONALLY
The University of Minnesota men's track and field team came in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) team rankings at the No. 2 spot, the organization announced on April 8. The No. 2 ranking for the Maroon and Gold men's squad is the second highest ranking in program history.
The only other time the men have been ranked higher in the current USTFCCCA ranking system was back in 2023 when the team opened the first outdoor ranking at No. 1. That season the Golden Gopher men finished the season ranked No. 20 and finished tied for 20th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Additionally since 1921, according to the USTFCCCA, in the final national poll Minnesota has been ranked No. 1 once (1948).
ZALTOS, OPINION EARN BIG TEN WEEKLY HONORS
For the first time this outdoor season the No. 2 University of Minnesota men's track and field team has earned weekly honors from the Big Ten Conference. Kostas Zaltos earned the Field Athlete of the Week honor while Precious Opinion was tabbed as the Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Zaltos threw the No. 7 hammer throw mark in NCAA history (77.91m | 255-7) to win the Pepsi Florida Relays over teammate Angelos Mantzouranis who put down the No. 9 hammer throw in NCAA history (77.43m | 254-0). In the process the Greek natinoal broke four-time Olympian Jud Logan's 39-year-old Percy Beard Track facility hammer throw record of 254-10 that was set back in 1986. Zaltos' throw in Gainesville broke his own school record that had held since 2023 and has him ranked No. 5 in the world this year according to WorldAthletics.org. Additionally, Zaltos' performance in Florida moved him into the No. 14 spot on the 'Road to Tokyo' rankings and 25th on the IAAF World Rankings.
Opinion finished second in the triple jump (15.53m | 50-11 1/2) and third in the long jump (7.44m | 24-5) at the Pepsi Florida Relays. The first-year Gopher currently sits as the top freshman in the Big Ten in both the long jump and triple jump this season. Overall he sits at the No. 4 spot in the conference in the triple jump and No. 5 in the long jump. Nationally the Nigerian is the No. 3 ranked freshman in both the long jump and triple jump and currently sits at the No. 24 spot nationally in both. At the Pepsi Florida Relays, Opinion became the first Gopher to reach the program top 10 in both the long jump and triple jump since 2007 (Derek Gearman).
MINNESOTA'S EVENT SQUAD RANKINGS
Alongside the national rankings, the USTFCCCA released its latest Event Squad rankings with the Gophers holding on to its two top spots in the long jump and hammer throw. The men's long jump (7.60m | 24-11 1/4 average) and men's hammer throw (68.81m | 225-9 average) lead the way while the men's 200m (No. 5), shot put (No. 5) and 100m (No. 6) all sit inside the top six in the nation. The women's top event squad group is its 3000m steeplechase quartet that is No. 2 nationally with an average time of 10:37.75. For the full rankings, click here.
UP NEXT
Next week Minnesota will compete at the Brian Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., the St. Thomas Easter Invitational in St. Paul, the 65th Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, Calif., and the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif. Those meets are contested between April 16-19.
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 X.com (Twitter) and Instagram (@GopherCCTF) and on Facebook, so you do not miss any content during the season.
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