Alex Plasencia

Class:
Redshirt Junior
Position:
Distance
Hometown:
Shoreview, Minn.
High School:
Mounds View HS

PRONUNCIATION

2020 Cross Country • Redshirt Senior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • finished 51st overall and fourth on the team in 25:39.8 at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships.

2021 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Competed at three meets • made B1G debut, placing 24th in the 3,000m at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • ran a career-best 8:22.56 in the 3,000m at the Hawkeye Border Battle • ran a career-best 14:51.06 in the 5,000m at the Hawkeye B1G Invitational.

2021 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • competed at three meets • ran a season-best 9:36.26 to place eighth in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Illini B1G Relays • ran a season-best 3:56.97 in the 1500m at the Indiana Invite #2.

2019 Cross Country • Redshirt Junior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • earned first letter in cross country • ran four races • ran 25:39.0 for 8K to place 82nd at the Big Ten Championships • finished fourth at the four-mile Oz Memorial in 21:05.8 • ran a career-best 24:50.6 for 8K to finish sixth on the team and 140th overall at the Paul Short Run • placed sixth on the team in 25:46.1 for 8K at Pre-Nationals.

2020 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • ran four races • placed 12th in the mile in a season-best 4:17.66 at the Jack Johnson Classic • ran a season-best 8:27.41 to place third in the 3,000 meters at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational • finished fifth in the 3,000 meters at the Minnesota Open • ran the 3,000 meters at the Iowa State Classic • indoor season ended on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.

2020 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: The 2020 outdoor track & field season was canceled on March 12, 2020, when the Big Ten and NCAA announced they were ceasing competitions and championships because of COVID-19 public health concerns.

2018 Cross Country • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • ran four races, scoring twice for the Maroon & Gold and posting two top-10 finishes • helped Minnesota to a pair of team wins at the Oz Memorial and the Fall Finale • opened the year with a ninth-place finish at the Oz Memorial (20:51.9 for four miles) • finished 52nd at the Griak Invitational (25:49.3 for 8K) followed by a 64th-place finish in the open competition at Pre-Nationals (26:35.8 for 8K) • closed out the year with a fifth-place finish at the Fall Finale behind an 8K career-best time of 25:40.

2019 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Posted a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 meters at the Minnesota Open with a time of 8:51.90.

2019 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • did not compete.

2017 Cross Country • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • finished 25th at the IU open with an 8K career-best time of 26:04.1.

2018 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Competed in the 800 meters and mile with a pair of top-10 finishes • finished fifth in the 800 meters at the Minnesota Open (1:59.41) • placed ninth mile at the Emmerich Invite behind a season-best time of 4:21.61.

2018 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten • earned first letter in track & field • competed in the 1,500 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase with four top-10 finishes • ran a season-best 1,500 meters at the UWL Final Qualifier to finish eighth in 3:56.92 • finished seventh in the 1,500 meters at the Tom Cat Twilight (3:58.91) • finished sixth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at UCLA behind a season-best 9:07.93 • placed seventh in the steeplechase at the Dakota Relays (9:34.02).

2016 Cross Country • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2016 cross country season • ran in three college meets as an unattached competitor • opened the year with a 30th-place showing at the four-mile Oz Memorial (21:17.4) • placed 224th at the eight-kilometer Roy Griak Invitational (28:04.9) • finished seventh at the eight-kilometer Fall Finale (26:31) • placed fifth at the 2016 Twin Cities 5K (15:30).

2017 Indoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 indoor track & field season • competed unattached in the 800 meters, mile run and 3,000 meters • posted four top-10 finishes.

2017 Outdoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 outdoor track & field season • competed unattached in the 1,500 meters, the 5,000 meters and the 3,000 meter steeplechase • recorded four top-10 finishes.

High School: A 2016 graduate of Mounds View High School • a six-time all-conference selection in the Suburban East Conference (twice in cross country, twice in hockey and twice in track & field) • a 10-time letter winner (four in cross country, three in hockey, three in track & field) • a three-time state meet participant • recorded 33 goals in three years of varsity hockey and lead the team in scoring in his final two years as a prep • ran for Ross Fleming and Bill Pratt at Mounds View and played hockey for Scott Brokaw • graduated with a 4.1 GPA and received highest honors from Mounds View • named the 2015-16 Mounds View High School Student-Athlete of the Year.

Personal: Native of Shoreview, Minn. • son of Steve and Theresa Plasencia • has one brother, Ryan • father is on the Minnesota coaching staff, a Gophers All-American alum and a two-time U.S. Olympian in the 10,000 meters • Materials Science and Engineering major • also enjoys fishing and can solve a Rubik's Cube in under a minute • lists his most memorable sports experience as scoring an overtime game-winning goal against East Ridge during his senior hockey season.

Plasencia's Cross Country Postseason Appearances
Year	Big Tens	Midwest Regional	NCAA Championship
2016	Redshirt	Redshirt	Redshirt
2017	DNC	DNC	DNC
2018	DNC	DNC	DNC
2019	82nd, 25:39.0	DNC	DNC
2020	51st, 25:39.8	N/A	DNC

Plasencia's Cross Country Career Bests (2020-21 Final)
Event	Time	Meet (Date)
8K	24:50.6	Paul Short Run (10/5/19)
Finish	4th	Oz Memorial (9/6/19)

Plasencia's Indoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final)
Event	Mark	Meet (Date)
800m	1:59.41	Minnesota Open (1/6/18)
Mile	4:17.66	Jack Johnson Classic (2/1/20)
3,000m	8:22.56	Hawkeye Border Battle (1/10/21)
5,000m	14:51.06	Hawkeye B1G Invitational (2/12/21)
Plasencia's Outdoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final)
Event	Mark	Meet (Date)
1,500m	3:56.92 (UA)	Holst Invitational (4/22/17)
3,000m Steeplechase	9:07.93	Jim Bush/Bob Larsen Invitational (3/31/18)
5,000m	14:54.46 (UA)	Tomcat Twilight (4/13/17)