Mike Torchia

Class:
Senior
Position:
DISTANCE
Hometown:
Rochester, Minn.
High School:
Rochester Lourdes High School

Career Highlights - A 2010 NCAA Preliminary Meet and 2008 NCAA Midwest Region Championships competitor in the 5,000 meters • earned All-Midwest Region honors in cross country in 2008 and 2010 • competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships • held the school record for a time in the 5,000m indoor (14:06.64), now ranks third • also ranks eighth in indoor 3,000 meters (8:13.57) and ninth in outdoor 5,000m (14:02.86) • 2010 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Second Team honoree • graduated with history degree in May of 2010 • commencement speaker • Rhodes Scholar nominee • two-time Minnesota Top-Five Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

2010 Season
Indoor: Ran in four meets • placed fifth in the 5,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships with a season-best time of 14:17.33 • top 3,000 meters time was 8:20.63 at the Bill Bergan Invitational. Outdoor: An NCAA Preliminary Meet competitor in the 5,000 meters • clocked a time of 14:44.51 in NCAA quarterfinal • placed sixth in the event at the Big Ten Championships • also ran the 10,000 meters at the Conference meet • clocked a career-best 5,000m time of 14:02.86 at the Peyton Jordan Inviational, the No. 9 time in Gopher history • ran season-best 10k time of 29:33.54 at Mt. SAC Relays • ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Second Team • an Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned second varsity letter.

2009 Season: Missed the indoor and outdoor season with an injury.

2008 Season: Indoor: An NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the 5,000 meters • competed in three meets • placed seventh in the Big Ten Championships in the 5,000m (14:35.02) • set new school record in the event with a time of 14:06.64 at the Husky Classic.. Outdoor: NCAA Midwest Region qualifier in the 5,000 meters • placed sixth in the 10,000 meters (30:33.35) at the Big Ten meet • ran season-best 5,000m time of 14:09.88 at the Stanford Cardinal Invitational.

2007 Season:
Indoor: Competed in three meets • placed eighth in the 3,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships (8:22.55) • also finished ninth in the 5,000 meters at the Big Tens (14:33.99) • ran a career-best 8:13.67 in the 3,000 meters at the Iowa State Classic, the sixth fastest time in Minnesota history. Outdoor: Did not compete.

2006 Season
Competed in four meets • the Gophers[apos] number-five finisher, 47th overall, in a time of 32:13.04 at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships • suffered a nasty fall and did not finish at the Big Ten Championships • finished second on the team and 11th overall at the Jim Drews Invitational in a season-best 8K time of 24:47.32 • placed 51st (25:51) at his first Griak Invitational • varsity letterwinner.

Cross Country - A 2008 and 2010 NCAA All-MIdwest Region honoree • 2010 All-Big Ten Second Team • three-time letterwinner.

High School
A 2006 graduate of Lourdes High School • coach was Myron Glass • Minnesota Class A state cross country champion as a junior and senior • 2005 team runner-up • three-time all-state in cross country • placed fourth as a sophomore • captured 2006 state track titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, setting an all-class state record in the 3,200 meters of 8:59.19 • also won 3,200m as a junior • five-time all-state honoree in track • competed in the 2006 Nike Outdoor National Meet, finishing fourth in the 2-mile run with a personal-best time of 8:50.80 • lettered six times in both cross country and track, twice in Nordic skiing • member of the National Honor Society.

Personal
Born April 12, 1988 •has a degreein biochemistry • son of Michael and Patricia Torchia • has four younger siblings: Katy (17), Kelsey (15), Sarah (14) and Ian (10) • enjoys backpacking, camping and eating.