University of Minnesota Athletics
2020-21 Men's Track & Field Roster
Alec Basten
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Position:
- Distance
- Hometown:
- Green Bay, Wis.
- High School:
- Green Bay Southwest HS
| PRONUNCIATION |
2021 Cross Country • Graduate Season: Named team co-captain • earned USTFCCCA All-Region and first-team All-Big Ten honors • named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree • led the Gophers in all six of his races • at the NCAA Championships, posted the eighth fastest 10K time in program history (29:54.2) to finish 69th overall, while simultaneously logging the fastest 8K time by any Gopher in history at 23:12.3 • claimed his third career USTFCCCA honor as he finished seventh overall at the NCAA Midwest Regionals • added his first career, first-team All-Big Ten honor at the Big Ten Championships, crossing fifth overall in 24:49.2 • placed 12th in the men’s championship 8k race at the Nuttycombe Invitational in 23:37.7, the sixth fastest 8k time in program history • finished tenth at the Roy Griak Invitational • opened the season with a 5th place finish at the Spiked Shoe Invite.
2020 Cross Country • Redshirt Senior Season: Named team co-captain • named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • finished 17th overall and first on the team in 24:29.2 at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships.
2021 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Named First Team All-America selection in 3,000m and 5,000m after earning top-10 NCAA finishes in both events • named NCAA Elite 90 Award winner • named team co-captain • competed at four meets with appearances in the mile, 3,000m, and 5,000m • placed fifth in the 3,000m (career-best 7:52.05) and seventh in the 5,000m (career-best 13:32.98) at the NCAA Indoor Championships • set Minnesota program records in both the 3,000m and 5,000m at the NCAA Championships • finished third in the 5,000m and eighth in the 3,000m at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • named B1G Co-Track Athlete of the Week after winning the mile in a career-best 4:03.36 at the Hawkeye Border Battle to rank eighth in Minnesota history • won the 3,000m at the Hawkeye B1G Invitational • ran career-best times in five of seven races during the season • ended the season ranked first in the 5,000m (13:32.98), first in the 3,000m (7:52.05), and ninth in the mile (4:03.36).
2021 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Named First Team All-America and First Team All-Big Ten in the 3,000m steeplechase • named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • NCAA runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase • Big Ten champion in the 3,000m steeplechase • competed at five meets with appearances in the 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m and 1500m • finish as NCAA runner-up in the 3,000m steeplechase, running a then career-best time of 8:29.03 • placed eighth in the 3,000m steeplechase at the NCAA West Prelim • won the 3,000m steeplechase and placed fourth in the 5,000m (13:57.23) at the Big Ten Championships • ran a career-best time of 3:44.54 in the 1500m at the Indiana Invite #3 • won the 3,000m steeplechase at the M City Classic • qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 3,000m steeplechase, placing fourth in the first round in a career-best time of 8:22.22 to advance to the final • ended the season ranked first in the 3,000m steeplechase (8:22.22) among all-time Gophers.
2019 Cross Country • Redshirt Junior Season: Named NCAA All-Region honoree • earned third letter in cross country • named CoSIDA Academic All-America, CoSIDA Academic All-District, USTFCCCA All-Academic, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • led the Gophers in all five of his races • opened the season by breaking Minnesota's school record for 8K with a time of 23:26.7 to finish third at Lehigh’s Paul Short Run • finished 16th at Pre-Nationals with a time of 23:49.5 • paced Minnesota with an 18th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships after running 24:27.3 • came in fifth at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 30:48.3 to earn NCAA All-Region honors as well as a berth to the national championships • placed 166th at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships after clocking a time of 32:31.6.
2020 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: Named CoSIDA Academic All-America, CoSIDA Academic All-District, USTFCCCA All-Academic, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned third letter in track & field • competed in the mile run, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters • posted four top-10 finishes • ran a new personal record of 4:05.45 to finish second in the mile at the Meyo Invitational • scored for Minnesota at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships in both the 5,000 meters (fifth) and the 3,000 meters (sixth) • his 5,000 meter time of 13:57.46 at the B1G meet was Minnesota’s fastest performance of the season.
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 NCAA All-Region and Second Team All-Big Ten honoree • named CoSIDA Academic All-District, USTFCCCA All-Academic, Academic All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar • earned second letter in cross country • led Minnesota in all five of his races with one win and three top-10 finishes • opened the year with his first career cross country win at the Greeno/Dirksen Invite at 24:17.5 while helping Minnesota to a team title at the race • finished fourth at the Griak Invitational with a time of 24:37.4, which ranks as the 12th-fastest 8K time by a Gopher at Les Bolstad Course in program history • finished 33rd at Pre-Nationals with an 8K time of 24:20.4 • ran the eighth-fastest 8K time in program history with a career-best time of 23:45.1 at the Big Ten Championships, finishing eighth at the meet and earning Second Team All-Big Ten accolades • finished 20th at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a 10K time of 31:22.7.
2019 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Competed in the mile, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters • his 5,000 meter time of 13:55.19 at the Iowa State Classic ranks fourth in program history • scored eight points for Minnesota at the Big Ten championships with a fourth-place finish in the 5,000 meters and a sixth-place performance in the 3,000 meters • added a personal record in the 3,000 meters at 8:14.10 during the Jack Johnson Classic • posted five top-10 finishes for the Maroon & Gold.
2019 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Second Team All-America selection after finishing 14th in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase (8:56.26) at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships • named CoSIDA Academic All-District, USTFCCCA All-Academic, Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar • earned second letter in track & field • NCAA qualifier in the 3,000 meter steeplechase after finishing second in the event at the NCAA West Preliminary • competed in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase • his 3,000 meter steeplechase time of 8:34.50 at the NCAA West Preliminary ranks second all-time in program history • his 5,000 meter time of 13:53.30 at Drake Relays ranks eighth in program history • scored for Minnesota with a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Big Ten championships • added a personal record in the 1,500 meters at 3:50.66 during the Duke Invitational • posted six top-10 finishes for the Maroon & Gold.
2017 Cross Country • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and CoSIDA Academic All-District • earned first letter in cross country • scored in all five races he competed in for the Maroon & Gold during 2017 • opened the year with a 14th-place finish at the IU Open (25:36.2) • finished 29th at the Griak Invitational (26:04.3) • ran a career-best 8K time of 24:51.8 to finish 111th at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational • came in 26th at the 2017 Big Ten Championships (24:54.8) • finished 29th at the 2017 NCAA Midwest Regional with a career-best time of 29:48.61, which ranks sixth all-time at Minnesota for a 10K course.
2018 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Competed in the mile and 5,000 meters • posted three top-10 finishes for the Maroon & Gold.
2018 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named USTFCCCA All-Academic, Academic All-Big Ten, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree • earned first letter in track & field • competed in the 5,000 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase as well as a rare 2,000-meter steeplechase • scored for the Gophers with a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Big Ten Championships • posted three top-10 finishes with runner-up showings in the 2,000 meter steeplechase at the Baldy Castillo Invitational and the 3,000 meter steeplechase at National Relays.
2016 Cross Country • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2016 cross country season • represented the Gophers in the men's junior eight-kilometer race at the 2017 USATF Cross Country Championships, finishing 19th (27:54.0) • ran unattached at three races • came in third at the eight-kilometer Fall Finale (25:55), finished 22nd in the four-mile Oz Memorial (20:55.2), and came in 135th at the eight-kilometer Roy Griak Invitational (26:54.9).
2017 Indoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 indoor track & field season • competed unattached in the mile and 3,000 meters • won the 3,000 meters at the St. Olaf Qualifier with a time of 8:38.04.
2017 Outdoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 outdoor track & field season • competed unattached in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, and 3,000 meter steeplechase.
High School: A 2016 graduate of Green Bay Southwest High School where he competed for coach Jerry Feldhausen • 2015 Fox River Classic Conference cross country champion and 2015 WIAA Division I state runner-up • named first team all-state by the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association • named 2015 Press-Gazette Media's boys cross country runner of the year • holds the Green Bay Southwest school cross country record (15:48.03) • won Fox River Classic Conference titles in the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters as a senior in 2016 • began competing in cross country as a senior after previously playing football.
Personal: A native of Green Bay, Wis. • Kinesiology major.
| Basten's Cross Country Postseason Appearances | |||
| Year | Big Tens | Midwest Regional | NCAA Championship |
| 2016 | Redshirt | Redshirt | Redshirt |
| 2017 | 26th, 24:54.8 | 29th, 29:48.61 | DNC |
| 2018 | 8th, 23:45.1 | 20th, 31:22.7 | DNC |
| 2019 | 18th, 24:27.3 | 5th, 30:48.3 | 166th, 32:31.6 |
| 2020 | 17th, 24:29.2 | N/A | DNC |
| 2021 | 5th, 24:49.2 | 7th, 30:25.11 | 69th, 29:54.2 |
| Basten's Cross Country Career Bests (2021-22 Final) | ||
| Event | Time (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| 8K | 23:12.3 (AT-1st)* | NCAA Championships (11/20/21) |
| 10K | 29:48.61 (AT-8th) | NCAA Midwest Regional (11/10/17) |
| Finish | 1st | Greeno/Dirksen Invite (9/15/18) |
| * 8K record came as split during a 10K race | ||
| Basten's Indoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final) | ||
| Event | Mark (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| Mile | 4:03.36 (AT-9th) | Hawkeye Border Battle (1/10/21) |
| 3,000m | 7:52.05 (AT-1st) | NCAA Championships (3/13/21) |
| 5,000m | 13:32.98 (AT-1st) | NCAA Championships (3/12/21) |
| Basten's Outdoor Career Bests (As of June 22, 2021) | ||
| Event | Mark (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| 1,500m | 3:44.54 | Indiana Invite #3 (4/16/21) |
| 5,000m | 13:53.30 (AT-8th) | Drake Relays (4/27/19) |
| 3,000m Steeplechase | 8:22.22 (AT-1st) | U.S. Olympic Trials (6/21/21) |
