University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Track & Field
Colleen Sowa
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Vertical Jumps and Multis
- Email:
- sowa0049@umn.edu
Colleen Sowa completed her third season as an assistant track & field coach in 2023-24 at Minnesota after holding head coaching responsibilities at University of Wisconsin-River Falls for three seasons. Sowa departed from Minnesota's staff in August of 2024.
In 2023-24, Sowa's group enjoyed a number of high points during the season. Her contingent saw four NCAA West Regional qualifiers reach the NCAA preliminary rounds in Fayetteville, Ark. Jak Urlacher claimed the Big Ten Championship in the pole vault for the first time. Sowa also helped true freshman Sofia Condon qualify for the U20 US Championships in the pole vault and scored at the indoor Big Ten Championships. For the third straight year a Minnesota Gopher qualified for the NCAA West Regional in the women's high jump with Alliyah McNeil reaching the meet once again. At the NCAA West Regional Sowa's best finisher in 2024 was Jak Urlacher who was 14th overall with a clearance of 5.32m (17-5 1/2).
For the second straight season Sowa produced an All-American from her group of student-athletes at Minnesota. The 2023 season saw Nyalaam Jok earn All-America honors in the high jump for the second time, this time earning the distinction indoors with a sixth-place finish to aid in Minnesota's 18th-place finish as a women's team in Albuquerque, N.M. The indoor NCAA appearance made Jok the first women's high jumper to reach the indoor national meet in program history. Jok also was able to clear 1.86m (6-1 1/4) indoors and broke the eight-year-old school record to now hold both the indoor and outdoor school records as just a sophomore. Combined indoors and outdoors Jok's sixth-place NCAA finish is also the highest finish for any Gopher in the event. Additionally Sowa aided Jak Urlacher to a NCAA West Regional qualifying pole vault mark of 5.50m (18-0 1/2) which is No. 5 in program history. Lastly, first-year Gopher Alliyah McNeil leaped to a mark of 1.81m (5-11 1/4) to post the No. 2 high jump mark in school history while Lexy Berger posted the No. 4 pole vault mark in program history at 4.22m (13-10).
In her first season back with the 'U', Sowa's group had a breakout campaign. Highlighted by true freshman Nyalaam Jok's All-America outdoor campaign, Sowa's group produced 18 Big Ten points between the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships, including two silver medal finished with Lexy Berger (Pole Vault, outdoors) and Nyalaam Jok (High Jump, outdoors). Jok broke the school record in the high jump as a true freshman with a leap of 1.86m (6-1 1/4) at the Tommie Twilight Meet. During the breakout campaign for Berger she also reached the NCAA West Regional for the first time in her career with a lifetime best of 4.28m (14-0 1/2), which was the No. 4 vault all-time at Minnesota.
Sowa, a UW-River Falls alumna, led the women's track and field team to their most successful season since 2013 with a fifth place finish at the 2021 WIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Despite the cancellation of the 2020 outdoor season and 2021 indoor championships, Sowa coached five WIAC all-conference performers, including 11 top-3 finishes, four WIAC champions and the 2021 WIAC Indoor Track and Field Performer of the Year. Under her tutelage, Lexi LeFever earned All-America honors during the 2021 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Sowa also served as a volunteer coach at the 'U' from 2016-18. She worked specifically with the women's sprints, jumps, hurdles and multi event athletes, as well as the men's 800 runners. During the 2017-18 season, the Gopher women's track and field team won both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships.
Prior to Minnesota, Sowa was the head coach for the girls track and field team at River Falls High School. During her time at River Falls High School, Sowa led the Wildcats to three Big Rivers Conference titles in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2015, she was named District III Girls Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association.
Sowa earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from UW-River Falls in 2011. As an athlete, Sowa (nee' Kopel), competed for the Falcon track and field team as a heptathlete from 2008-11. She won the WIAC heptathlon title in 2009 and qualified for the NCAA DIII championships in the heptathlon in 2009 and 2010. She was also named the WIAC Scholar-Athlete for outdoor track and field in 2011.
In 2023-24, Sowa's group enjoyed a number of high points during the season. Her contingent saw four NCAA West Regional qualifiers reach the NCAA preliminary rounds in Fayetteville, Ark. Jak Urlacher claimed the Big Ten Championship in the pole vault for the first time. Sowa also helped true freshman Sofia Condon qualify for the U20 US Championships in the pole vault and scored at the indoor Big Ten Championships. For the third straight year a Minnesota Gopher qualified for the NCAA West Regional in the women's high jump with Alliyah McNeil reaching the meet once again. At the NCAA West Regional Sowa's best finisher in 2024 was Jak Urlacher who was 14th overall with a clearance of 5.32m (17-5 1/2).
For the second straight season Sowa produced an All-American from her group of student-athletes at Minnesota. The 2023 season saw Nyalaam Jok earn All-America honors in the high jump for the second time, this time earning the distinction indoors with a sixth-place finish to aid in Minnesota's 18th-place finish as a women's team in Albuquerque, N.M. The indoor NCAA appearance made Jok the first women's high jumper to reach the indoor national meet in program history. Jok also was able to clear 1.86m (6-1 1/4) indoors and broke the eight-year-old school record to now hold both the indoor and outdoor school records as just a sophomore. Combined indoors and outdoors Jok's sixth-place NCAA finish is also the highest finish for any Gopher in the event. Additionally Sowa aided Jak Urlacher to a NCAA West Regional qualifying pole vault mark of 5.50m (18-0 1/2) which is No. 5 in program history. Lastly, first-year Gopher Alliyah McNeil leaped to a mark of 1.81m (5-11 1/4) to post the No. 2 high jump mark in school history while Lexy Berger posted the No. 4 pole vault mark in program history at 4.22m (13-10).
In her first season back with the 'U', Sowa's group had a breakout campaign. Highlighted by true freshman Nyalaam Jok's All-America outdoor campaign, Sowa's group produced 18 Big Ten points between the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships, including two silver medal finished with Lexy Berger (Pole Vault, outdoors) and Nyalaam Jok (High Jump, outdoors). Jok broke the school record in the high jump as a true freshman with a leap of 1.86m (6-1 1/4) at the Tommie Twilight Meet. During the breakout campaign for Berger she also reached the NCAA West Regional for the first time in her career with a lifetime best of 4.28m (14-0 1/2), which was the No. 4 vault all-time at Minnesota.
Sowa, a UW-River Falls alumna, led the women's track and field team to their most successful season since 2013 with a fifth place finish at the 2021 WIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Despite the cancellation of the 2020 outdoor season and 2021 indoor championships, Sowa coached five WIAC all-conference performers, including 11 top-3 finishes, four WIAC champions and the 2021 WIAC Indoor Track and Field Performer of the Year. Under her tutelage, Lexi LeFever earned All-America honors during the 2021 NCAA DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Sowa also served as a volunteer coach at the 'U' from 2016-18. She worked specifically with the women's sprints, jumps, hurdles and multi event athletes, as well as the men's 800 runners. During the 2017-18 season, the Gopher women's track and field team won both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships.
Prior to Minnesota, Sowa was the head coach for the girls track and field team at River Falls High School. During her time at River Falls High School, Sowa led the Wildcats to three Big Rivers Conference titles in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2015, she was named District III Girls Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association.
Sowa earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from UW-River Falls in 2011. As an athlete, Sowa (nee' Kopel), competed for the Falcon track and field team as a heptathlete from 2008-11. She won the WIAC heptathlon title in 2009 and qualified for the NCAA DIII championships in the heptathlon in 2009 and 2010. She was also named the WIAC Scholar-Athlete for outdoor track and field in 2011.
CHS Home Grown Gophers: Emmett Gerres
Friday, September 05
The Greek Freak of Minnesota
Friday, July 18
Gophers Finish 1-2 in Hammer Throw
Monday, June 16
Mantzouranis Earns NCAA Silver Medal
Thursday, June 12
