University of Minnesota Athletics
2016-17 Men's Track & Field Roster
Owen Hoeft
- Class:
- Freshman
- Position:
- Distance
- Hometown:
- Golden Valley, Minn.
- High School:
- Hopkins HS
| PRONUNCIATION |
2021 Cross Country • Graduate Season: Named team co-captain • named an Academic All-Big Ten honoree • scored for Minnesota in all six of his races • posted a career-best 10K time of 31:09.3 at the NCAA Championships, crossing the line 201st overall and fifth on the team • finished 26th overall and third on the team at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships • at the Big Ten Championships, registered a lifetime-best 5.2 Mile time of 25:25.5 as he placed 20th overall and third for the Gophers • finished 113th overall and fifth on the team at the Nuttycombe Invitational • crossed 35th overall and fourth on the team in the men’s gold 8k race at the Roy Griak Invitational • placed 18th overall and third for the Gophers at the Spiked Shoe Invitational.
2020 Cross Country • Redshirt Senior Season: Named team co-captain • named Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • finished 32nd overall and third on the team in 24:51.5 at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships.
2021 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Named All-Big Ten First Team honoree as Big Ten champion in the mile • named team co-captain • competed at three meets with appearances in the mile, 3,000m, and 5,000m • won Big Ten mile in 4:05.45, finished fifth in the 3,000m in 8:06.17, and paced the 5,000m (did not finish) at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • ran a career-best 4:01.90 during the B1G mile prelims, moving into fifth in Minnesota history • ran a career-best 8:00.83 to place fifth in the 3,000m at the Hawkeye B1G Invitational, moving into eighth in Minnesota history • finished as mile runner-up at the Hawkeye Border Battle • ended the season ranked fifth in the mile (4:01.90) and eighth in the 3,000m (8:00.83) in Minnesota history.
2021 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • finished 27th in the 1,500m (3:46.41) at the NCAA West Prelim • placed sixth in the 1,500m (3:54.37) and paced the 5,000m but did not finish at the Big Ten Championships • ran a career-best 3:42.42 in the 1,500m during the B1G preliminary heats to rank seventh in Minnesota history • ran a season-best 14:00.23 to place ninth in the 5,000m at the Indiana Invite #3 • won the 1,500m at the M City Classic (3:44.20) • ended the season ranked seventh in the 1,500m (3:42.42) among all-time Gophers.
2019 Cross Country • Redshirt Junior Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned third letter in cross country • ran five races • won the season-opening Oz Memorial, covering the four mile course in 20:37.8 • finished third on the team and 35th overall at the Paul Short Run with a career-best 8K time of 24:04.0 • finished third on the team and 112th overall at Pre-Nationals (24:57.0 for 8K) • placed 55th at the Big Ten Championships as the sixth Gopher with an 8K time of 25:08.3 • capped off the season with a 64th-place finish as the fifth Gopher at the NCAA Midwest Regional, posting a 10K time of 32:17.9.
2020 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Junior Season: Named All-American in the distance medley relay • named USTFCCCA All-Academic, Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned third letter in track & field • ran five races • tied for seventh in the mile (4:11.45) and placed ninth in the 3,000 meters (8:20.45) at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • clocked a season-best mile time of 4:05.38 to place sixth at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational • recorded a season-best time of 8:03.77 in the 3,000 meters to place third at the Meyo Invitational • qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the distance medley relay, but the 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 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • competed in five races for the Maroon & Gold while scoring in two competitions • opened the season with a runner-up showing at the Oz Memorial (10:18.5), where he tied his best career finish and helped Minnesota to a team title • finished 62nd at the Griak Invitational (26:05.4) • recorded a season-best 8K time of 25:26.7 to finish 141st at Pre-Nationals • came in 77th at the Big Ten Championships (25:29.7 for 8K) • closed out his season with his debut at the NCAA Midwest Championships where he finished 58th (32:13.6 for 10K) • earned second letter in cross country.
2019 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Competed in five different events during the 2019 indoor season with appearances in the 1,000 meters, mile, 3,000 meters, 4x400-meter relay, and distance medley relay • recorded six top-10 finishes including one event title while posting personal records in three events • ran a new 1,000 meter personal record of 2:27.29 to finish fourth at the Graduate Classic • helped the 4x400-meter relay team to a sixth-place finish in 3:25.43 at the Graduate Classic • posted Minnesota's fastest mile time of the year and a new personal record of 4:05.76 in prelims at the Big Ten Indoor Championships before finishing ninth in the final • ran 9:59.72 as part of a ninth-place performance by the distance medley relay team • Won the men's 3,000 meters at the Power Five Classic behind a new personal record of 8:20.81.
2019 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named USTFCCCA All-Academic, Academic All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar • earned second letter in track & field • competed in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, and 4x1,600-meter relay • recorded four top-10 finishes • won the men's 1,500 meters at the Jim Click Shootout with a time of 3:50.87 • ran the ninth-fastest men's 5,000 meters in program history at Drake Relays, clocking a personal record of 13:54.26 to place third • helped the 4x1,600-meter relay team to a fourth-place finish at Drake Relays, running 16:41.73 • represented the Maroon & Gold in the 5,000 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and the NCAA West Prelim.
2017 Cross Country • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big • competed in three races • opened the season with a 42nd-place finish at the IU Open (26:40.6 for 8K) • set an 8K season-best time of 25:44.7 to place 50th in the open race at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational • closed out the season with an 88th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships (26:10.4 for 8K) • earned first letter in cross country.
2018 Indoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Ran four races • ran a season-best 1:55.40 as 800-meter runner-up at the Snowshow Open • clocked a season-best time of 4:08.75 in the mile to finish 20th at the Iowa State Classic • finished third in the mile at both the Jack Johnson Classic and the Minnesota-Wisconsin Dual.
2018 Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Freshman Season: Named Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned first letter in track & field • ran four races • finished 21st in the 1,500 meters at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships • ran a season-best 3:48.90 in the 1,500 meters at the Cardinal Classic • finished as 1,500-meter runner-up at the Tomcat Twilight • placed 15th in the mile (4:20.17) at the UCLA Events.
2016 Cross Country • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2016 cross country season while competing unattached • opened the year with a 23rd-place showing at the four-mile Oz Memorial (20:59.0) • finished 234th at the Roy Griak Invitational, running 28:15.4 for 8K • closed out the college season with a runner-up finish at the Fall Finale (25:49 for 8K) • finished second at the 2016 Twin Cities 5K (14:57).
2017 Indoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 indoor track & field season • ran four races while competing unattached and picked up three runner-up finishes • ran a season-best 4:15.89 in the mile at the Jack Johnson Classic • earned runner-up finishes in the 1,000 meters (2:29.07) at the UST Showcase, mile (4:16.84) at the Minnesota Open, and 3,000 meters (8:23.55) at the Snowshoe Open.
2017 Outdoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Redshirted the 2017 outdoor track & field season • ran five races while competing unattached • clocked a season-best time of 3:52.62 in the 1,500 meters at the UW-La Crosse Qualifier • ran a season-best 14:27.30 as 5,000-meter runner-up at the Bear Cat Twilight.
High School: A 2016 graduate of Hopkins High School • five-time all-state honoree, earning two awards in cross country and three in track & field • four-time all-conference honoree with two awards each in cross country and track & field • served as captain of the cross country and track & field programs • 10-time letter winner at Hopkins, earning five letters each in cross country and track & field • coached as a prep by Andrea Yesnes, Nick Lovas, and Mike Harris • earned Academic Achievement honors all four years of high school • named Hopkins' 2016 Triple A Award winner.
Personal: Native of Golden Valley, Minn. • son of Carson and Joelle Hoeft • one brother, fellow Gophers runner Eli Hoeft • second generation Gopher as his father Carson was a cross country and track & field athlete for Minnesota who earned All-America honors in the 1,500 meters in 1990 • his most memorable sports experience were winning a state basketball title in seventh grade and competing at Nike Nationals • enjoys fishing, hiking, biking, Frisbee golf, beach volleyball, and basketball • Kinesiology major.
| Hoeft's Cross Country Postseason Appearances | |||
| Year | Big Tens | Midwest Regional | NCAA Championship |
| 2016 | Redshirt | Redshirt | Redshirt |
| 2017 | 88th, 26:10.4 | DNC | DNC |
| 2018 | 77th, 25:29.7 | 58th, 32:13.6 | DNC |
| 2019 | 55th, 25:08.3 | 64th, 32:17.9 | DNC |
| 2020 | 32nd, 24:51.5 | N/A | DNC |
| 2021 | 20th, 25:25.2 | 30th, 31:10.3 | 201st, 31:09.3 |
| Hoeft's Cross Country Career Bests (2021-22 Final) | ||
| Event | Time | Meet (Date) |
| 8K | 24:04.0 | Paul Short Run (10/5/19) |
| 10K | 32:13.6 | NCAA Midwest Regional (11/9/18) |
| 5.2 Mile | 25:25.2 | Big Ten Championships (10/29/21) |
| Finish | 1st | Oz Memorial (9/6/19) |
| Hoeft's Indoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final) | ||
| Event | Mark (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| 800m | 1:55.40 | Snowshoe Open (2/16/18) |
| 1,000m | 2:27.29 | Graduate Classic (1/12/19) |
| Mile | 4:01.90 (AT-5th) | Big Ten Championships (2/26/21) |
| 3,000m | 8:00.83 (AT-8th) | Hawkeye B1G Invitational (2/13/21) |
| Hoeft's Outdoor Career Bests (2020-21 Final) | ||
| Event | Mark (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| 1,500m | 3:42.42 (AT-7th) | Big Ten Championships (5/14/21) |
| Mile | 4:20.17 | Jim Bush/Bob Larsen Invitational (3/31/18) |
| 5,000m | 13:54.26 (AT-9th) | Drake Relays (4/27/19) |
