University of Minnesota Athletics
2019-20 Men's Track & Field Roster
Dawson LaRance
- Class:
- Junior
- Position:
- Mid-Distance
- Hometown:
- Billings, Mont.
- High School:
- Billings Senior HS
| PRONUNCIATION |
2019 Cross Country • Redshirt Sophomore Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • ran three races • placed seventh at the season-opening Oz Memorial, running 21:12.2 for four miles • ran a career-best 25:34.7 for 8K as the second Gopher in 30th overall at the Griak Invitational • finished 25th in the open race at Pre-Nationals, clocking an 8K time of 25:48.0.
2020 Indoor Track & Field • Junior Season: Named All-American in the distance medley relay and Second Team All-Big Ten honoree in the 800 meters • named USTFCCCA All-Academic and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned third letter in track & field • ran nine races with appearances in the 800 meters, mile, 3,000 meters, and 4x400-meter relay • finished as Big Ten runner-up in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 1:49.05 and ran on fourth-place distance medley relay (9:45.43) at the Big Ten Indoor Championships • ran a season-best 4:10.99 in the mile to place fifth at the Jack Johnson Classic • won the 800 meters at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational • placed third in the 3,000 meters in a season-best 8:38.86 at the SDSU Holiday Open • ran on runner-up 4x400-meter relay at the Iowa State Classic • qualified for the NCAA 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 • 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 Freshman Season: Named Academic All-Big Ten honoree • competed in three races for the Gophers while running new 8K personal records twice • opened the season with a 14th-place finish at the Oz Memorial (21:18.5 for four miles) • finished 69th at the Griak Invitational (26:12.5 for 8K) • closed out the season with an eighth-place performance at the Fall Finale, setting an 8K career-best time of 25:57.
2019 Indoor Track & Field • Sophomore Season: Competed in five events, making appearances in the 800 meters, 1,000 meters, mile, 4x400-meter relay, and distance medley relay • recorded seven top-10 finishes • ran a season-best 1:52.74 to finish sixth in the 800 meters at the Wieczorek Invitational • posted a personal record of 2:26.24 with Minnesota's fastest 1,000 meters of the season, finishing third in the 1,000 meters at the Graduate Classic • ran fastest mile of the year at the Iowa State Classic with a season-best time of 4:09.83 • fastest 4x400-meter relay of the year came at the Power Five Invitational when the Gophers clocked a time of 3:17.71 • ran on runner-up 4x400-meter relay at the Jack Johnson Classic • finished ninth in the distance medley relay at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with a time of 9:59.72.
2019 Outdoor Track & Field • Sophomore Season: Named USTFCCCA All-Academic and Academic All-Big Ten honoree • earned second letter in track & field • competed in five events with appearances in the 800 meters, 1,500 meters, 4x400-meter relay, 4x800-meter relay, and 4x1,600-meter relay • recorded seven top-10 finishes for the Maroon & Gold • clocked Minnesota's fastest 800 meters of the season, running 1:48.84 as runner-up at the Jim Click Shootout • scored for the Gophers at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships with a seventh-place finish in the 800 meters (1:49.91) • finished 40th in the 800 meters at the NCAA West Preliminary (1:51.89) • posted a pair of top-10 finishes at Drake Relays, helping the 4x1,600-meter relay to a fourth-place finish (16:41.73) and the 4x800-meter relay to a fifth-place showing (7:26.42).
2017 Cross Country • Freshman Season: Did not compete.
2018 Indoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Ran 1:50.00 in the 800 meters at the Power 5 Invitational, ranking 10th all-time at Minnesota • represented the Gophers at the Big Ten Indoor Championships.
2018 Outdoor Track & Field • Freshman Season: Named USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree • won the 800 meters at UCLA's Jim Bush Legends Invitational • made Big Ten Outdoor Championships and NCAA West Prelim debuts • earned first letter in track & field.
High School: A 2017 graduate of Billings Senior High School • the 2017 Montana Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year • a four-time individual Montana Class AA state champion • won three state titles as a senior with titles in the 4x400-meter relay and 1,600 meters along with repeating in 800 meters • his state championship in the 800 meters as a senior (1:50.22) broke a 31-year old Montana state record • Billings Senior also set a Montana Class AA record in the 4x400 (3:18.01) • a 2017 Second Team All-American (MileSplit), a four-year all-state and all-conference honoree • holds school records for 800 meters (1:50.22), 1,600 meters (4:15.31), and 4x400-meter relay (3:18.01) • earned Academic All-State honors for track and cross country • a 12-time letter winner (four in track, four in cross country, four in choir) • competed as a prep for Sarah Lord and T.J. Umemoto • won 800 meter titles on the national circuit in 2017 at the Simplot Games and the Brooks PR Invitational.
Personal: Son of Randy and Jill LaRance • has one sister, Elizabeth • Political Science and Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance major • lists breaking the 31-year old Montana 800-meter record and winning the Brooks PR 800 meters as his most memorable sports thrills • enjoys trying new foods, meeting new people, listening to music, and hanging out with friends.
| LaRance's Cross Country Career Bests | ||
| Event | Time | Meet (Date) |
| 8K | 25:34.7 | Roy Griak Invitational (9/28/19) |
| 10K | --- | --- |
| LaRance's Indoor Career Bests (2020 Final) | ||
| Event | Mark (All-Time Rank) | Meet (Date) |
| 600m | 1:19.86 | Jim Emmerich Alumni Invite (1/20/18) |
| 800m | 1:49.05 (AT-8th) | Big Ten Championships (2/29/20) |
| 1000m | 2:26.24 | Graduate Classic (1/12/19) |
| Mile | 4:09.83 | Iowa State Classic (2/9/19) |
| 3000m | 8:38.86 | SDSU Holiday Invite (12/7/19) |
| LaRance's Outdoor Career Bests (2020 Final) | ||
| Event | Mark | Meet (Date) |
| 800m | 1:48.84 | Jim Click Shootout (4/6/19) |
| 1500m | 3:53.55 | Stanford Invitational (3/30/19) |
