Throughout the 2024-25 school year, Ali Weimer participated in five different championship meets, but the beginning of summer may have been the most unforgettable. 

The distance runner graduated with high distinction, earning her Bachelor of Science in Sociology, and then broke her school record a month later at the NCAA Championships.

An impressive running career is never what Weimer expected. She said she never ran track or cross country until seventh grade. 

She played soccer and hockey, but found a natural enjoyment in running.

“I don’t know how in the world I thought running far was gonna be revolutionary or life changing,” Weimer said. “When they made us run at practice, everyone was like, I’m dreading it. And I’m like, this is awesome.”

Weimer excelled in cross country throughout high school. The Minnesota native went to Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Saint Michael, only 30 minutes from the Twin Cities.

In 2021, Weimer won the Minnesota State Championship for cross country, as well as the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year for her athletic ability, as well as academic merit and volunteer work.

Weimer’s high school coach, Matt Venaas, at the time, told Gatorade that Weimer’s strategic understanding of running was impressive.

“An incredible runner and positive leader for our team,” Venaas said. “She does an excellent job understanding how she can run her best race that day.”

When Weimer started running with the Gophers, the leadership on the track and cross country teams consisted of many graduate students who helped guide her and grow her skill.

“I think that the older girls have done a great job of just kind of raising me up and raising the girls in my grade and raising the younger generations,” Weimer said.

In 2022, she was the unanimous Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year, the first Gophers runner to achieve the title since 2000.

Though Weimer has competed in cross country since she joined the Gophers, her track and field career did not start officially until 2024. She spent the 2023 season as a redshirt. 

Weimer said cross country is her “bread and butter,” and it was evident in her performances throughout the season, consistently finishing first among her teammates.

After missing the NCAA National Championship for cross country in 2023, the Gophers finished 18th this year. Weimer mentioned that their successful cross-country season gave her confidence going into the track and field season.

“I want to be scoring at the Big Ten meet,” Weimer said. “I want to do it for the team, if records come with that or best times come with that, then that is great.”

Weimer said this after coming up short at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. At the next meet she competed in, she broke the school record for the 10,000 meter run.

It was consistent growth from there, breaking her personal best in the 5k, placing fourth at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and then qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

At the NCAA Championships, she broke her own 10k school record once again.

Teammate graduate student Emma Atkinson said in October that Weimer was going to be successful and was sure she would become an All-American this year.

After the NCAA Championships, Weimer earned second-team All-American. Her 15th place finish in the 10k was the second-highest in Gophers’ history.

With more years of eligibility, Weimer’s career with the Gophers is not over yet, as she will be back next season as a graduate student.

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, Ali Weimer participated in five different championship meets, but the beginning of summer may have been the most unforgettable. 

The distance runner graduated with high distinction, earning her Bachelor of Science in Sociology, and then broke her school record a month later at the NCAA Championships.

An impressive running career is never what Weimer expected. She said she never ran track or cross country until seventh grade. 

She played soccer and hockey, but found a natural enjoyment in running.

“I don’t know how in the world I thought running far was gonna be revolutionary or life changing,” Weimer said. “When they made us run at practice, everyone was like, I’m dreading it. And I’m like, this is awesome.”

Weimer excelled in cross country throughout high school. The Minnesota native went to Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Saint Michael, only 30 minutes from the Twin Cities.

In 2021, Weimer won the Minnesota State Championship for cross country, as well as the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year for her athletic ability, as well as academic merit and volunteer work.

Weimer’s high school coach, Matt Venaas, at the time, told Gatorade that Weimer’s strategic understanding of running was impressive.

“An incredible runner and positive leader for our team,” Venaas said. “She does an excellent job understanding how she can run her best race that day.”

When Weimer started running with the Gophers, the leadership on the track and cross country teams consisted of many graduate students who helped guide her and grow her skill.

“I think that the older girls have done a great job of just kind of raising me up and raising the girls in my grade and raising the younger generations,” Weimer said.

In 2022, she was the unanimous Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year, the first Gophers runner to achieve the title since 2000.

Though Weimer has competed in cross country since she joined the Gophers, her track and field career did not start officially until 2024. She spent the 2023 season as a redshirt. 

Weimer said cross country is her “bread and butter,” and it was evident in her performances throughout the season, consistently finishing first among her teammates.

After missing the NCAA National Championship for cross country in 2023, the Gophers finished 18th this year. Weimer mentioned that their successful cross-country season gave her confidence going into the track and field season.

“I want to be scoring at the Big Ten meet,” Weimer said. “I want to do it for the team, if records come with that or best times come with that, then that is great.”

Weimer said this after coming up short at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. At the next meet she competed in, she broke the school record for the 10,000 meter run.

It was consistent growth from there, breaking her personal best in the 5k, placing fourth at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and then qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

At the NCAA Championships, she broke her own 10k school record once again.

Teammate graduate student Emma Atkinson said in October that Weimer was going to be successful and was sure she would become an All-American this year.

After the NCAA Championships, Weimer earned second-team All-American. Her 15th place finish in the 10k was the second-highest in Gophers’ history.

With more years of eligibility, Weimer’s career with the Gophers is not over yet, as she will be back next season as a graduate student.

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, Ali Weimer participated in five different championship meets, but the beginning of summer may have been the most unforgettable. 

The distance runner graduated with high distinction, earning her Bachelor of Science in Sociology, and then broke her school record a month later at the NCAA Championships.

An impressive running career is never what Weimer expected. She said she never ran track or cross country until seventh grade. 

She played soccer and hockey, but found a natural enjoyment in running.

“I don’t know how in the world I thought running far was gonna be revolutionary or life changing,” Weimer said. “When they made us run at practice, everyone was like, I’m dreading it. And I’m like, this is awesome.”

Weimer excelled in cross country throughout high school. The Minnesota native went to Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Saint Michael, only 30 minutes from the Twin Cities.

In 2021, Weimer won the Minnesota State Championship for cross country, as well as the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year for her athletic ability, as well as academic merit and volunteer work.

Weimer’s high school coach, Matt Venaas, at the time, told Gatorade that Weimer’s strategic understanding of running was impressive.

“An incredible runner and positive leader for our team,” Venaas said. “She does an excellent job understanding how she can run her best race that day.”

When Weimer started running with the Gophers, the leadership on the track and cross country teams consisted of many graduate students who helped guide her and grow her skill.

“I think that the older girls have done a great job of just kind of raising me up and raising the girls in my grade and raising the younger generations,” Weimer said.

In 2022, she was the unanimous Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year, the first Gophers runner to achieve the title since 2000.

Though Weimer has competed in cross country since she joined the Gophers, her track and field career did not start officially until 2024. She spent the 2023 season as a redshirt. 

Weimer said cross country is her “bread and butter,” and it was evident in her performances throughout the season, consistently finishing first among her teammates.

After missing the NCAA National Championship for cross country in 2023, the Gophers finished 18th this year. Weimer mentioned that their successful cross-country season gave her confidence going into the track and field season.

“I want to be scoring at the Big Ten meet,” Weimer said. “I want to do it for the team, if records come with that or best times come with that, then that is great.”

Weimer said this after coming up short at the Big Ten Indoor Championships. At the next meet she competed in, she broke the school record for the 10,000 meter run.

It was consistent growth from there, breaking her personal best in the 5k, placing fourth at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships and then qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

At the NCAA Championships, she broke her own 10k school record once again.

Teammate graduate student Emma Atkinson said in October that Weimer was going to be successful and was sure she would become an All-American this year.

After the NCAA Championships, Weimer earned second-team All-American. Her 15th place finish in the 10k was the second-highest in Gophers’ history.

With more years of eligibility, Weimer’s career with the Gophers is not over yet, as she will be back next season as a graduate student.

Though the Gophers expressed disappointment after missing the NCAA March Madness, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament win last season meant that there was no need to overhaul the program.

The starting five of junior Grace Grocholski, senior Amaya Battle, sophomore Tori McKinney, graduate student Sophie Hart and senior Mallory Heyer proved they had good chemistry and could win together under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, despite injury absences from junior Mara Braun.

Plitzuweit was hired by the Gophers in 2023, and under her leadership, the Gophers reached back-to-back invitation tournaments, winning this past year. Though they have yet to make it to the NCAA March Madness under Plitzuweit, they are the closest they have been in years.

Plitzuweit led the team to a 25-win season, the best record since the 2004-2005 season, and her success guaranteed her a new contract extension. Minnesota showed that they have the utmost trust in her and her coaching style by extending her until 2031. 

Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said they have high expectations for Plitzuweit and trust her to lead the program.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” said Coyle. “She is a terrific coach and recruiter, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development.”

Coyle added that he looks forward to having Plitzuweit at the helm for years to come. 

There is hope the Gophers can make the push into March Madness this year with Braun returning from foot injuries that cut her season short the past two years.

In addition to Braun’s return, the Gophers added two incoming freshmen and three transfer students. The transfer students are all finishing their eligibility and will help build bench depth for the Gophers.

Sisters Tracey and Zoey Bershers will join the team for the 2025-26 season. Tracey Bershers will finish her college career with the Gophers, while Zoey Bershers begins hers.

In a recent press release, Tracey Bershers highlighted how playing with her sister was a big reason why she signed in Minnesota. 

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity to play alongside my little sister in my final year,” Tracey Bershers said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The only other freshman to join the team next semester will be guard Makena Christian. Christian averaged 25 points a game, along with almost 10 rebounds in high school. 

Christian signed in February of 2024, the first of the recruits. Other recruits include graduate students Finau Tonga from San Jose State University and Brylee Glenn from Kansas State University. 

In an interview with B1G Today after the WBIT win, Plizuweit said that the ceiling is higher for them now because of their experience as a team.

“I think our young ladies understand now at an even higher level the urgency, the relentlessness, the discipline that it takes to be successful in this now biggest, best conference, I think ever in the history of women’s college basketball,” Plizuweit said. “I truly believe that our players are hungry to get better.”

In the same interview, Plitzuweit said her favorite moment of the season was in June, when their main priority was team bonding and all of the things they do together outside of basketball.

Though the Gophers expressed disappointment after missing the NCAA March Madness, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament win last season meant that there was no need to overhaul the program.

The starting five of junior Grace Grocholski, senior Amaya Battle, sophomore Tori McKinney, graduate student Sophie Hart and senior Mallory Heyer proved they had good chemistry and could win together under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, despite injury absences from junior Mara Braun.

Plitzuweit was hired by the Gophers in 2023, and under her leadership, the Gophers reached back-to-back invitation tournaments, winning this past year. Though they have yet to make it to the NCAA March Madness under Plitzuweit, they are the closest they have been in years.

Plitzuweit led the team to a 25-win season, the best record since the 2004-2005 season, and her success guaranteed her a new contract extension. Minnesota showed that they have the utmost trust in her and her coaching style by extending her until 2031. 

Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said they have high expectations for Plitzuweit and trust her to lead the program.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” said Coyle. “She is a terrific coach and recruiter, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development.”

Coyle added that he looks forward to having Plitzuweit at the helm for years to come. 

There is hope the Gophers can make the push into March Madness this year with Braun returning from foot injuries that cut her season short the past two years.

In addition to Braun’s return, the Gophers added two incoming freshmen and three transfer students. The transfer students are all finishing their eligibility and will help build bench depth for the Gophers.

Sisters Tracey and Zoey Bershers will join the team for the 2025-26 season. Tracey Bershers will finish her college career with the Gophers, while Zoey Bershers begins hers.

In a recent press release, Tracey Bershers highlighted how playing with her sister was a big reason why she signed in Minnesota. 

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity to play alongside my little sister in my final year,” Tracey Bershers said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The only other freshman to join the team next semester will be guard Makena Christian. Christian averaged 25 points a game, along with almost 10 rebounds in high school. 

Christian signed in February of 2024, the first of the recruits. Other recruits include graduate students Finau Tonga from San Jose State University and Brylee Glenn from Kansas State University. 

In an interview with B1G Today after the WBIT win, Plizuweit said that the ceiling is higher for them now because of their experience as a team.

“I think our young ladies understand now at an even higher level the urgency, the relentlessness, the discipline that it takes to be successful in this now biggest, best conference, I think ever in the history of women’s college basketball,” Plizuweit said. “I truly believe that our players are hungry to get better.”

In the same interview, Plitzuweit said her favorite moment of the season was in June, when their main priority was team bonding and all of the things they do together outside of basketball.

Though the Gophers expressed disappointment after missing the NCAA March Madness, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament win last season meant that there was no need to overhaul the program.

The starting five of junior Grace Grocholski, senior Amaya Battle, sophomore Tori McKinney, graduate student Sophie Hart and senior Mallory Heyer proved they had good chemistry and could win together under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, despite injury absences from junior Mara Braun.

Plitzuweit was hired by the Gophers in 2023, and under her leadership, the Gophers reached back-to-back invitation tournaments, winning this past year. Though they have yet to make it to the NCAA March Madness under Plitzuweit, they are the closest they have been in years.

Plitzuweit led the team to a 25-win season, the best record since the 2004-2005 season, and her success guaranteed her a new contract extension. Minnesota showed that they have the utmost trust in her and her coaching style by extending her until 2031. 

Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said they have high expectations for Plitzuweit and trust her to lead the program.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” said Coyle. “She is a terrific coach and recruiter, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development.”

Coyle added that he looks forward to having Plitzuweit at the helm for years to come. 

There is hope the Gophers can make the push into March Madness this year with Braun returning from foot injuries that cut her season short the past two years.

In addition to Braun’s return, the Gophers added two incoming freshmen and three transfer students. The transfer students are all finishing their eligibility and will help build bench depth for the Gophers.

Sisters Tracey and Zoey Bershers will join the team for the 2025-26 season. Tracey Bershers will finish her college career with the Gophers, while Zoey Bershers begins hers.

In a recent press release, Tracey Bershers highlighted how playing with her sister was a big reason why she signed in Minnesota. 

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity to play alongside my little sister in my final year,” Tracey Bershers said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The only other freshman to join the team next semester will be guard Makena Christian. Christian averaged 25 points a game, along with almost 10 rebounds in high school. 

Christian signed in February of 2024, the first of the recruits. Other recruits include graduate students Finau Tonga from San Jose State University and Brylee Glenn from Kansas State University. 

In an interview with B1G Today after the WBIT win, Plizuweit said that the ceiling is higher for them now because of their experience as a team.

“I think our young ladies understand now at an even higher level the urgency, the relentlessness, the discipline that it takes to be successful in this now biggest, best conference, I think ever in the history of women’s college basketball,” Plizuweit said. “I truly believe that our players are hungry to get better.”

In the same interview, Plitzuweit said her favorite moment of the season was in June, when their main priority was team bonding and all of the things they do together outside of basketball.

Though the Gophers expressed disappointment after missing the NCAA March Madness, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament win last season meant that there was no need to overhaul the program.

The starting five of junior Grace Grocholski, senior Amaya Battle, sophomore Tori McKinney, graduate student Sophie Hart and senior Mallory Heyer proved they had good chemistry and could win together under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, despite injury absences from junior Mara Braun.

Plitzuweit was hired by the Gophers in 2023, and under her leadership, the Gophers reached back-to-back invitation tournaments, winning this past year. Though they have yet to make it to the NCAA March Madness under Plitzuweit, they are the closest they have been in years.

Plitzuweit led the team to a 25-win season, the best record since the 2004-2005 season, and her success guaranteed her a new contract extension. Minnesota showed that they have the utmost trust in her and her coaching style by extending her until 2031. 

Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said they have high expectations for Plitzuweit and trust her to lead the program.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” said Coyle. “She is a terrific coach and recruiter, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development.”

Coyle added that he looks forward to having Plitzuweit at the helm for years to come. 

There is hope the Gophers can make the push into March Madness this year with Braun returning from foot injuries that cut her season short the past two years.

In addition to Braun’s return, the Gophers added two incoming freshmen and three transfer students. The transfer students are all finishing their eligibility and will help build bench depth for the Gophers.

Sisters Tracey and Zoey Bershers will join the team for the 2025-26 season. Tracey Bershers will finish her college career with the Gophers, while Zoey Bershers begins hers.

In a recent press release, Tracey Bershers highlighted how playing with her sister was a big reason why she signed in Minnesota. 

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity to play alongside my little sister in my final year,” Tracey Bershers said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The only other freshman to join the team next semester will be guard Makena Christian. Christian averaged 25 points a game, along with almost 10 rebounds in high school. 

Christian signed in February of 2024, the first of the recruits. Other recruits include graduate students Finau Tonga from San Jose State University and Brylee Glenn from Kansas State University. 

In an interview with B1G Today after the WBIT win, Plizuweit said that the ceiling is higher for them now because of their experience as a team.

“I think our young ladies understand now at an even higher level the urgency, the relentlessness, the discipline that it takes to be successful in this now biggest, best conference, I think ever in the history of women’s college basketball,” Plizuweit said. “I truly believe that our players are hungry to get better.”

In the same interview, Plitzuweit said her favorite moment of the season was in June, when their main priority was team bonding and all of the things they do together outside of basketball.

Though the Gophers expressed disappointment after missing the NCAA March Madness, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament win last season meant that there was no need to overhaul the program.

The starting five of junior Grace Grocholski, senior Amaya Battle, sophomore Tori McKinney, graduate student Sophie Hart and senior Mallory Heyer proved they had good chemistry and could win together under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit, despite injury absences from junior Mara Braun.

Plitzuweit was hired by the Gophers in 2023, and under her leadership, the Gophers reached back-to-back invitation tournaments, winning this past year. Though they have yet to make it to the NCAA March Madness under Plitzuweit, they are the closest they have been in years.

Plitzuweit led the team to a 25-win season, the best record since the 2004-2005 season, and her success guaranteed her a new contract extension. Minnesota showed that they have the utmost trust in her and her coaching style by extending her until 2031. 

Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said they have high expectations for Plitzuweit and trust her to lead the program.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” said Coyle. “She is a terrific coach and recruiter, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development.”

Coyle added that he looks forward to having Plitzuweit at the helm for years to come. 

There is hope the Gophers can make the push into March Madness this year with Braun returning from foot injuries that cut her season short the past two years.

In addition to Braun’s return, the Gophers added two incoming freshmen and three transfer students. The transfer students are all finishing their eligibility and will help build bench depth for the Gophers.

Sisters Tracey and Zoey Bershers will join the team for the 2025-26 season. Tracey Bershers will finish her college career with the Gophers, while Zoey Bershers begins hers.

In a recent press release, Tracey Bershers highlighted how playing with her sister was a big reason why she signed in Minnesota. 

“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity to play alongside my little sister in my final year,” Tracey Bershers said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up, and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The only other freshman to join the team next semester will be guard Makena Christian. Christian averaged 25 points a game, along with almost 10 rebounds in high school. 

Christian signed in February of 2024, the first of the recruits. Other recruits include graduate students Finau Tonga from San Jose State University and Brylee Glenn from Kansas State University. 

In an interview with B1G Today after the WBIT win, Plizuweit said that the ceiling is higher for them now because of their experience as a team.

“I think our young ladies understand now at an even higher level the urgency, the relentlessness, the discipline that it takes to be successful in this now biggest, best conference, I think ever in the history of women’s college basketball,” Plizuweit said. “I truly believe that our players are hungry to get better.”

In the same interview, Plitzuweit said her favorite moment of the season was in June, when their main priority was team bonding and all of the things they do together outside of basketball.

The House v. NCAA settlement was approved on June 13, and in its simplest terms, it means that colleges can now directly pay their student-athletes.

In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting student-athlete compensation was a violation of antitrust laws. Name, image and likeness, or NIL, was established following the ruling. 

NIL allows for students to profit off of their likeness, however, the money had to come from companies outside of the college. It was the NCAA’s last attempt to keep pretending college sports were not professional and at the amateur level.

In a letter from NCAA President Charlie Baker, he said the new settlement will bring more stability to college sports that was not there due to the initial NIL ruling.

“For several years, Division I members crafted well-intentioned rules and systems to govern financial benefits from schools and name, image and likeness opportunities, but the NCAA could not easily enforce these for several reasons,” Baker wrote. “The result was a sense of chaos.” 

The letter then outlines more details of the settlement, such as the $20.5 million that Division I schools have to distribute among their student-athletes. The ruling will last 10 years, and the initial amount is expected to go up as time passes.

Dan Wetzel of ESPN wrote that the money handed out will most likely go straight to football and men’s basketball.

“One rough initial estimate within the industry is that 75% of the $20.5 million will get allocated to football players, 15% to men’s basketball, 5% to women’s basketball,” Wetzel wrote. “And 5% to other sports — softball, volleyball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse or whatever specific sport a school prioritizes.”

Wetzel uses this estimate because football and men’s basketball typically bring in the most money for a school.

Minnesota, like the majority of schools, has made it clear that football and men’s basketball are a priority, especially with the recent firing of men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson and P.J. Fleck’s $6.7 million salary.

However, Minnesota always prioritized hockey as well. With nearly 125 skaters sent to the NHL, the estimate of 5% to hockey will likely not cut it.  

This is the reality for other Big Ten teams. Ohio State University put $20 million into their football team last year alone and is already trying to figure out how to get around the budget with “over-the-cap” NIL deals, according to The Athletic.

The NCAA expected this and set up the College Sports Commission. Every NIL deal over $600 must be cleared with the commission. 

The commission is there to make sure that colleges adhere to the new guidelines and deal out punishments if they do not. 

The ruling allows money to start being handed out as early as July 1 and accounts for athletes who never saw a dime during their time playing in college.

ESPN reported that $2.8 billion will be allocated to student-athletes who started playing in 2016 or later and never saw money for their likeness being used. The limited amount of money is projected to mainly be divided between college football and men’s basketball stars.

The landscape of college sports will now be changed forever, but this will likely not be the final answer to the question of how to pay student-athletes. 

Cal Stein, a sports lawyer interviewed by The Athletic, said that the NCAA made their job even more difficult, and the chaos and lawsuits created by NIL are not remedied yet.

“The House settlement started with the goal of the NCAA putting an end to the losses it has taken in these litigations,” Stein said. “The great irony is that it’s really going to lead to more lawsuits.”

The NCAA Championships ended in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field on Saturday, along with the track and field season. 

The Gophers men finished seventh, their highest finish since 1948. The Gopher women did not have enough athletes in attendance to place as a team, but they saw good performances from redshirt sophomore Ali Weimer and graduate student Dyandra Gray.

Weimer became the first female Gopher runner to run the 10K in under 33 minutes. Her performance at the NCAA Championships broke her own school record that she set back in February. 

Earlier in the season, after Weimer set her first school record, she mentioned how special it was to her.

“The school record is kind of life-changing in its own way just because we’ve had so many great women come through our program,” Weimer said. “To be able to compete with those names and represent yourself in a way too.”

Gray placed 22nd in the 400 meter hurdles to end her career with the Gophers, but earned her first-ever All-American finish in her career. She is only the third from the Gophers women’s track and field team to do so in the 400 meter hurdles.

The men’s track and field team earned the most points from Greek hammer throwers graduate student Kostas Zaltos and sophomore Angelos Mantzouranis.

The two hammer throwers once again had a 1-2 finish. Zaltos took first, with his first and last NCAA gold medal. 

In an interview with KSTP before the championships, Zaltos said that he was not too worried about the competition at the NCAA Championships.

“The results are talking by themselves,” Zaltos said. “We are already doing the best.”

After Zaltos claimed the gold medal, he reaffirmed what he already knew to be true.

“Today I had the best series of my career,” Zaltos said. “I’ll take that. I am excited for the future. (Angelos and I) are the best duo of all-time in NCAA history. We are very excited about that.”

Zaltos threw a lifetime best at his final meet with the Gophers at 78.08 meters. 

Mantzouranis said in an interview after his performance that he felt like it was not his day, after throwing 77.96 meters and winning silver, only 0.65 meters shorter than his personal best.

Other notable performances came from sophomore Charles Godfred, who placed fourth in the long jump, and the 4×100-meter relay team, which earned seventh place, as well as first-team All-American honors.

The Big Ten champion relay team was able to finish a program-best seventh, even with an injury to senior Devin Augustine in the last stretch of the race, which forced him to slow down.