The final event of the 2023-24 Sports season kicks off Wednesday
The final sporting event of the 2023-24 season is finally here. The season started back in August with the Gopher soccer team hitting the pitch, and will come to a close this weekend as the Minnesota Golden Gophers send ten entries to the 2024 NCAA track and Field Championships at historic Hayward Field in Eugene Oregon. The Gopher men have three athletes looking to bring home some hardware, while the Gopher women have fine individuals and a relay to try and win their first ever NCAA Outdoor event championship.
The Gophers are sending 10 or more entries for the fourth straight season to the NCAA Championships. Minnesota’s last outdoor individual championship came in 2018 when Obsa Ali won the 3000m steeplechase. The men have won a total of 10 NCAA individual outdoor championships while the women are still searching for their first outdoor individual title. Minnesota’s highest team finish on the men’s side is first back in 1948 and the women have finished 18th three times with the last being in 2009. The men’s highest team finish in the last 50 years is ninth, which they have done twice, with the last being in 2003.
Action kicks off for a trio of Gophers on Wednesday. It may be Minnesota’s best shot at an individual title as well with a pir of freshman leading the way. Freshman thrower Angelos Mantzouranis goes in the men’s Hammer Throw finals at 4 PM Central. He has the third longest throw in the nation this season and is the Big Ten Champion. Charles Godfred goes in the men’s long jump final at 8 PM central. He also as the third longest leap in the nation this season. Rounding out the evening will be Gopher sprinter Devin Augustine who runs his heat in the semifinals of the Men’s 200 meters at 8;44 Central time.
Thursday is when we first see the Gopher women hit the track. Senior Shelby Frank will look to cap off her career in the women’s Hammer throw final at 5 Pm central. Frank ranks in the top ten in the nation in the hammer. She will be followed by Minnesota’s 4×100 meter relay running their semifinal heat at 7;32 PM Central. The team of Odelle Frye, Victory Godah, Zariyah Black and Alliyah McNeil ran the second fastest time in school history in the regionals to qualify. Redshirt Freshman Zoie Dundon will take to the women’s 3000m steeplechase semifinal at 8:02 Central. She will be followed by Frye who competes in the women’s 100 meter semis at 8:46 Central, and the night is capped off by freshman Annette Nabwe in the women’s shot put final at 9:40 central.
Friday is the men’s track finals. Augustine if he qualifies will run in the 200 meter finals at 9:37 central.
Saturday finishes up the women’s competition. The Gophers are guaranteed to have two competitors compete as Frank will throw in the women;s discus finals at 4:05 P central and Diara Sow will go in the women’s triple jump finals at 4:50 PM Central. The Gophers could have three other races if they advance through the semifinals on Thursday in the 4×100 relay final 4:32 central, the steeplechase final at 4:54 PM and the women’s 100 meter final at 5:22 PM.
ESPN 2 will have live coverage Wednesday through Friday beginning at 6:30 Wednesday, 7:30 Thursday and 8 on Friday. The coverage moves to ESPN Saturday beginning at 4:30. All individual events will stream live on WatchESPN as well.
Good luck to the Gophers as they close out the 2023-24 athletic season.