The Gophers men's track and field team earned its first No. 1 team ranking in school history following another stellar showing at national events last week.
Gophers men's track and field earns first No. 1 ranking in program history
Minnesota has four athletes ranked No. 1 nationally, which led to the top team ranking from the coaches association.
March 27, 2023 at 8:30PM
The U.S. Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association announced the Gophers on top of the team rankings on Monday since they currently have four athletes No. 1 in their events nationally. No other team has more than one.
The Gophers compete in outdoor track but haven't competed in indoor track since the indoor program was cut following the 2021 season.
The top individuals in the country for the Gophers are sprinters Kion Benjamin (100 meters) and Devin Augustine (200 meters), Matthew Wilkinson (3000-meter steeplechase) and thrower Isaiah Schafer (shot put). Hammer thrower Kostas Zaltos and pole vaulter Jak Urlacher are ranked second and third in the nation as of Monday, respectively.
On Friday, Augustine broke his own 200-meter school record with a time of 20.49 seconds at the Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State. His previous best time was 20.60 on March 4.
Also in North Carolina, the All-America Wilkinson finished runner-up in the 3000-meter steeplechase event on Thursday. He had the top college time at the meet at 8 minutes, 29.35 seconds.
At the Clyde Hart Classic at Baylor, Zaltos won the hammer throw event by setting a lifetime best mark of 240 feet, 8 inches. That distance ranks No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 15 in the world this year.
Benjamin also posted his collegiate career-best mark in Waco, Texas, by winning the 100-meters in 10.13 seconds, which ranks No. 1 in the NCAA this season.
The Gophers had never been ranked in the top 10 during the regular season before Monday.
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