Senior Obsa Ali of the Gophers finished second in his heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Wednesday at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas, to earn a spot in Friday's final.
Ali, whose time was 8 minutes, 54.11 seconds, is the defending champion in the event. Teammate Alec Basten placed 14th (8:56.26) in the same event and did not advance. Kieran McKeag, another Gopher, placed 14th in the hammer throw (221 feet, 9 inches).
Gophers men's hockey schedule released
A visit from the defending national champs, a home series against rival North Dakota and a Mariucci Classic tournament with an all-Minnesota field are among the highlights of the 2019-20 Gophers men's hockey schedule announced Wednesday.
The 34-game regular season begins Oct. 10-11 with a trip to Colorado College. The home schedule opens Oct. 18-19 against Niagara before the Gophers play a home-and-home series against two-time defending NCAA champion Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs visit 3M Arena at Mariucci on Friday, Oct. 25, then the Gophers make the trip to the Twin Ports the following day.
North Dakota comes to Mariucci on Nov. 28 and 29.
Minnesota plays Bemidji State on the first day of the Mariucci Classic on Dec. 28. The other matchup that day is St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State Mankato.
RANDY JOHNSON
Whitecaps re-sign goalie Leveille
Goalie Amanda Leveille, who helped lead the Minnesota Whitecaps to the NWHL championship last season, re-signed with the club for the 2019-20 season. Leveille also won three NCAA championships with the Gophers.
