Minnesota’s volleyball team is looking for a new assistant coach after Kim Kumfer left the program to move back to the Washington, D.C. area.
According to assistant coach Brian Heffernan, Kumfer left the team for personal reasons. She coached one year with the Gophers.
Kumfer previously held an assistant coaching position at American University in Washington, D.C. from 1996-99.
The coaching staff hopes to name a replacement by early to mid-June.
“It’s sad to see her go,” outside hitter Cassie Busse said. “But we are happy for her and the reasons she is going.
“We have had meetings and coach (Mike) Hebert said he is looking for the team’s input in the decision of a new coach.”
-Brian Hall, Staff Reporter
Women’s track
Minnesota’s women’s track and field team broke two school records, two meet records and won three events at the Iowa Twilight last Saturday to place third as a team with 87 points. Missouri won the event with 118.3 points.
Tahesia Harrigan broke the school and meet records in the 100-meter dash, sprinting the
distance in just 11.41 seconds. Harrigan’s time is currently the sixth-fastest mark in the nation.
The sophomore paved the way all day as she anchored the winning 4×100-meter relay team of Shannaine Osbourne, Shani Marks and Melissa Woltman, who broke school and meet records with their time of 45.43 seconds.
Harrigan also anchored the victorious 4×400-meter relay squad, including Marks, Amber Day and Allyson DeVries, who won the event in 3:45.64. Topping off the day’s events, she placed fourth in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 19-feet, 1 1/2-inches, the fifth-best long jump in Minnesota history.
Also ranking a personal-best mark was Osbourne, who placed fifth in the 100-meter dash, running a time of 11.74 seconds, the
third-fastest time in Gopher history. Osbourne also finished third in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 19-feet, 4-inches, ranking fourth-best in school history.
Darja Vasiljeva placed second in the 1,500-meter run with a personal- best time of 4:29.66, the ninth-best time in Minnesota history. Marks finished second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.95 seconds, while newcomer Zoe Nagell placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a personal-best time of 11:24.68.
Jumper Amanda Sullivan finished tied for fifth place in the high jump when she leapt to a personal-best height of 5-feet, 6 1/2-inches, the sixth-best Gopher high jump.
Up next, the Gophers host the Minnesota Qualifier on Saturday, May 11 at 4 p.m. at the Bierman Track and Field Complex.
Elzen awarded
University senior wrestler Owen Elzen has been awarded a $5,000 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for part-time or full-time postgraduate study.
Elzen, a two-time All-American, was one of 58 winter sports athletes (29 men and 29 women) to earn the significant honor. Elzen has been accepted into the University’s
postgraduate accelerated
nursing program.
To qualify for the award, a student-athlete must have an overall GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated.
The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics.
The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.
Elzen, a native of Eyota, Minn., maintained a 3.4 GPA with his major, health and wellness. He was a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-American, a four-time University Scholar-Athlete and member of the Academic All-Big Ten team, and the recipient of the 2000-01 Academic Counseling and Student Services Outstanding Achievement Award.
Elzen, the 197-pound, 2002 Big Ten Champion, placed third and fourth at the 2001 and 2002 NCAA championships, respectively.
