Minnesota’s women’s track and field team will send two individuals and one relay team to the NCAA indoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend.
Freshman Heather Dorniden will compete in the 800-meter and the distance medley relay. Dorniden, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, owns the second-best 800 time in the nation this year with a time of 2 minutes, 4.30 seconds.
Dorniden also will run on the distance medley relay team, along with freshman Jamie Cheever, senior Kadian Douglas and junior Emily Brown. Sophomore Ladia Albertson-Junkans is the alternate on the relay team.
Sophomore Liz Roehrig rounds out the Gophers competitors at the NCAA meet. She will compete in the heptathlon after setting the school record in the event while winning the Big Ten title in the event.
Men send three
Minnesota’s men’s track and field team has three athletes competing at the NCAA championship this weekend.
Junior Aaron Buzard will run in the 400. It is Buzard’s first individual NCAA meet, and he enters the event with the third-fastest 400 time this season of the 15 runners entered in the race.
Senior Karl Erickson will look for his fifth All-American citation when he competes in the shot put. Erickson has the seventh-best qualifying throw of the 15 throwers competing.
Junior Adam Schnaible will compete in the weight throw. The event will mark the first NCAA championship appearance of his career.
Sunflower State tourney
Minnesota’s softball team travels to Lawrence, Kan., this weekend for the Jayhawk Classic.
The Gophers (8-9) will face Portland State and Eastern Michigan on Saturday in the Sunflower state, and will close the tournament Sunday against host Kansas.
After losing its first five games of the season, Minnesota has won eight of its past 12 contests.
Men’s tennis to Rice
Minnesota’s men’s tennis team will play Saturday at Rice University in Dallas.
The Gophers (4-7) then will travel to San Francisco where they will take on St. Mary’s, San Francisco and Southern Methodist.
Women in Florida
Minnesota’s women’s tennis team will travel through Florida next week.
The Gophers (3-7) play at Florida International on Monday, at Stetson on March 18 and at Central Florida on March 19.
