There are many reasons to redshirt, and Minnesota’s track and field coaching staff is well aware it can be a difficult decision. 

NCAA athletes tend to redshirt based on injury status, personal development or academic transitioning. 

“When you’re older, it’s hard to redshirt,” Minnesota’s throws coach Peter Miller said. “It’s easy to redshirt when you’re a freshman and don’t know any better.” 

Deciding to redshirt from the onset of a collegiate athletics career poses its own challenges. 

Big Ten family tradition continues with Jordan Dunigan 

Having another family member compete athletically in Big Ten schools is impressive. Having six, like thrower Jordan Dunigan, is practically unheard of. 

Recently, Dunigan’s cousin Niamya “Nia” Holloway aided Minnesota women’s basketball in winning the WBIT championship against Belmont. 

Dunigan’s other Big Ten connections include grandparents who went to Michigan or Michigan State, two uncles who went to Wisconsin and Nebraska and his father, who went to Maryland.  

“I always wanted to be a Big Ten athlete,” Dunigan said. “When Minnesota came around, I was like, that’s exactly where I’m going.”

Dunigan’s decision to commit to the University of Minnesota became apparent to him at a meet where he broke the Woodbury school record in throwing five times.  

“Coach Miller showed up to the meet with the maroon and gold on and said ‘We’ll be in touch,’” Dunigan said. “Everything else went out the window after that.” 

Prior to attending the University, Dunigan played offensive line for Woodbury’s football team and was integral in their push to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs. 

Dunigan credits his experiences in football pads for the mentality he brings to each of his throws. 

“In a football game, there’s a lot more plays you get to do,” Dunigan said. “With six throws at most as a thrower, you really got to lock in.” 

Dunigan’s redshirt decision was motivated by his drive to compete to the absolute best of his ability. 

Dunigan focused on bulking up and improving his weight room skills during his redshirt season. 

“My squat form wasn’t as good as it is now,” Dunigan said. “Coaches would still say it’s not as good as it can be, but that was definitely part of it.”

Redshirting puts an incentive on the athlete to prepare for incredible results. Dunigan trusts the process that came with his decision to redshirt. 

“The numbers, winning, and placing will come with the technique that we’ve worked on over my redshirt year,” Dunigan said. 

From public school to the Big Ten 

Distance runner Aidan Jones qualified for the U20 World Team as a member of Team USA in 2023, but he is the first to admit his confidence can come across as arrogant. 

“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” Jones said. “Sometimes my words come out a little too overconfident.” 

A graduate of Minneapolis Washburn High School, Jones was the first public school boy to win an individual state championship since Olympian Hassan Mead. 

Jones looks back on his high school journey as a public school athlete in a state with many private schools as an uphill battle. 

 “Washburn didn’t have a lot of the funding some of the bigger schools in our division had,” Jones said. “It’s kind of a big deal for me to come from that.”

Jones received athletic scholarship offers from Georgetown and Villanova, but ultimately decided the University of Minnesota was his best fit.

“Competing in my hometown, I have the same big school feel that I had back in high school,” Jones said. 

Although Jones redshirted due to a stress fracture, he sees his redshirt outdoor track season as a blessing.  

“Aging helps a lot in NCAA running,” Jones said. “Running against 22-year-old guys is kind of hard when you’re an 18-year-old freshman fresh out of high school.”

Track and field differs from other collegiate sports in how coaches advise players on the route of redshirting. Jones sees the difficult conversations coaches have with prospective redshirts as a team strength. 

“Our team uses redshirting as a way to develop people,” Jones said. “Especially our track team.”

Minnesota’s track and field competes in its first in-state competition of the year at the Bethel Invitational this Saturday in St. Paul.