Gophers women’s track and field started the outdoor season ranked No. 45 in the nation, but their ranking dropped to No. 86 just a month into the season.
Though the women’s team has a lot of strong competitors, very few of them are able to rank nationally. After starting the season ranked No. 45, they fell to No. 76 heading into week three of the season before falling to No. 86.
The Gophers have excelled on the individual level despite their rankings.
Multiple Gophers set lifetime bests throughout various different meets and moved their way up in the school record books.
Redshirt sophomore Anthonett Nabwe set two lifetime bests at the Throwtown Ramona World Invitational meet in Oklahoma last weekend. The event catered to all professional throwers, not just collegiate ones.
Nabwe’s performance moved her to No. 2 in the Gophers record book for discus and No. 3 in hammer throw. Her hammer throw earned her seventh place in the event, but she was first among collegiate competitors.
“I did like the environment because I love seeing athletes who throw better than you,” Nabwe said. “I think it helps you push yourself.”
At the beginning of the season, Nabwe was named an athlete to watch by the Big Ten, and she finished her indoor season as an All-American.
Redshirt sophomore Hadley Streit, also named an All-American after her indoor season, said that she loved working and competing with Nabwe.
“It’s like having a constant competitor here,” Streit said. “Although we’re teammates, we’re able to push each other.”
Streit set a lifetime best in hammer throw during the Pepsi Florida Relays, moving to No. 6 in Gophers history.
Though the two throwers set lifetime bests, Streit said they are constantly looking for ways to improve.
“I feel like what helps me is looking back at the film of the throw,” Streit said. “I can look at the form of that mark and just see that there’s a lot of things I can still improve.”
Nabwe and Streit were the only two Gophers to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championship. They are both looking to continue their work and compete in the NCAA Outdoor Championship at the end of the semester.
At the Bryan Clay Invitational, freshman Isabelle Schmitz and redshirt sophomore Zoie Dundon were able to make their way onto the NCAA ranking for 3000m steeplechase.
Dundon is now ninth among NCAA athletes for the steeplechase and Schmitz is 11th.
During the Raleigh Relays, redshirt sophomore Ali Weimer broke the school record for the 10,000m, however, it only ranked her No. 20 in the NCAA.
Other Gophers faced similar fates, as graduate student Erin Reidy and Dundon both set a lifetime best in the 800m, moving them into the top 10 of Gophers history, but Reidy placed No. 20 in the event.
Redshirt sophomore Izzy Roemer and fifth-year Emma Atkinson also moved into the top 10 in Gophers history with their 5000m performance, but again did not place elsewhere.
The Gophers need to improve their records quickly, with only four more meets before the Big Ten Championship on May 16.
