"U of Minnesota Athletics: A Powerhouse in Collegiate Sports"

“U of Minnesota Athletics: A Powerhouse in Collegiate Sports”

MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota cross country teams competed at the 2023 Big Ten Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wis., at the Zimmer Championship Course on Friday morning. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished ninth overall.

The women’s program was headlined by Brianne Brewster, a senior from Burnsville, Minn., who was 28th overall. Brewster’s finish improved her career-best finish at the conference meet by 33 spots, up from her 61st-place finish in 2022. Brewster clocked a 22:01.6 in the muddy and rainy conditions in Madison. Minnesota’s men were led by Eli Hoeft, a senior, who capped off his conference meet career with his best finish in 47th, besting his 64th-place finish in 2021.

Overall, No. 15 Michigan State won the team title with a total of 46 team points while Ohio State’s Addie Engel won the meet in a time of 20:47.9. The men’s race was won by Wisconsin with Bob Liking claiming his third-straight conference title.

WOMEN’S 6K
After Brewster’s 28th-place finish it was sophomore Ali Weimer who came in next for the Maroon and Gold in 32nd. Emma Atkinson was next in 39th while Elsa Bergman and Zoie Dundon rounded out the Gophers’ scorers in Madison in 91st and 97th, respectively.

MEN’S 8K
Minnesota’s men bunched themselves up with all of the team’s top four runners finishing inside the top 56. After Hoeft it was redshirt-freshman Griffin Ward who had one of his best showings of his young career at 51st overall. Redshirt freshman Dan VanAcker was close behind in 53rd while Emmet Anderson finished in 56th. The Maroon and Gold’s final scorer was Noah Kohut-Jackson, who finished 84th overall.

UP NEXT
NCAA championship season lies ahead for the Maroon and Gold, as both the men’s and women’s teams will head to Stillwater, Okla., on Friday, Nov. 10 for the NCAA Midwest Regional. Oklahoma State will play host to the Regional Championship, and will hold both races on the Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course.

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN’S TOP RESULTS (6K)
28rd. Brianne Brewster, 22:01.6
32nd. Ali Weimer, 22:07.3
39th. Emma Atkinson, 22:14.9
91st. Elsa Bergman, 23:13.1
97th. Zoie Dundon, 23:20.4
99th. Caroline Mendyk, 23:24.4
107th. Erin Reidy, 23:40.3
120th. Taylor Kreitinger, 23:54.5