MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota captured five podium finishes in the program's time in Eugene, Ore., at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field. The men's team was highlighted by a bronze medal finish from true freshman Angelos Mantzouranis in the hammer throw while the women saw Shelby Frank take the podium twice in the discus and hammer.
Minnesota continued its run on the medal stand of the men's hammer throw with Mantzouranis capturing bronze on his fifth throw with a toss of 75.50m (247-8). The Greek national goes down as the No. 1 freshman in the country in the event that saw the NCAA podium include a pair of upperclassmen and a defending national champion. Mantzouranis has nearly been undefeated in 2024 as a true freshman and is set to continue to compete in Europe in the coming weeks.
Later in the day on Wednesday it was fellow true freshman Charles Godfred who made his presence known as the No. 1 freshman finisher in the long jump. The Nigerian's best leap came on his third attempt with a mark of 7.90m (25-11). At the time of the jump Godfred had propelled to fifth place overall. The rookie was unable to improve his mark in his final three jumps, but brought home three more team points with the performance. Godfred, who like Mantzouranis claimed a Big Ten title this season, will continue to entertain the masses back in Africa at his countries national championships.
Shelby Frank was the star of the weekend for the Maroon and Gold, earning a pair of First Team All-America honors, first in the hammer and also in the discus. The Grand Forks, N.D., native used a second round throw of 68.40m (224-5) to finish seventh overall. The personal best throw for the 2024 Big Ten champion improved on her No. 2 mark in school history and made her just the second Gopher to go beyond 68 meters. Two days later Frank was at it again in her specialty, the discus. After a redshirt campaign in 2023 Frank returned to the podium in the event with a fourth-place finish with a lifetime best, and new school record of 61.01m (200-2). The weekend made Frank a five-time First Team All-American, becoming just the second thrower in program history to earn five First Team honors (Rachel Lewis, five-time All-American, 1989-1991). Overall Frank is just the fourth woman in program history to earn five First Team All-America honors. Next Frank will shift her focus to the U.S. Olympic Trials, which will be contested back at Hayward Field later in June.
Minnesota's young core continuously impressed throughout the NCAA meet with Zoie Dundon and Diarra Sow both finishing inside the top 12. Dundon continued Minnesota's strong tradition in the steeplechase by making the NCAA final as a redshirt freshman. The Burnsville, Minn., native finished 12th overall and brought home Second Team All-America honors with times of 9:54.53 and 10:00.55. Dundon's prelim time improved her standing on Minnesota's top 10, putting her at the No. 3 spot in school history with the time being the fastest since 2021 (Abby Kohut-Jackson). Sow, competing at nearly the exact same time as Dundon on Saturday, claimed the No. 11 spot in the women's triple jump competition. The redshirt freshman reached the mark of 13.19m (43-3 1/4) on her second attempt, but came up short on the top nine to earn three more attempts and settled for a Second Team All-America finish in her first trip to the national stage.
Minnesota had a number of Honorable Mention All-Americans throughout the four-day event. Devin Augustine (20.54, 17th) made his individual debut at the NCAA level in the 200m while Odell Frye did the same in the 100m (19th, 11.30). Frye also earned another honorable mention finish as a member of the women's 4x100m relay team. The squad of Frye, Victory Godah, Zariayh Black and Alliyah McNeil finished 23rd overall with Black, Godah and McNeil all earning their first All-America finishes. Lastly, Anthonett Nabwe finished three centimeters out of a Second Team finish in the women's shot put. The Big Ten silver medalist in the shot put, and indoor Big Ten weight throw champion, finished 17th in Eugene with a toss of 16.41m (58-10 1/4).
Minnesota will also have a number of athletes competing next week at various championships. Isabelle Schmidt will compete at the USA U20 Championships starting on June 12 in the shot put while fellow freshman Sofia Condonwill compete in the pole vault.
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