The final Minnesota Golden Gophers sporting event for the 2025-26 season takes place this weekend as the Gophers have 10 event entries and the women seven at the 2026 NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Action kicked off on Wednesday and will continue through Saturday.
Minnesota already picked up one NCAA Championship on Wednesday night when Angelos Mantzouranis continued the Gophers dominance in the hammer throw. It’s back to back seasons where a Gopher has won the title after Kostas
Zaltos won it in 2025 for the maroon and gold. Anthony Barmes also finished in 6th place in the event for Minnesota giving them 13 team points. They added a 14th point later in the night when Charles Godfred finished in 8th place in the Long Jump. Other Wednesday competetors for Minnesota included Aaron Charles finishing in 12th place and Wanye Bell finishing in 15th place in the 200 meters both earning 2nd Team All-American honors. John Caleb took home 15th place in the men’s 100 meters and Emmet Geres finished in 15th place in the men’s 3000 meter steeplechase. The Gopher men’s 4x 400 replay team also finished in 15th place and the Gophers 4×100 replay team did not finish and was disqualified. Minnesota did not quality anyone to Friday’s men’s finals and will finish the meet with 14 team points.
The Gopher women got their meet underway on Thursday night. Minnesota did not bring home a title but finished second and fourth in the women’s hammer throw. Big Ten Champion Anthonett Nabwe finished in second place literally one inch behind NCAA Champion Elisabet Rut Runarsdottir of Texas State with a throw of 73.15 meters or 240 feet. Minnesota junior Hadley Streit took home 4th place in her best NCAA finish in her career with a throw of 69.50 meters, or 228 feet. Minnesota earned 13 team points to put them in an early tie for the women’s team lead.
Zoie Dundon ran a personal best of 9:50.96 in the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase semifinals but finished in 16th place and will not advance to Saturday’s final. Nontokozo Ncube finished in 19th place in the women’s 400m Semifinal and will not advance.
Later to come on Thursday night were Nabwe returning to the ring for the women’s shot put final at 9:10 Central and Kennedy Martinson competing in the women’s 400m hurdles semifinals at 9:15 Central.
Minnesota is guaranteed on Saturday finalist on the women’s side as Diarra Sow will compete in the women’s triple jump final at 7:10 PM. If Martinson qualifies for Saturday’s 400m hurdles final it would begin at 8:27 PM
