The Minnesota Golden Gophers Track and Field teams are heading to Lincoln, Nebraska, this weekend with high hopes and a whole lot of momentum. The Big Ten Championships are set to unfold over three action-packed days, and both the Gopher men and women are ready to make their mark. Ranked 15th nationally, the men's squad enters the meet with a legacy of seven team conference titles in school history. The women's team, currently ranked 23rd, is the reigning champion after a dominant 131-point performance in 2024—their fourth team title overall. Since 2000, Minnesota has produced an impressive 102 outdoor conference champions, and this weekend, they aim to add to that storied tradition.
What makes this year's team so exciting is the depth and star power across multiple events. A combined 18 entries are ranked in the Top 5 of the Big Ten this season, with five athletes sitting at the very top of the conference. Anthonett Nabwe is the standout to watch, holding the No. 1 rank in two events: the hammer throw (77.64m at the Drake Relays) and the discus (59.58m at the Battle on the Bayou). Ali Weimer is another Gopher woman to keep an eye on, as her 5000m time of 15:31.13 from the Bryan Clay Invitational leads the conference. On the men's side, Hakeem Ford brings serious firepower in the triple jump, thanks to a 16.33m leap at the Battle on the Bayou. And don't overlook Emmett Gerres, whose 3000m steeplechase time of 8:32.56 from the Raleigh Relays is the best in the Big Ten.
Beyond the individual stars, the Gophers boast incredible depth that has earned them national recognition in key event squads. The women's hammer throw group is ranked No. 1 in the entire nation, led by Nabwe and Hadley Streit—who holds the second-best throw in the conference—with an average of 65.18m. The women's 400m hurdles squad is also nationally ranked at No. 10, powered by Kennedy Martinson's season-best 57.63. For the men, the hammer throw group is No. 2 in the country, averaging 69.32m (227-5), while the sprint corps is making noise as well, sitting at No. 5 nationally in both the 100m and 200m. With this kind of firepower and depth, the Gophers are poised for a memorable weekend in Lincoln. Whether you're cheering from the stands or following from home, this is a championship meet you won't want to miss.