The second best ranking in school history after a great March
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s track and field team moved up one spot in the second week of the USTFCCA’s national ranking this week. Minnesota is now the #2 ranked squad in the country, their second best rank in school history. The Gophers have dominated the early season rankings and besides being ranked #2 as a team have two event squads that are ranked #1 in the country so far this season.
Minnesota showcased their power at the Florida Relays last weekend. The Minnesota Hammer Throw squad is one of the group ranked #1 in the nation as three-time Big Ten hammer throw champion and 5th year senior Kostas Zaltos is off to another amazing start. The Greek national broke his own school record for the second time this spring allready. His launch of 77.91m (255-7) goes down as the No. 7 throw all-time among collegiate athletes according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Zaltos, now sits in a tie for fifth in the world this year according to WorldAthletics.org.
Right behind him is fellow Greek and Gopher sophomore Angelos Mantzouranis. He finished second at the Florida Relays behind Zaltos with the second furthest throw in Minnesota history at 77.43m (254-0) He now sits at No. 9 all-time at the NCAA level and tied for seventh in the world this year.
How impressive have the throws been? Zaltos and Mantzourains became the first teammates to eclipse 77 meters in the same hammer throw competition in NCAA history and only the second time in Division I history that any two college throwers have gone over 77 meters at the same meet.
Also #1 in the nation in the event squad rankings is the Gophers Long Jump team. They are led by Charles Godfred who has the longest jump in the country so far this season at 8.01m (26’ 3.5”).
Hakeem Ford shattered a school record and now has the longest triple jump in the nation this season after going 16.54 m (54’ 3.25”). It as four feet longer than his previous personal best.
Isiah Shafer threw the shot put 19.87 meters to take second place at the Flrida Relays, and also throw the second furthest throw in the nation so far this season.
The Gopher men’s 4×100 relay has the third fastest time in the nation setting a school reord in the process. The team of Zion Campbell, Kion Benjamin, Aaron Charles and Devin Augustine put down a preliminary time of 38.74, which was the second best time in school history, and then dropped that to 38.66 in the final on Saturday. The program-best time took down the 38.70 time that was set in 2023 by Carlon Hosten, Benjamin, Finn Schirmer and Augustine. The winning time for the quartet keeps the Maroon and Gold undefeated this season in the 4x100m relay.
Christian Martin also set a school record on Saturday and has the fourth fastest time in the nation in the 110m hurdles. The graduate student clocked a school record 13.61 (+0.7 m/s) in the prelims before dropping his own school record just a short time later to 13.49 (+0.7 m/s) in the final.
It’s been an impressive start, and hopefully the Gophers can keep those finishes up with the rest of the country over the next 6 weeks of competition leading up to the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships—both in Eugene, Oregon. This weekend Minnesota will be spread around a trio of meets starting with the Brian Clay Multis meet in Azusa, Calif., from April 10-11. The Gophers will also compete at the Throwtown Romona World Invitational in Romona, Okla. from April 11-13 and at the Bethel Invitational in St. Paul, Minn., on April 12.