Michigan
Big Ten Outdoor Championships
U-M Completes B1G Sweep with 17th Program Title
5/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 15, 2016
» The all-senior 4x400-meter relay team of Cindy Ofili, Emily Wee, Danielle Pfeifer and Maya Long broke the program record in 3:33.42 to clinch Michigan's share of the conference crown on the final event of the weekend.
» Devon Hoppe (800m), Shannon Osika (1,500m), Ofili (100m hurdles) and Gina Sereno (5,000m) won individual titles on day two.
» Michigan swept the middle-distance and distance races this weekend (800; 1,500; 5,000; 10,000 meters) and swept the 5K/10K races for the second time in the last three years.
» Michigan had Sunday scoring contributions in the following events: 100-meter dash (four points), 100-meter hurdles (12), 400-meter dash (four), 400-meter hurdles (one), 800-meter run (24), 1,500 meters (18), 5,000-meter run (10), 4x400-meter relay (four) high jump (six).
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| Championships Central
Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Ed Weir Stadium)
Event: Big Ten Outdoor Championships (Day 3)
U-M Team Result: Tie-1st Place of 13 Teams (106 points)
Next U-M Event: Thu-Sat., May 26-28 -- at NCAA East Preliminary Rounds (Jacksonville, Fla.)
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Behind four individual champions and a relay program record on Sunday (May 15), the University of Michigan women's track and field team went from sixth after day two to win a share of the Big Ten outdoor championship at Ed Weir Stadium, scoring 86 points on the final day of competition to reach the team's highest scoring since total since the 2009 season.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers matched Michigan's 106 points, but the Maize and Blue has still earned a share of a Big Ten sweep, having collected the outright conference title during the indoor season.
The Wolverines won races at 800 meters (Devon Hoppe), 1,500 meters (Shannon Osika), 100-meter hurdles (Cindy Ofili) and 5,000 meters (Gina Sereno) on Sunday, and the Wolverines' share of the title was sealed with the 4x400-meter relay, which featured seniors Ofili, Danielle Pfeifer, Emily Wee and Maya Long. That foursome set a new program record, timing 3:33.42 to best the previous standard by more than two seconds in the most clutch scenario possible.
U-M entered the event up by one point on Minnesota, thanks to a timely 5,000-meter victory from Sereno, and sealed their positioning while running in the same heat as the Golden Gophers.
For head coach James Henry and associate head coach Mike McGuire, this year's title is as special as any they have collected over their combined 59 years with the program.
"We just showed tremendous heart and charisma from the first event to the mile relay," said McGuire. "I've been fortunate to win a few of them along the way, and this one ranks right up there with any of them that I can think of, really."
"We are balanced and our scoring this weekend showed that," said Henry. "It's always our goal to be as balanced as possible, not just on the track but in the classroom and community as well. These are also some of the best students in the country, not only some of the best athletes. We can do it in the classroom, we can do it on the track, and we're going to have fun in the process. I'm just proud of this team."
"It's a great way for our seniors to go out," added McGuire. "Cindy has meant so much to the program over the last four years, and watching Devon, Danielle, Shannon, Maya and all the rest of our seniors grow over the years -- it's really special to send them off this way."
MID-DISTANCE/DISTANCE
Sereno's 5K/10K sweep marks the second time in the last three seasons that U-M has accomplished that feat at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (Erin Finn, 2014). She showed a lot of patience and poise in the race, kicking down Michigan State's Rachel Schulist over the last 150 meters to claim a three-length lead and cross the line with a personal-best time of 16:08.42, which improves more than 13 seconds on her previous PR.
Osika and junior/sophomore Jaimie Phelan went 1-2 in the 1,500-meter race to start events on the track out strong for U-M. Osika and Phelan ran in the top-four for most of the race, and Osika took charge with about 600 meters remaining. She spread the pack thin, and Phelan settled into second on the final lap, bringing in 18 huge points for the Maize and Blue.
Osika stepped back out on the track an hour later to earn a runner-up finish in the 800-meter race (2:07.03), won by Hoppe. Pfeifer placed fourth in 2:07.44 to round out three in the top five, and U-M scored four athletes overall in the race, with senior/junior Gina McNamara in eighth at 2:08.99.
Hoppe won her second Big Ten title of the season at 800 meters, sweeping the indoor and outdoor crowns. It marks back-to-back seasons in the Big Ten with the indoor champion repeating during the outdoor season (Katie Borchers, Ohio State, 2015).
SPRINTS
Ofili defended her 100-meter hurdles title and collected her fifth career Big Ten crown with an Ed Weir Stadium record, running 12.91 to edge out Illinois' Pedrya Seymour by .01 seconds and secure victory. Despite a stumble as she leaned across the line, Ofili took the win, with junior Sami Michell in seventh (13.80).
Ofili came back to take fifth in the 100-meter dash about 15 minutes later, running 11.60 across the line, and Michell went on to place eighth in the 400-meter hurdles (58.70).
Even though her performances today were not her very best, this remains one of Ofili's top memories at Michigan -- if not the best.
"It definitely is," she said, "it's such a great feeling. I'm so happy we accomplished what we wanted to, and I'm so proud of the way everyone came together."
"This weekend was all about the team," Ofili went on to say. "When the coaches told me I was in the 4x4, I had to refocus and regain my composure to come back and help our team out as much as I could. We came away with the win, and I'm so happy that we all did well and were able to contribute."
In the 400-meter race, Long secured a fifth-place finish with her personal-best time of 53.28.
JUMPS
In the high jump, sophomore Claire Kieffer-Wright earned her first Big Ten medal by clearing a collegiate-best bar of 1.82 meters (5-11.50 ft.).
The Maize and Blue will return to Ann Arbor and begin preparation for the NCAA postseason, beginning with the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, May 26-28. The top 48 individual athletes (per event) and top 24 relay teams will be finalized next week, and that field will eventually produce the NCAA Championships field in June (9, 11).
COLLEGIATE PERSONAL BESTS
Track Events
4x400-meter Relay
Cindy Ofili, Emily Wee, Danielle Pfeifer, Maya Long -- 3:33.42
5,000 meters
Gina Sereno -- 16:08.42
Field Events
High Jump
Claire Kieffer-Wright -- 1.82 meters (5-11.50 ft.)
TWEET OF THE DAY
Champs again and it FEELS SO GOOD!!!
The Maize and Blue is STILL on top! #HAIL #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/vJcOXwxghQ-- Michigan Track&Field (@umichtrack) May 15, 2016
• Previous Results: Day 2 | Day 1
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard
