May 2019 Athletes of the Month

MENDOTA HEIGHTS - May and June signal the end of the high school and collegiate track & field season with the conference, regional and national championship meets for athletes all over the country. Athletes from Minnesota represented the state extremely well, with many great performances across the board throughout high school and college championships. The St. John’s University 4x100m relay team won the national championship in the 4x100 meter relay and Stephanie Kretlow from the University of St. Thomas placed 3^rd in the long jump, both at the NCAA Division III Championships, and both with school and all-time MIAC Conference records.
 
The St. John’s University 4x100 meter relay team won the national title in in the 4x100m relay at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with a time of 40.92, setting a new St. John’s school record, as well as a new MIAC all-time record in the process, giving them the tile of USATF Minnesota’s May Men’s Athlete of the Month. Competing at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva Ohio from May 23-25^th, the relay team consisted of three sophomores and one senior, all of which are from Minnesota:  Nick Gannon (St. Paul, MN/Hill-Murray), Drew Schoenbauer (New Prague, MN), Brady Labine (Detroit Lakes, MN) and Ryan Miller (Maple Grove, MN/Totino-Grace). The Johnnies were in fifth place heading into the final exchange, but Miller made up significant ground in his anchor leg before passing John Carroll University in the final 15 meters. The All-American honors for this year’s team are St. John’s University’s first in a relay and sixth outdoor national title in program history.
 
Not to be outdone, Stephanie Kretlow broke a 14-year-old MIAC all-time record by jumping 19-08.25 to place third in the long jump at the NCAA Division III Championships, making her the winner of USATF Minnesota’s May Women’s Athlete of the Month award. Kretlow, originally from Owatonna, MN and currently competing for the University of St. Thomas, also won the MIAC long jump title earlier on in the month of May. Her All-American honors this Spring came in just her second appearance at a national meet after placing 9^th in the long jump at this past winter’s NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships as well.
 
Congratulations to Nick, Drew, Brady, Ryan and Stephanie!
 
Men’s Honorable Mention Performances – May 2019
 

• Michael Hensch* (North Branch, MN/Gustavus) finished 7^th in the shot put (54-01.75), 8^th in the discus (160-09), and 4^th in the hammer throw (202-01.25) at the NCAA Division III Championships on May 23^rd-25^th in Geneva, Ohio. Hensch was also the first athlete in the 99-year history of the MIAC to win all three throwing events at the MIAC Outdoor Championships earlier in May.
• Joe Coffey (Minneapolis, MN/Collegeville TC) won the USATF 1 Mile Championship at the TC 1 Mile on May 9^th in 4:17.7 and also finished 18^th at the USATF Distance Classic in the 1500m with a time of 3:44.43.
• John Vandanacker (Rockford, MN) broke the Minnesota state record for 56 year olds in the 5k with a time of 16:51 at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5k on May 27^th.
• Rob Economy (Victoria, MN/Northstar Running) broke the Minnesota state record for 55 year olds with a time of 16:59 at the Brian Kraft 5k.
• Ryan Miller* (Maple Grove, MN/St. John’s) finished 2^nd in the 100 meters at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with a time 10.22, breaking the 17-year-old MIAC all-time record. Miller also anchored the Johnnies national championship winning 4x100m relay. Miller also won the MIAC 100m title at the MIAC Outdoor Championships earlier in May.
• Lucas Mueller* (St. Paul, MN/Carleton) finished 2^nd and 5^th in the 10,000m and 5,000m respectively at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with times of 30:14.26 and 14:50.04 respectively.
• Matt Wilkinson* (Excelsior, MN/Carleton) finished 4^th in the 3,000m Steeplechase at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with a time of 9:08.95.
• Tyler Jermann (Team USA Minnesota) placed 15^th at the USATF Half Marathon Championships in a time of 1:05:41.
• Danny Dochery (Team USA Minnesota) won the USATF Minnesota 5k title at the Brian Kraft 5k in a time of 14:18 and also placed 7^th in the USATF 25k National Championships in a time of 1:17:12.
•  Eric Holst* (Lanesboro, MN/St. Thomas) finished 2^nd at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw with a toss of 202-03.
• Eric Dols* (Prior Lake, MN/Hamline) finished 4^th in the hammer throw with a toss of 199-6.25 at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.
• Victor Ogeka* (Windom, MN/Mankato State) finished 5^th in the triple jump at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships with a jump of 51-02.25.
• Benjamin Allen* (North St. Paul, MN/Concordia St. Paul) finished 4^th in the 1500m in a time of 3:59.02 at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. 

*Earned NCAA All-American honors with their performance(s)

Women’s Honorable Mention Performances – May 2019
 

• Dakotah Lindwurm (Team USA Minnesota) won the USATF Minnesota 5k title at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5k in a time of 16:21 and finished 11^th at the USATF 25k National Championship in a time of 1:28:01.
• Wanda Gau (Little Falls, MN/St. Cloud River Runners) broke the state record for 57 year olds in the 5k at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5k in a time of 19:42.
• Diane Stoneking (Minneapolis, MN) broke the state record for 71 year olds in the 5k at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5k in a time of 26:10.
• Melissa Agnew (Twin Cities Track Club) won the USATF Minnesota 1 Mile Championship at the TC 1 Mile in a time of 5:12.8.
• Katy Jermann (Team USA Minnesota) finished 5^th in the USATF Half Marathon National Championships in a time of 1:12:11.
• Meghan Peyton (Team USA Minnesota) finished 11^th at the USATF Half Marathon National Championships in a time of 1:17:43.
• Gabrielle Brown* (St. Paul, MN/Hamline) broke her own MIAC all-time record in the 100m hurdles by finishing 5^th at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in 14.06.
• Jessie Juenemann* (Two Harbors, MN/Hamline) finished 8^th in the discus with a toss of 44.15m at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.
• Mallory Adamson* (Rochester, MN/St. Thomas) placed 6^th in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:01.25 at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships.
• Analee Olson-Sola (Northfield, MN/Gustavus) won the MIAC title in the shot put and finished runner-up in the discus at the MIAC Outdoor Championships with throws of 42-08 and 128-11, respectively.
• Rebecca Manteuffel* (Cologne, MN/Southwest Minnesota State), with a throw of 166-09, finished 8^th in the discus at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, becoming the first ever All-American for the Southwest Minnesota State University track & field program.
• Mackenzie Kelly* (Moorhead, MN/Augustana) finished 7^th in the 3,000m Steeplechase and 11^th in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships with times of 10:50.19 and 17:41.99, respectively. 

*Earned NCAA All-American honors with their performance(s) 
 
We welcome your nominations!
To nominate an athlete for USATF Minnesota’s Athlete of the Month award, please send a detailed email about his/her performance to maxwellkuzara@gmail.com with the subject line “Athlete of the Month Nomination”.

Fans can follow along with USATF Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, and online at www.minnesota.usatf.org.
 
Maxwell Kuzara
Athlete of the Month Committee Chair
USA Track & Field Minnesota
e-mail