The Gophers contingency will head to the West region preliminary meet in Austin, Texas (University of Texas) with competition set for May 23-25. Qualifiers from the west regional will compete at the 2013 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.
With 35 team points, the Gophers are still in the hunt for a team title with Nebraska leading the way with 46.5 points and Wisconsin in second at 44.5.
2012 Season - Indoor: Ran a time of 8:20.30 in the 3,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships (16th) • finished in 8:03.06 at the Husky Classic, setting the fifth-fastest time in school history • finished third in the mile run at the Holiday Inn Invitational with a time of 4:12.58 • finished fifth at the Bill Bergan Invite in the 3,000 meters (8:09.33). Outdoor: Finished 15th in the 5,000 meters at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 14:36.64 • posted a time of 14:11.64 in the 5,000m at the Mt. SAC Relays • anchored the 4x1,600-meter relay team that finished third at the Drake Relays with a time of 16:50.07.
2011 Season: Redshirted the Indoor and Outdoor seasons.
At Milwaukee: Milwaukee's top runner in five of six meets • placed 62nd (32:40.78) at NCAA Great Lakes Region Championships • earned All-Horizon League Second Team honors by placing ninth in League Championships • 2009 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year • set the school record in outdoor 5,000 meters (14:32.82) during the track season • the Horizon League 5,000m runner-up at the indoor meet, third outdoor. High School:A 2009 graduate of Arrowhead High School • high school coaches were Mike Mulrooney and Mike Ray • named Classic-8 Boys Track Athlete of the Year • a state qualifier in both track and cross country • as a senior, placed 20th at the state cross country meet • ran with the state runner-up 4x800m relay at the track meet • also competed in the 1600m, taking fifth, and the 3200m, taking sixth.
Personal: Born November 12, 1990 • intends to major in business • son of Nancy Rajek and Joseph Simons • has younger siblings Anna and Joseph • high school teammate of Mike and Joe McFarland • enjoys badminton, music, and watching TV.
