The No. 24 Minnesota men's outdoor track and field team kicked off competition early this week with a pair of Gopher multi-eventers in competition at the Mt. SAC Relays/California Invite.
The Gophers claimed nine individual titles at the Hamline Invitational and placed multiple competitors in the 800-meter run, the 1,500-meter run, the high jump, the pole vault and the discus throw.
Over a dozen regional colleges and universities including members of the No. 19 Minnesota men's outdoor track and field team will head to St. Paul this weekend to compete in the Hamline Invitational.
More than 3,300 athletes and 100 collegiate teams will converge at the 29th annual Stanford Invitational track and field meet on Friday and Saturday at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Career Highlights: A 2010 All-American in the heptathlon • All-Big Ten Second Team in 2010 and 2012 • school record holder in the decathlon (7,862) • ranks fourth in school history in the heptathlon (5,656) • 2012 NACAC U-23 decathlon champion.
2012 Season - Indoor: Competed in a total of 13 events for the indoor season • All-Big Ten Second Team selection after finishing second with the seventh-best mark in school history in the pole vault at the Big Ten Championships (17-5 1/2, 5.32m) • finished third and set the fourth-best mark in school history in the heptathlon at the Big Ten Championships with a score of 5,656 • threw 46-6 (14.17m) in the shot put at the Big Ten Championships • placed second in the pole vault at both the Snowshoe Open and Bethel Invite • finished tied for third at the Jack Johnson Classic. Outdoor: Qualified for the NCAA Championships decathlon • All-Big Ten Second Team with the all-time school record in the decathlon at the Big Ten Championships (7,862) • placed third in the pole vault at the Big Ten Championships with a vault of 17-3 1/4 (5.26m) • won the pole vault at the Golden Bear Twilight, Tom Cat Twilight, and Hamline Invite • placed third with the fifth-best mark in school history in the pole vault at the Drake Relays (17-4 1/2, 5.30m) • finished third in the decathlon at the Mt. SAC Relays with a score of 7,663 • Academic All-Big Ten.
2011 Season Indoor:placed sixth in the heptathlon (5,308) at the Big Ten championships• took sixth in the shot put (45-7) at the Snowshoe Open.Outdoor:took third in the pole vault (16-2) at the Jim Click Shootout • finished 10that the Big Ten championships after clearing 15 -7 (4.75m) • letterwinner
2011 Season Indoor:placed sixth in the heptathlon (5,308) at the Big Ten championships• took sixth in the shot put (45-7) at the Snowshoe Open.Outdoor:took third in the pole vault (16-2) at the Jim Click Shootout • finished 10that the Big Ten championships after clearing 15 -7 (4.75m) • letterwinner.
2010 Season: Indoor: All-America • earned his first career All-America award by placing ninth in heptathlon with a score of 5,601 points at 2010 NCAA Championships • All-Big Ten Second Team • the Conference runner-up in heptathlon scoring a career-best tally of 5,643 points, the fourth-best heptathlon score in Gopher history • won his first collegiate heptathlon taking title at Jack Johnson Classic • also competes in open pole vault • tied for sixth at Big Ten meet (16-4 3/4) • cleared season-best of 16-8 3/4 in NCAA heptathlon. Outdoor: Competed in two decathlons • placed fourth at Big Ten meet (7,116) • Drake Relays decathlon runner-up with 7,284 points, the sixth-best decathlon score in Minnesota history • also competed in open pole vault at Big Ten Championships • varsity letterwinner.
2009 Season: Redshirted the indoor and outdoor seasons.
High School: A 2008 graduate of Wausau Newman High School • high school coach was Paul Michlig • the 2008 Wisconsin Division 3 high school state pole vault champion (15-6) • runner-up as a junior • a six-time all-state honoree, four times in pole vault, twice on relays • team won three consecutive state titles • owns career-best vault of 15-9 • a four-time varsity letterwinner in both track and football.
Personal: Born March 15, 1990 • structural engineering major • parents are Paul and Jeanne Szmanda • has other siblings Matt, Emilie and Noah • brother Matt competes in track at UW-Stevens Point • hobbies include snowboarding and mountain biking.
