The University of Minnesota women’s track and field team has qualified two events to the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The Maroon and Gold qualified by finishing in the top 12 of their respective events at the NCAA West Regional at Texas A&M in Bryan-College Station at E.B. Cushing Stadium on May 29 and May 31.
Ali Weimer was the first Gopher to punch her ticket to NCAAs, earning her first career bid in the 10,000m in a time of 34:09.14 to finish sixth overall. The Big Ten cross country bronze medalist is the first Gopher to qualify for the NCAA 10,000 final since Megan Hasz finished 20th overall and earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2019.
Minnesota had a few individuals fall just short of NCAA Championships qualification. Diarra Sow and Zoie Dundon both finished 13th overall in their respective events. Sow matched her season best in the triple jump with a mark of 13.42m (44-0 1/2) and ended in a tie for 12th but due to Oregon’s Ryann Porter having a better second-best mark, Sow was bumped from the top 12. Dundon’s time of 10:05.41 in the 3000m steeplechase also fell short of returning the sophomore to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
One of the biggest risers of the final month of the season was Dyandra Gray, who punched her first career individual ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Gray qualified in the 400m hurdles with back-to-back lifetime bests at E.B. Cushing Stadium. Since April 30 Gray has posted five different lifetime best performances, capped off by her 56.86 in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday night. Gray now sits at No. 3 all-time in Minnesota 400m hurdles history and will look to move up that list at Hayward Field in June. Gray is the first Gopher to qualify for the NCAA Championships 400m hurdles since 2022 when Abigail Schaaffe earned an Honorable Mention All-America honor.
Women’s Qualified Events (Event, Regional Finish, Qualifying Performance)
Ali Weimer – 10000m (6th. 34:09.14)
Dyandra Gray – 400m Hurdles (10th. 56.86)
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
