records & history
Golden Gopher
ALL-AMERICANS GARRY BJORKLUND Garry Bjorklund holds the distinction of being the highest placing Golden Gopher at an NCAA Cross Country Championships, placing second to Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine in 1971. Bjorklund was clocked in a time of 29:20.8. A two-time cross country AllAmerican, Bjorklund also earned honors in 1969 with a sixth-place finish (29:35). He is the last Golden Gopher to win medalist honors at the Big Ten Championships, doing so in three consecutive seasons (1969, ‘70, ‘71). Bjorklund also experienced plenty of success on the track. He earned three All-America track honors and was the 6-mile run national champion in 1971. In Big Ten competition, Bjorklund collected six individual titles during his Gopher career. After closing his Gopher career, Bjorklund earned aspot on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team and placed 13th in the 10,000-meter run.
DICK KILTY Dick Kilty was the first Golden Gopher to earn All-America honors in cross country in 1949. He received the honor by placing 11th in the 4-mile run at the NCAA Championships with a time of 20:53. Kilty placed fifth, sixth and third at the Big Ten Championships from 1947-1949. He was also the Big Ten indoor track two-mile run (9:35.1) champion in 1948.
STEVE PLASENCIA Steve Plasencia was a two-time All-American in cross country and holds the distinction of being the only harrier in Minnesota history to earn the team’s MVP award, the Fred O. Watson Award, four times. Plasencia first earned All-America honors with a 38th-place finish in 1976, then followed with another America performance with a 25th-ploace showing in 1978. He holds the school cross country records on 5-mile, 6-mile and 10,000meters courses. On the track, Plasencia added a pair of NCAA AllAmerica honors in the 5,000 meters. Plasencia continued his running career after graduation. He is a two-time Olympian, competing in the 10,000 meters in both teh 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. In 1996, Plasencia took accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater. He has guided the Golden Gpohers to NCAA Championships appearnance in the last seven seasons.
HASSAN MEAD
GERALD METZLER Gerald Metzler earned All-America honors in 1978 but in an interesting twist of fate, and an NCAA oversight, he did not receive the honor until 1979. Metzler notched a 36th-place finish in 1978 and was thought to be 26th U.S.-born runner (the top 25 are honored as All-Americans). Coach Roy Griak discovered the error in the fall of 1979 when he had contacted the NCAA regarding an award to teammate Steve Plasencia that had not been receive.
Hassan Mead set Minnesota history in 2007 becoming the first true freshman to capture All-America honors. Mead finished 43rd at the NCAA Cross Country Championships after capturing Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors with a Conference runner-up showing. He was also the NCAA Midwest Region runner-up and went on to All-American honors on the track (5,000m) during his rookie campaign. Mead added his second All-America award in 2008 with a 31rd-place finish after winning the Big Ten and Midwest Region titles.
35 * Minnesota Men’s Cross Country