The Gophers' Matthew Wilkinson, a transfer from Division III Carleton, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase the NCAA Preliminary West meet in Fayetteville, Ark., in 8 minutes, 32.61 seconds.

Teammate Alec Basten, runner-up in the NCAA meet last year, was third (8:33.91). Both advance to the national meet next month.

Kaleb Siekmeier of Minnesota placed 12th in the discus (180 feet, 1 inch) to grab the last qualifying spot in his event for the national meet next month. On the women's side, Tess Keyzers of the Gophers finished 11th in the hammer throw on Thursday. She had a season-best throw of 213 feet.

NSIC thrower wins

Tanner Berg of Northern State won the hammer throw in the NCAA Division II track and field meet in Allendale, Mich., on Thursday with a toss of 228-4 on his sixth attempt. He is a grad student from Watertown, S.D.

In the women's hammer throw, Mckenzie Scheil and Brooklynn Chipps of the Wolves placed second (195-5) and third (192-11).

Etc.

• The Gophers volleyball team announced its eight-match nonconference schedule. Minnesota will open with the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. The Gophers will play Baylor on Aug. 26 and the Horned Frogs the next night.

• Augustana lost to host Southern Arkansas 8-7 in the first game of a best-of-three series in the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional in baseball.

• Four seniors on the Gophers gymnastics team — Abbie Nylin, Maddie Quarles, Tiarre Sales and Ali Sonier — have all decided to return for a fifth season, utilizing the extra year of eligibility granted to them by the NCAA as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.