Athletics : University of Minnesota

Above the clouds

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) graduate assistant Dean Einerson made the difficult ascent up Alaska's Mount McKinley in 2008. When Einerson started as an undergraduate at UMD, he had never climbed before. He attributes much of his transformation from novice to expert to his experiences with the UMD climbing facilities and the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program (RSOP) Fitness Center.

U of M Sports & Athletics

Recreational sports facilities

"Minnesota, hats off to thee!"

Cheer on your Golden Gophers as they shoot, skate, swim; run, row, and wrestle past their Big Ten foes. There are 11 women's and 11 men's varsity sports teams at the U that compete at venues as diverse as the venerable "Barn" (Williams Arena) and the world-class Aquatic Center.

And whether your preference might be intramural sports or activities offered through the Center for Outdoor Adventure, make sure you sample some of the many recreational sports opportunities available at the U.

Big fish, big pond

In her four years at the University of Minnesota, Heather Dorniden has become the most decorated Gopher women's track and field athlete in history. The middle-distance runner is an eight-time All-American, and was the NCAA indoor champion in the 800 meters as a freshman. She's been instrumental in the Gopher track and cross country teams winning six Big Ten titles in her tenure. And she recently received a post-graduate scholarship and two awards for leadership and service.