Gophers’ Megan Van Berkom wins Big Ten 400 IM title for second time

Gophers senior Megan Van Berkom won the Big Ten title in the 400 individual medley on the third day of the Big Ten women’s swimming and diving championships Friday in West Lafayette, Ind.

Van Berkom, a 2023 first-team All-America in the IM, won in 4:06.71 to win the event at the Big Ten meet for the second time. She also won it in 2022.

Sophomore Vivi Del Angel was the Gophers’ other medalist Friday, finshing third in 3-meter diving at 344.60. Teammate Elna Widerstrom finished fifth at 336.35.

The Gophers were in fifth place in the competition with one day to go, with Ohio State leading.

The No. 15 Gophers gymnastics team finished in third place at the Big Five meet in State College, Pa., scoring 196.900 to finish behind No. 8 Michigan State (197.275) and No. 14 Ohio State (197.000).

The Gophers had the best team scores in both the uneven bars (49.250) and beam (49.175). Their floor exercise score of 49.450 was third, but the Gophers’ Mya Hooten won the event for the sixth time this year at 9.975. She holds 12 total event titles this season.

Gophers senior Gianna Gerdes posted a 38.775 in the all-around to finish sixth.

• The Gophers softball team lost two games at the North Texas Invite in Denton, Texas. In their first game, Aubrey Barnhart hit an RBI double in the top of the seventh inning, lifting Texas Tech to a 2-1 victory. In their second game, the Gophers lost to North Texas 7-5 by giving up two runs in the sixth inning after rallying from a four-run deficit.

• The Gophers tennis team fell to 7-2 on the season, falling 4-1 at No. 38 Memphis.