Seniors Quentin Mege and Micah Hegerle placed sixth and 13th in the hammer throw, respectively, to earn the Gophers' first All-America honors Thursday at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Ore.

Mege, who has battled back from a broken hand, finished eight places lower than last year with a throw of 63.18 meters. Hegerle's finish was a one-place improvement from the 2012 national meet, and his throw of 66.15 meters was a personal best.

In the 1,500 meters, junior John Simons ran a personal-best time of 3:41.73 to reach Friday's final. His time was the fifth-fastest in Gophers history.

Seniors Harun Abda and Travis Burkstrand will also compete Friday in the 800 meters final.

Abda failed to reach the final of the 4×400 relay with teammates Jacob Capek, Goaner Deng and Cameron Boy on Thursday. The Gophers ran the relay in 3:06.91 to finish fourth in their semifinal heat and 15th overall.