| ||||||
| Buffs Have Strong Showings At Multiple Meets Release: 02/09/2013 Courtesy: Linda Sprouse, Assistant SID | ||||||
SEATTLE, Wash. - Senior Aric Van Halen joined some very elite company on Saturday night as he became the third fastest 3,000-meter runner in University of Colorado history. Van Halen finished the 3k race at the Husky Classic in seven minutes, 53.74 seconds to place 10[SUP]th[/SUP] overall. The only two other Buffs to finish the 3k faster are Adam Goucher (7:46.03) and Richard Medina (7:53.02). He is just the seventh Buff to ever finish the indoor 3k in less than eight minutes. Prior to Saturday's race, only eight men in the NCAA had run sub-eight minute times during the 2013 season. Van Halen, whose signature event is the 3,000-meter steeplechase outdoors, passed several former CU greats on the list, including three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein (8:01.18), Jorge Torres (8:02.75) and two-time Olympian Alan Culpepper (8:04.67). Torres competed at one Olympic Games. "The highlight of the weekend would be Aric's 3k," coach Mark Wetmore said. "This is third all-time at CU, ahead of three Olympians. He is high on the NCAA qualifying list for now, but hope we don't have to go somewhere later to chase a better mark." Van Halen finished sixth in the first of two sections in the invitational portion of the meet. The fourth through ninth-place finishers all came in within two seconds of each other. Ryan Hill (NC State) won the race in 7:49.20. Not to be outdone, senior Liz Tremblay improved on her personal best in the 800 and raced to a quick 2:07.18 to place ninth in the invitational section. Tremblay improved her PR by almost two seconds (2:08.91), which she ran just two weeks ago at the UW Invitational. The time ranks second all-time in CU history. Mary Decker (now Slaney) owns the record at 2:05.29 from 1978. "Liz ran a sound race with no tactical errors, but maybe can be a little fitter or less rusty in two weeks," Wetmore said. Matt Biegner and Blake Theroux also did very well in the mile, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. Biegner finished in 4:04.32 and Theroux was just behind in 4:04.35; both times were personal bests. Biegner now ranks 11[SUP]th[/SUP] on CU's performer's list, while Theroux is 12[SUP]th[/SUP]. Connor Winter raced in the invitational section and finished in 4:05.30. "Those were good runs for where they are in their training. Matt, Blake, and Connor will likely go faster if we choose to make another attempt," Wetmore said. CU had athletes competing in three times zones this weekend. Besides the meet in Seattle, the sprinters were competing at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. and others were at the Air Force Team Challenge at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It didn't matter were the Buffs were this weekend since they came away with many outstanding performances. Sophomore Eileen Gehring picked up where she left off on Friday, moving up the CU record book, today in the 200-meter dash. Gehring sprinted to a PR and the fifth best time in school history with a time of 24.31. The time put her second on CU's performer's chart, just behind Amaris Buchanan's time of 23.81 from 2001. "Eileen had another nice 400/200 double this weekend," Wetmore said. "She is closing in on the better people in our conference and will look to do well at the indoor conference meet in two weeks." Gehring returned to the track a few hours later to help the Buffs to a school record in the 4x400-meter relay (3:43.42) which was good for ninth overall. The relay, Lindsy Mattson, Brianne Beemer, Bridget Sweeney and Gehring, broke their own record of 3:45.11 which they had previously set at the 2012 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. At the Air Force Academy, CU's jumpers had a field day. Redshirt freshman Abrianna Torres recorded a huge lifetime best of 19-08.75 to win the meet and also became the third best performer in school history. It was the best jump for a CU athlete since Amberly Casey jumped 19-08 in 2007. Sophomore Kelsey English also came away with a personal best in the high jump. She cleared 5-09.75 to place third at the meet. The mark moved her up on CU's all-time performers list as she is now tied for sixth. "Kelsey and Abrianna both had nice performances at the Air Force Academy," Wetmore said. "This is Kelsey's best jump and Abrianna had a very nice return from her injury that she suffered a year ago in that event." Redshirt freshman Ammar Moussa led CU on the track, winning the 3,000-meter run in 8:59.07; just a couple of seconds in front of teammate Dillon Shije who placed second in 9:01.19. The CU team will be off next weekend. The next team meet is the MPSF Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 22-23 in Seattle, Wash. HUSKY CLASSIC Dempsey Indoor - Seattle, Wash. Men's Results (CU Athletes Only) Mile Run: (1. Chad Noelle, Oregon, 3:59.57) 7. Matt Biegner, 4:04.32; 8. Blake Theroux, 4:04.35; 25. Hugh Dowdy, 4:09.18; 85. Joe Mitchem, 4:22.71 Mile Run (Invitational Section): (1. Andrew Bumbalough, OTC Elite, 3:56.12) 24. Connor Winter, 4:05.30 3,000-Meters (Invitational Section): (1. Ryan Hill, NC State, 7:49.20) 10. Aric Van Halen, 7:53.74 Weight Throw: (1. Kyle Rothwell, Idaho, 62-10) 17. Cameron Hutchins, 52-07.50; 23. Brady Rutt, 49-03.50 Shot Put: (1. Travis Smith, UC Riverside, 61-11) 19. Brady Rutt, 46-04.75 Women's Results (CU Athletes Only) Mile Run: (1. Chantelle Dron, unattached, 4:44.14) 10. Staci Foster, 4:53.65; 40. Camille Logan, 5:00.88 3,000-Meters: (1. Mara Olson, Butler, 9:29.05) 3. Courtney Bouchet, 9:30.03; 24. Diana George, 9:51.44 800-Meters (Invitational Section): (1. Shannon Leinert, 2:04.53) 9. Liz Tremblay, 2:07.18 Shot Put: (1. Erinn Jones, Sacramento State, 49-09.25) 30. Kajsa Bank, 39-00.25 TYSON INVITATIONAL Randal Tyson Track Complex - Fayetteville, Ark. Men's Results (CU Athletes Only) 200-Meters: (1. Wallace Spearmon, Saucony, 20.71) 23. Joe Morris, 21.64; 41. Shaw Gifford, 22.30 4x400-Meter Relay: (1. Kansas, 3:09.98) 13. MacIntosh/Gifford/Reimer/Baker, 3:17.47 Women's Results (CU Athletes Only) 200-Meters: (1. Aurieyall Scott, UCF, 22.68) 28. Eileen Gehring, 24.31; 60. Lindsy Mattson, 25.09 4x400-Meter Relay: (1. UCF, 3:37.78) 9. Mattson/Beemer/Sweeney/Gehring, 3:43.52 AIR FORCE TEAM CHALLENGE Cadet Field House - USAF Academy, Colo. Men's Results (CU Athletes Only) 3,000-Meters: 1. Ammar Moussa, 8:59.07; 2. Dillon Shije, 9:01.19 60-Meter Hurdles: (1. Trevor Brown, CSU, 7.84) 14. Jason DeWitt, 8.42; 20. Brock Emory, 8.61 High Jump: (1. Trevor Evanson, UNC, 6-11.50) 9. Jason DeWitt, 6-06.75; 13. Brock Emory, 6-02.75 Long Jump: (1. Willie Alexander, LBSU, 24-11.25) 29. Brock Emory, 20-11.25; 21. Jason DeWitt, 20-07.25 Shot Put: (1. Chris Dubree, Wichita State, 56-03) 15. Jason DeWitt, 39-00.50; 17. Brock Emory, 37-10.50 Women's Results (CU Athletes Only) 200-Meters: (1. Emily Cooper, LBSU, 24.72) 10. Gwen Ricco, 25.72; 22. Genny Mayden, 26.65; 25. Abrianna Torres, 26.84; 34. Holly Odneal, 27.77 400-Meters: (1. Kiara Giles, Wichita State, 57.22) 8. Lainey Nash, 59.29 800-Meters: (1. Ashley Atkin, UNC, 2:18.06) 4. Lindsey Hubbard, 2:21.56 60-Meter Hurdles: (1. Jenna Mann, UW, 8.47) 13. Abrianna Torres, 9.03; 18. Genny Mayden, 9.14; 21. Holly Odneal, 9.22 High Jump: (1. J'Lynn Ledesma, Wichita State, 6-00.50) 3. Kelsey English, 5-09.25; t18. Holly Odneal, 5-03; 24. Ewelina Pena, 5-01 Long Jump: 1. Abrianna Torres, 19-08.75; 6. Genny Mayden, 18-07; 17. Gwen Ricco, 17-00.50 Shot Put: (1. Kiah Hicks, CSU, 47-4.50) 7. Holly Odneal, 41-05; 10. Abrianna Torres, 40-02.75; 11. Genny Mayden, 39-10; 17. Gwen Ricco, 33-04.50 |
from cubuffs.com