Residing in Helena, Montana, redshirt senior Audrey Bloomquist has just been named RMAC co-field athlete of the year.
While she collected many other accolades in 2023, Bloomquist became a national qualifier for triple jump and attained a first team all RMAC position for 100m, 4x100m, long jump and triple jump.
“So far, I’m really proud of my 2023-24 season. I have one more goal to check off, which is earning an All-American trophy at nationals. It’s been my goal from day one to be an All-American triple jumper and long jumper, and I’ve set myself up to achieve that this year,” Bloomquist said.
Bloomquist is particularly proud of her performance at the RMAC Indoor Championships.
“A few weekends ago, I was fortunate enough to earn the RMAC Indoor Championships Women’s Athlete of the Meet award after winning the long jump and triple jump as well as finishing third in the 60m dash. I also earned first-team All-Region for indoor, ranking first in long jump and triple jump in the region,” Bloomquist said.
Despite these achievements, Bloomquist noted that, “for the remainder of my final season, I just want to enjoy every minute of my competition and have fun being with my teammates and coaches.”
In addition to excelling in athletics, Bloomquist places equal focus on her academics. Bloomquist is a first-year graduate student in the communication MA program after graduating in spring 2023 with her BS in sport management and marketing.
“For me, balancing academics and athletics has been all about keeping myself accountable. I write out lists and schedules for myself every day so I can visually see what I need to get done and can check things off when I complete them. Knowing what I want to accomplish in track motivates me in the classroom, and vice versa. I’m also very excited about my career path after college, which adds to my academic motivation,” Bloomquist said.
Bloomquist acknowledges that balancing athletics and academics is challenging.
“The most challenging part of being a student-athlete is managing a lot of different commitments. We have a ton of responsibilities that people don’t often see to their full extent, and it’s tricky managing these on top of being a full-time student, employee, family member and friend,” Bloomquist said.
Despite this, Bloomquist remains incredibly grateful for her experience as a student athlete at UCCS and how it has benefitted other aspects of her life.
“Without track, I wouldn’t have travelled across the country like I have, and I would never have met such unique and wonderful people … being a track and field athlete has also helped me grow as a young woman in so many ways. The ups and downs of my sport have tested my faith and relationship with God and have made me a stronger Christian,” Bloomquist said.
“I’ve learned to compete with purpose, to give myself grace when things don’t go as planned, and to never take any opportunity for granted. Being a student-athlete has been the biggest blessing, and I’m so grateful for everyone who has contributed to my career.”
Away from school and track, Bloomquist enjoys pursuing other hobbies, like fishing, hiking and riding horses.
“I’m originally from Montana and my parents recently moved to Wyoming, so enjoying natural beauty and exploring different places with my family and friends is something that brings me a lot of joy,” Bloomquist said.
UCCS women’s track and field will compete in Pueblo from March 22-23 in the Spank Blasing Invitational as outdoor season begins.
Audrey Bloomquist. Photo courtesy of GoMountainLions.com.