Last weekend, the UCCS Track and Field team took 15 competitors to the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championship and walked away with 16 All-American honors.
With multiple athletes participating, the Mountain Lions had an excellent performance over the weekend, earning more accolades and breaking school records.
A few athletes came away with multiple All-American honors. Senior Evan Graff qualified for the mile (3000-meter) and distance medley relay (DMR) races and came away with a seventh-place finish in the mile and tenth-place finish in the DMR, earning first-team All-American honors and second-team honors respectively.
In addition to the national awards, Graff was named RMAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Right beside Graff was redshirt freshman Jagger Zlotoff, who earned 10th place in the DMR and finished 0.18 seconds before Graff in the mile, earning sixth place. Freshman Andrew Muncy and sophomore Joseph Hamilton also received second-team honors from the DMR race.
Senior Afewerki Zeru competed in the 3000-meter and 5000-meter races, earning his second consecutive first-team All-American honors for the 5000m, finishing sixth in the nation. On the tournament’s second day, Zeru earned more points for UCCS by finishing ninth in the 3000-meter race and earning second-team honors.
The women’s DMR team placed fifth and broke the UCCS record time in the competition. Redshirt sophomore Kate Hedlund and sophomore Amber Davis returned from last year’s DMR team and earned their second consecutive first-team All-American status with sophomore Anna Fauske and redshirt junior Michela Hewitt. This is Hedlund’s third first-team All-American honor.
Senior Dakota Abbot made his fourth national championship appearance, earning second-team honors with a ninth-place finish in the men’s triple jump. Redshirt junior and RMAC Tournament Female Athlete of the Meet Audrey Bloomquist competed in the women’s triple jump and earned 12th place for her first All-American honors at her first national tournament appearance.
Redshirt junior Skye Ciccarelli finished off the Mountain Lion All-Americans, earning 10th place in the men’s high jump.
After wrapping up the indoor season, the Mountain Lions Track and Field team is preparing to start the outdoor season March 17-18 for the Dr. Dan Caprioglio Early Bird Invite at Colorado State University Pueblo.
Photo from gomountainlions.com.