Colorado State University Athletics
Track & Field Preview: Rob Upton Invitational
3/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Outdoor Track & Field
March 21, 2006
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Getting Things Started: Colorado State track & field will kick off the 2006 outdoor season with the annual Rob Upton Invitational. This will be the 13th invitational, as the meet was cancelled in 1999 due to inclement weather. The Invitational is named for former Ram Robinson Upton, who was killed in a rock-climbing accident in 1992 while he was still a student-athlete at Colorado State.
Indoor Recap: The women's team, for the first time in school history, won the Mountain West Conference Championship title, defeating perennial champions BYU by one point, 156.5-155.5. The men's team also finished second at the conference championship with 143 points. Senior Jill McCormick earned her first All-America honors with a ninth-place finish in the weight throw, while junior Janay DeLoach finished 13th in the 60 meters at the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. The Rams broke six records, as DeLoach broke the records in both the 55 and 60 meters and the long jump, senior Nicole Feest broke the 5000 meter record, junior Katie Lloyd broke the record in the pentathlon and junior Kevin Johnson broke the heptathlon record.
Returning All-American: Senior Katie Hansen returns for her final season of outdoor competition after earning All-American honors one year ago. Hansen finished eighth in the discus at the NCAA Championship in Sacramento, throwing a personal best 172-11. She entered the championship seeded 20th then qualified 11th in the preliminaries before moving into eighth during the finals. Hansen also finished second in the discus at the Mountain West Championship and sixth at the NCAA Regionals.
2005 NCAA Championship Recap: The Rams sent seven competitors to the NCAA Championship and brought home one title (Loree Smith, hammer) and three All-American certificates (Smith, Adam Trainor - hammer, Katie Hansen - discus). The women's team finished 22nd with 11 points overall, while the men tied for 67th with one point. The Rams also saw Mike Nicks finish 10th in his heat of the steeplechase, Michelle Carman finish 13th in her heat of the 5000 meters and senior Jace Rivera finish ninth in his flight of the hammer on the first day of competition. Senior Cristina Gourdin competed the last two days of the championship in the heptathlon, finishing in 27th place.
Returning All-Conference: The Rams return 11 student-athletes who earned 17 all-conference certificates at the Mountain West Conference Championship by finishing in the top three in their respective events. The list follows:
* junior Matt Cianciulli, 10,000 Meters
* Janay DeLoach, 100 Meters, 4x100 Meter Relay, Long Jump
* junior Trey Eder, Shot Put
* junior Megan Fox, 4x100 Meter Relay
* Katie Hansen, Discus
* senior Mike Horton, 110 Meter Hurdles, 4x100 Meter Relay
* senior Amanda Huddleston-Miller, Triple Jump
* sophomore Jarelle Johnson, Long Jump, Triple Jump
* Katie Lloyd, Heptathlon, High Jump
* junior Denny Majerus, 200 Meters, 4x100 Meter Relay
* sophomore Emily Pearson, 4x100 Meter Relay
Record Holders: There are six current student-athletes on the CSU roster that hold outdoor school records. Junior Magnus Lohse is the lone men's active record holder, owning the shot put record at 61-2.75. Janay DeLoach holds the school record in the long jump and was a member of the 4x100 relay record team, but will redshirt this season. Amanda Huddleston-Miller holds the triple jump record and Cristina Gourdin holds the record in the heptathlon. Megan Fox and Emily Pearson are also on the 4x100 meter relay record holding team.
Defense: Several Rams will be defending their titles this weekend at the Rob Upton Invitational. Megan Fox has won the 400 meters the last two seasons, while junior Justin Hazzard will also be going for his third straight title in both the 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles. Junior Haley Hunt will be seeking her third straight title in the hammer, while Katie Hansen looks for her third straight in the discus. Sophomore Kirsten Anthony won last season's 1500 meter race, while junior Danielle Korb won it in 2004 and sophomore Anne McLaughlin won the high jump title a year ago. Senior Jaimee Troth was victorious in the shot put last year, as was Amanda Huddleston-Miller in the triple jump. Miller has won three of the last four triple jump titles at the Rob Upton Invite. Junior Ryan Kirkpatrick is looking to defend his title in the 1500 meters, while Matt Cianciulli won the 5000 last year, keeping alive a streak of five straight champions from CSU in that event. Sophomore Charles Johnson won the pole vault last season, while Trey Eder won the shot put and senior Jason Fearheiley won the javelin competing unattached.
Rob Upton Invitational Records: Women: 100 Meters 11.61w Jessica Fox, Wyo. 2003 100 Hurdles 13.10 Trecia Roberts, Unat. 1997 200 Meters 24.15 Brandi Bernert, CSU 1998 400 Meters 55.44 Megan Addy, CSU 1998 400 Hurdles 59.72 Megan Addy, Unat. 2002 800 Meters 2:13.71 Katie Yemm, CSU 2002 1500 Meters 4:34.82 Janelle Olson, Adams St. 1998 Steeplechase 10:52.45 Meg Larson, CSU 2001 5000 Meters 17:35.60 Elizabeth Roodell, CSU 2002 4x100 Relay 46.88 Colorado State 2005 4x400 Relay 3:50.46 Colorado State 1996 High Jump 5-8 Lindsey Malmgren, Unat. 02&04 Long Jump 20-2.5w Janay DeLoach, CSU 2005 Triple Jump 39-8.75w Amanda Huddleston, CSU 2005 Pole Vault 12-3.5 Christine Ahn, CSU 2004 Shot Put 50-0.5 Loree Smith, CSU 2002 Discus 182-6 Dawn Ellerbe, NYAC 2000 Hammer 212-0 Jessica Cross, NYAC 2000 Javelin 162-3 Kamber Backman, Unat. 1996Men: 100 Meters 10.39 John Woods, CSU 2004 110 Hurdles 14.20 Jeremy Kendall, CSU 1998 200 Meters 20.85 John Woods, Unat. 2005 400 Meters 47.67 Dayven Johnston, CSM 2001 400 Hurdles 51.30 Keith Ladson, Wyo. 1996 800 Meters 1:51.40 Chad DiPrince, Unat. 1998 1500 Meters 3:52.30 Monte Still, Unat. 1996 Steeplechase 9:10.35 Carl Blackhurst, Adams St. 2001 5000 Meters 14:43.89 Bill Michel, CSU 2004 4x100 Relay 40.82 Colorado State 2002 4x400 Relay 3:12.56 Colo. School of Mines 2001 High Jump 6-11.75 Chris Larson, Wyo. 1996 Long Jump 24-9 Mervin Swaby, Unat. 2001 Triple Jump 50-8w Ivory Rounds, So. Colo. 1993 Pole Vault 17-3.75 Ryan Barkdull, Wich.St. 1996 Shot Put 60-11.25 Jason Gervais, Wyo. 2000 Discus 197-0 Jason Gervais, Wyo. 2000 Hammer 236-10 Drew Loftin, Unat. 2004 Javelin 230-8 Andrew McDonagh, Unat. 2000
