Preview: Rams to close indoor season at NCAA Championships

March 9, 2017

NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships
Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11
Gilliam Indoor Stadium
College Station, Texas

Coverage: WatchESPN.com (ESPN3) | Live Results | Meet Schedule | Championship Central
Twitter: @CSURAMSTRACK

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Seven members of the Colorado State track & field team will compete in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend at Gilliam Indoor Stadium in College Station, Texas.

The two-day meet is set to begin on Friday. On the men’s side, each of Grant Fischer (5,000 meters), Mostafa Hassan (shot put), Jerrell Mock (5,000 meters), Hunter Price (heptathlon) and Cole Rockhold (mile) will compete for individual titles after qualifying as one of the top 16 athletes nationally in their respective events. On the women’s side, Lorenda Holston (60-meter hurdles) and Aaliyah Pete (shot put) each qualified for the national championship.

“I think the entire staff is extremely excited to be here and excited about the opportunity our athletes have to represent CSU,” Colorado State head coach Brian Bedard said. “We have some veterans out there that we think can do a great job for us and we’re optimistic overall. We’re in a really good position on both the women’s and men’s sides.”

The meet is set to be broadcast on WatchESPN.com via ESPN3. The meet can also be followed through live results and live updates on CSU’s official twitter account, @CSURAMSTRACK. Links to each, as well as a meet schedule and championship central, can be found above.

Hassan enters the meet as the nation’s top-ranked athlete in the shot put, as his mark of 69-10.75 leads the nation by over two and a half feet (67-2 by Jared Kern of Southern Illinois) and tops the nation’s No. 3 athlete by over four feet (65-6.25 by Filip Mihaljevic of Virginia). Furthermore, Hassan is the third-ranked performer in the world this year, and the 10th-ranked performer in the shot put in NCAA history.

Price enters this weekend as one of the nation’s elite athletes in the heptathlon, ranked fourth in the country (third amongst declared athletes). Price’s score of 5,906 (5,945 adjusted for track size) shattered the previous Mountain West record previously held by former Boise State athlete and current Olympian Kurt Felix. Last time out, Price won the high jump title with a program record-tying mark of 7-0.5 at the MW indoor championships.

Three members of the men’s distance unit represent the Rams at the national meet, with Rockhold entering as the highest-ranked (sixth in the nation in the mile, fifth amongst declared athletes). Rockhold clocked a sea-level mile time of 3:59.55 at the Husky Classic earlier this season, joining former CSU great Bryan Berryhill as the only athletes in program history to run a sub-four minute mile. Notably, Rockhold will not run the mile this weekend, but will compete in the 3,000 meters as the nation's 17th-ranked athlete (16th among declared competitors).

Each of Fischer and Mock represent CSU in the 5,000 meters. The duo hold the top two spots on CSU’s all-time indoor list in the event, as Mock broke his own record with a time of 13:44.65 and Fischer moved up to No. 2 on the list with a time of 13:46.58. Each time was recorded at the Husky Classic. Notably, each of Mock and Fischer were All-Mountain West honorees in the 5,000 meters.

Pete enters this weekend as the highest-ranked athlete on the women’s side, ranking ninth in the nation with a shot put mark of 56-4.5. Pete is the only athlete – women’s or men’s – from a current MW institution to win the shot put at the MW indoor championships in three consecutive seasons. Notably, Pete won the event this season by breaking the MW record previously held by former CSU great and 2006 national champion Loree Smith (56-3).

MW and CSU 60-meter hurdles record holder Lorenda Holston enters this weekend’s competition ranked 11th in the nation with an altitude-adjusted time of 8.08 (8.06 raw time). Holston has steadily run faster throughout the season, breaking the CSU record in the 60-meter hurdles four times before breaking the MW record at the Don Kirby Invitational (8.06).

“On the women’s side we have two seniors that battled their way to get here,” Bedard said. “They’re battle-tested. We’re really excited about their opportunities to come in here, improve on performances and out-compete some people.”

When Rams Compete This Weekend
- See below for a full breakdown of when each of the Rams’ seven NCAA qualifiers compete this weekend.

Friday
11 a.m. MT/Noon CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon 60 Meters
11:40 a.m. MT/12:40 p.m. CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon Long Jump
12:50 p.m. MT/1:50 p.m. CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon Shot Put
2 p.m. MT/3 p.m. CT = Hunter Price – Heptathlon High Jump
4:15 p.m. MT/5:15 p.m. CT – Aaliyah Pete – Shot Put Trials & Final
5:50 p.m. MT/6:50 p.m. CT – Lorenda Holston – 60-Meter Hurdles Semifinal
6:20 p.m. MT/7:20 p.m. CT – Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put Trials & Final
7:20 p.m. MT/8:20 p.m. CT – Grant Fischer and Jerrell Mock – 5,000 Meters Final (no semifinal) 

Saturday
11 a.m. MT/Noon CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon 60-Meter Hurdles
11:50 p.m. MT/12:50 p.m. CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon Pole Vault
2:45 p.m. MT/3:45 p.m. CT – Hunter Price – Heptathlon 1,000 Meters (final heptathlon event)
4 p.m. MT/5 p.m. CT – Lorenda Holston – 60-Meter Hurdles Final (should she advance from Friday semifinal)
5:15 p.m. MT/6:15 p.m. CT - Cole Rockhold - 3,000 Meters Final (no semifinal)

The List of CSU National Champions
- Each of the Rams’ seven athletes will have an opportunity to compete for national titles in their respective events this Friday and Saturday. In the history of Colorado State track & field, there have been six national champions and eight total national championships.
- The most recent CSU national champion was Loree Smith, who won the individual title in the hammer throw in 2006. The most recent athlete to win a national title in a track event was Bryan Berryhill, who won the indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 meters in 2001.
- See below for the full list of CSU national champions.

Colorado State Individual National Champions
2005 – Loree Smith - Hammer
2001 – Bryan Berryhill – 1,500 Meters (Outdoor)
2001 – Bryan Berryhill – Mile (Indoor)
1998 – Casey Malone - Discus
1976 – Wendy Koenig Knudson – 800 Meters
1975 – Wendy Koenig Knudson – 800 Meters
1951 - Gordon Riddel – Pole Vault
1931 - Ivan Dyekman – Hammer

Mostafa Hassan Named to Bowerman Pre-Championship Watch List
- Junior thrower Mostafa Hassan became the first athlete in Colorado State history to be a candidate for track & field’s highest honor when he was named to the Pre-Championship Watch List for The Bowerman Award on March 2. The Bowerman Award recognizes track & field’s most outstanding athlete.
- Of the list of 10 athletes, Hassan is one of only two throwers on the list, joining Cornell’s Rudy Winkler.
- Hassan was named to the list after his MW record-shattering mark of 69-10.75 in the shot put at the MW indoor championships. His mark leads the nation this season, and makes him the 10th-ranked performer in the event in NCAA history and the third-ranked performer in the world this season.

16 Rams Earn All-Mountain West Honors, Bedard Named MW Men's Coach of the Year
- On Feb. 25, 2017, the Colorado State track & field team completed its first sweep of the MW indoor championships in program history. It was the second straight indoor championship on the women’s side, and the men’s first since 2002.
- Numerous Rams made significant contributions to those championships, as each championship came down to a handful of points. Of those performances, seven were individual championships and 16 were All-Mountain West caliber.
- Head coach Brian Bedard was named MW Men’s Coach of the Year following the meet. It was his second MW honor on the men's side (2015 outdoor), his second indoor honor (2016 women's) and his fifth overall (2016 women's indoor, 2016 women's outdoor, 2015 women's outdoor, 2015 men's outdoor).
- See below for a full listing of all of the Rams’ honors from the Mountain West.

2017 Indoor Mountain West Honors
Jefferson Abbey – 3,000 Meters
Josh Cogdill – Heptathlon (individual champion)
Grant Fischer – 3,000 Meters, 5,000 Meters
Autumn Gardner – High Jump
Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put (individual champion)
Nick Kravec – Heptathlon
Jerrell Mock – 5,000 Meters (individual champion)
Aaliyah Pete – Shot Put (individual champion)
Hunter Price – High Jump (individual champion)
Cole Rockhold – 3,000 Meters (individual champion)
Emily Romo – 400 Meters (individual champion)
Collin Scheer – Triple Jump
Preston Williams – Triple Jump
Women’s 4x400-Meter Relay (Emily Romo, Leah Fair, Abby Simpson and Macy Kreutz)
Men’s Distance Medley Relay (Jefferson Abbey, Ronald Sayles, Patrick Monaghan and Cole Rockhold)
Brian Bedard – Mountain West Men’s Coach of the Year

Rams in the Record Books
- Several members of the 2016-17 Colorado State track & field team have found themselves atop the CSU all-time record books with performances this season. Here’s a look at who tops the Rams’ all-time list, and who ranks in the top five on the Mountain West’s all-time list.

Colorado State Indoor Records Set During 2016-17 Indoor Season
Darby Gilfillan – 5,000 meters – 16:22.19 – Feb. 10, 2017
Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put – 69-10.75 – Feb. 25, 2017
Lorenda Holston – 60-meter hurdles – 8.06 – Feb. 11, 2017
Jerrell Mock – 5,000 meters – 13:44.65 – Feb. 10, 2017
Aaliyah Pete – Shot Put – 56-4.5 – Feb. 25, 2017
Hunter Price – Heptathlon – 5,906 – Dec. 9, 2016
Emily Romo – 400 meters – 53.75 – Feb. 11, 2017

Colorado State in Mountain West’s All-Time Indoor Top Five
Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put – No. 1 - 69-10.75 – Feb. 25, 2017
Lorenda Holston – 60-meter hurdles – No. 1 – 8.06 – Feb. 11, 2017
Jerrell Mock – 5,000 meters – No. 4 – 13:44.65 – Feb. 10, 2017
Aaliyah Pete – Shot Put – No. 1 - 56-4.5 – Feb. 25, 2017
Hunter Price – Heptathlon – No. 1 – 5,906 – Dec. 9, 2016

CSU Men Ranked by USTFCCCA Throughout Season, Earn Highest Ranking in Program History
- The Colorado State men’s track & field team has been ranked for the entirety of the indoor season. This week, the Rams’ men check in at No. 8 – their highest ranking from the USTFCCCA ever.
- The Rams’ men ranked as high as at No. 9 this season. That was CSU’s preseason ranking, its best preseason rank in program history.
- The national rankings are calculated by the USTFCCCA on a weekly basis. The rankings are calculated using a formula that accounts for the top marks recorded this season, as well as previous career bests recorded by student-athletes prior to the 2016-17 indoor season. Beginning with the week four poll, the rankings only account for marks during the current season. Student-athletes garner greater amounts of points toward a team’s total with higher rankings in their respective events.

USTFCCCA NCAA DI Men’s Indoor National Team Rankings
Preseason (Jan. 9) – No. 9 – 67.62 points
Week One (Jan. 23) – No. 11 – 67.24 points
Week Two (Jan. 30) – No. 10 – 64.86 points
Week Three (Feb. 6) – No. 10 – 66.91 points
Week Four (Feb. 13) – No. 12 – 66.21 points 
Week Five (Feb. 20) – No. 11 – 66.01 points
Week Six (Feb. 27) – No. 12 – 65.78 points
Week Seven (March 6) – No. 8 – 74.62 points

Rams First in Mountain West History to Sweep MW Athlete of the Week Honors
- The Colorado State track & field team became the first team in Mountain West history to sweep all four weekly conference honors in a single week, as Mostafa Hassan, Lorenda Holston, Jerrell Mock and Aaliyah Pete were honored by the league on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
- The Rams have now had six men’s athletes and four women’s athletes selected for weekly honors for a Mountain West-best 10 weekly honors this season. The Rams’ six men’s athletes of the week matches their entire total from the past nine seasons.

Holston, Rockhold Repeat as MW Track Athletes of the Week on Feb. 7
- Lorenda Holston and Cole Rockhold became the first Mountain West athletes to earn multiple Track Athlete of the Week honors during the 2016-17 indoor season when each swept the women's and men's honors again on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
- Holston and Rockhold have now combined for four of the 10 honors given on the track side by the Mountain West this season. Each of Air Force, Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah State and Wyoming have one this season. The only other Mountain West athletes to have multiple honors this season are Air Force's Kyle Pater and Shelley Spires, each earning multiple field athlete honors.
- Holston broke the 60-meter hurdles record for the third straight week with her preliminaries time of 8.13, a time that also ranks as the second-best in Mountain West history. Rockhold posted the second-best mile time in school history when he clocked a time of 4:03.12 at the CU Open. Rockhold's time improved to 3:57.19 with an adjustment for altitude and ranks as the fourth-best in the nation.

Mostafa Hassan Earns MW Field Athlete of the Week Honor on Jan. 24
- Junior Mostafa Hassan picked up the first weekly conference honor in his indoor career on Tuesday, Jan. 24, when he was named Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Men's Field Athlete of the Week.
- Hassan threw the nation's second-best shot put mark by anyone in the nation up to that point, breaking a Deloss Dodds Invitational meet record with a mark of 65-1.5. The previous meet record had stood since 1989.

Lorenda Holston, Cole Rockhold Sweep MW Track Athlete Honors on Jan. 17
- Senior Lorenda Holston and sophomore Cole Rockhold impressed in their respective first meets of the new year, each receiving Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Track Athlete of the Week honors from the conference on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
- Holston clocked the then two top times in CSU history in the 60-meter hurdles, running the preliminaries in 8.18 before recording a time of 8.23 in the finals. Her time of 8.18 had previously matched the second-best time in Mountain West history. Through that week, Holston's time of 8.18 ranked tops in the Mountain West, and seventh in the nation.
- The Potts Invitational marked the indoor season debut for Rockhold. The sophomore clocked a time of 4:08.20, the 12th-fastest time in CSU history, to win the event. Rockhold's altitude-adjusted time of 4:02.15 ranked at fourth in the nation for all meets held through Jan. 15.

Hunter Price Breaks Mountain West Indoor Heptathlon Record
- Junior multi-event athlete Hunter Price opened his 2016-17 indoor campaign in historic fashion, shattering the Mountain West indoor heptathlon record with a score of 5,906 at the CSM Alumni Classic & Multi on Dec. 8-9.
- Price's score of 5,906 topped the previous best MW score of 5,771 set by former Boise State great and current Olympian Kurt Felix on Feb. 10, 2012.
- The Arvada, Colo. native had previously recorded the No. 5 heptathlon score (5,621) in conference history at the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb. 26, 2016.

CSU Heptathletes Shine on Opening Weekend
- Along with Hunter Price's record-breaking performance at the CSM Alumni Classic & Multi, Josh Cogdill and Nick Kravec put together two of the top indoor heptathlon performances in program history.
- Kravec recorded a person-best heptathlon score of 5,469 points, the sixth-best score in CSU history, while Cogdill scored 5,383 points, the seventh-best score in school history.
- Through that first week of the indoor season, Price's heptathlon score ranked second in the nation behind only 2015 indoor heptathlon champion Luca Wieland of Minnesota. Kravec ranked fourth nationally, while Cogdill's score was the seventh-best in the nation that week.
- Price now owns the top two indoor heptathlon scores in CSU history. Additionally, the trio of Price, Kravec and Cogdill have now combined for five of the top seven indoor heptathlon scores in program history.

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