Colorado State University Athletics
Rams' men earn No. 16 ranking from USTFCCCA
4/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
USTFCCCA Release
NEW ORLEANS – Following a record-breaking week in California, the Colorado State men’s track & field team has moved up to No. 16 in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Men’s Outdoor Track & Field National Team Rankings. The organization released its week three rankings on Monday.
The Colorado State men are ranked by the USTFCCCA for the third week in a row after debuting in this season’s rankings at No. 21 in week one. According to the USTFCCCA, the Rams’ No. 16 ranking this week is their best outdoor ranking from the organization in program history. The Rams also reached No. 8 during the 2016-17 indoor season, their best indoor ranking in program history.
The CSU men’s team is receiving 110.68 points from the USTFCCCA’s computer rankings, well up from the team’s 83.78 points in week two. CSU is the only Mountain West team to be ranked in the top 25 on either of the men’s or women’s sides, and is by far the highest ranked team outside of the “Power Five” conferences on the men’s side (No. 25 Houston).
The USTFCCCA calculates its computer rankings based upon a formula that accounts for the top marks recorded this season and in prior seasons in some cases. Student-athletes garner greater amounts of points toward a team’s total on the basis of higher rankings in their respective events and by how their marks and times stack up this season and historically.
The 2017 outdoor debut of Mostafa Hassan gave CSU a big boost in this week’s rankings. The 2017 indoor shot put national champion won the elite invitational of the Mt. SAC Relays with a Mountain West and program record-shattering mark of 69-11 (21.31m). Hassan earned 35.5 points towards CSU’s total, the most of any athlete in a single event in the nation.
Hassan had the five best shot put marks in the nation last week, with his best mark of 69-11 ranking as the nation’s best this season by over three feet (66-10.75/20.39m by Virginia’s Oghenakpobo Efekoro). The Cairo, Egypt native also ranks fifth in the world in the shot put this outdoor season.
The Rams’ ranking was also heavily bolstered by the 2017 outdoor debut of Hunter Price. The Arvada, Colo., native took down the CSU all-time outdoor record in the decathlon with 7,801 points at the Mt. SAC/California Invitational Combined Events. In addition to breaking the previously 35-year-old program record, Price’s score ranks second all-time in Mountain West history. Price’s 110-meter hurdles time of 13.98, which ranks third in program history, also factors into the team’s points total.
Cole Rockhold and Jefferson Abbey picked up points for the Rams this week with their performances in the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Rockhold clocked a time of 3:41.04, the third-best in program history, while Abbey ran CSU’s No. 4 time in the 1,500 meters all-time (3:42.95). Rockhold ranks fifth in the nation in the 1,500 meters, while Abbey 26th in the event.
Performances by Grant Fischer and Jerrell Mock in the 5,000 meters this weekend also factor into the rankings. Fischer ranks 10th in the nation and third in program history with a 5,000 meters time of 13:46.80, while Mock ranks 14th in the nation and fourth in CSU history with a time of 13:52.06.
Times by Abbey and Rockhold in the 5,000 meters at Stanford also continue to contribute to the team’s points total. Abbey’s program-record time of 13:37.23 continues to lead the nation and ranks eighth amongst times run by active NCAA athletes. Rockhold’s time of 13:52.73 ranks fifth in program history, 16th in the nation and 32nd amongst times run by active NCAA athletes.
Rounding out contributions to the team’s No. 16 ranking are times by Mock and Fischer in the 10,000 meters from two weeks ago. Mock’s program-record 10,000 meters time of 28:11.80 from the Stanford Invitational ranks third in the nation, third amongst all active NCAA athletes and eighth in the world (sixth among all Americans). Fischer’s time of 28:45.83 ranks second in program history, 10th in the nation this season and 14th among all active NCAA athletes.
Prior season data for Josh Cogdill, who scored 7,294 in the decathlon in 2015, accounts for the final contribution to the team’s points total.
The Colorado State track & field team hosts the Jack Christiansen Invitational this Saturday in Fort Collins, Colo. The meet, which is slated to begin at 9 a.m. MT, will be held from Jack Christiansen Track on the campus of Colorado State University. The Jack Christiansen Invitational is one of four events set to take place this Saturday as part of CSU Athletics’ Spring Sports Festival.
