Rams make trip for Air Force Invitational this weekend

Air Force Invitational
Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27
Cadet Field House | USAF Academy, Colo.
Hosted by Air Force
Coverage: Meet Information | Live Results

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State track & field team will travel for a meet at Air Force for the third time this indoor season, as the Rams make the trip to USAF Academy, Colo., for the Air Force Invitational.

The entirety of the two-day meet will be held from the Cadet Field House. Field events on Friday will begin at 1 p.m. MT with the men's weight throw and women's pole vault. Track events are slated to begin at 1:45 p.m. MT with the qualifying round of the women's 60-meter hurdles. The first field events on Saturday will be the women's seeded pole vault, men's shot put and men's high jump at 11:30 a.m. MT, while the first track event, the women's 60-meter hurdle semifinals, is slated for a 1 p.m. MT start.

"We're still training very hard and we're essentially going to train through this meet," Colorado State head coach Brian Bedard said. "We're still in process and we're trying to grow up some of our younger athletes and clean up their competition mentality, focus and execution at meets. We're hopeful to really see some good performances, and then we'll back some kids off their training a little bit before the CU Open and look for some good times and marks."

Colorado State, which enters this weekend as the No. 10 men's team in the nation, had previously competed at the Cadet Field House at the Air Force Holiday Open on Dec. 8 and the Air Force Team Challenge last weekend. CSU is set to face a field that includes Colorado (No. 8 men's), Fresno State, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, Oral Roberts, San Jose State, Wyoming and host Air Force. Each event area will be represented for the Rams with the exception of the middle distance and distance groups.

A full recap and results will be posted to CSURams.com as soon as each are available. Live results will also be made available by Air Force, and will be shared on the track & field schedule page as well as in this preview story as soon as the link goes live.

One notable for this meet is the 2017-18 indoor debut of CSU senior Mostafa Hassan, who is the top-seeded thrower in the men's shot put at the Air Force Invitational. The native of Cairo, Egypt was the NCAA champion in the shot put last indoor season, and finished runner-up at last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships. At last year's Mountain West Indoor Championships, Hassan recorded an indoor personal-best mark of 69-10.75 (21.30m), a mark that made him the No. 10 indoor performer in NCAA history, the No. 4-ranked shot putter in the world and the MW and CSU indoor shot put record holder.

"It's just a different deal when you're starting the indoor season as the returning NCAA champion," Bedard said. "He knows that and wants to get off to a good start this weekend. We're not expecting him to be leading the world or anything, but somewhere between 19.5 and 20 meters would be a good start for him. We're just going to open him up this weekend and see where he's at."

Last Time Out: Rams at Air Force Team Challenge (Jan. 18-19)
- Colorado State traveled to USAF Academy, Colo., for the second time this season when the Rams competed at the Air Force Team Challenge. The Rams recorded multiple marks on their all-time indoor list and won multiple events to highlight competition.
- See below for some of the highlights from the meet and why those performances were significant.
Jalen Hunter
- 60-meter hurdles – 7.98 (fifth on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Marybeth Sant
- 60 meters – 7.47 (fifth on CSU's all-time indoor list, won event)
McKenzie Wright
- High jump – 5-9.75/1.77m (fifth on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Ronald Sayles
- 400 meters – 48.57 (13th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Jasmine Chesson
- 200 meters – 25.11 (15th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
London Evans
- 60 meters – 7.87 (20th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Kelcey Bedard
- Weight throw – 61-8.25/18/80m (won event)
Alex Blaho
- Weight throw – 60-1.25/18.32m (won event)
Destinee Rocker
- 60-meter hurdles – 8.46 (won event)

Rams' Men Start Indoor Season with Program-Best No. 6 Ranking, Remain in Top 10 in Week One
- The Colorado State men's track & field team entered the 2017-18 indoor season with its highest ranking in program history, as the Rams were tabbed No. 6 in the nation in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track & Field National Team Rankings on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
- Colorado State's preseason No. 6 ranking is its highest in either indoor or outdoor track & field. Each of those previous highs were set last year, as the Rams rose to No. 8 during the 2016-17 indoor season and as high as No. 11 during the 2017 outdoor season.
- Colorado State remains in the top 10 this week, checking in at No. 10 in the week one poll. That is the Rams' third-highest ranking in program history, ranking behind only the aforementioned two.
- The USTFCCCA uses a computer ranking system that is designed to project how teams will finish at the NCAA Championships. That system assigns points totals to individual student-athletes based upon how that athlete's marks and times stack up this season as well as how they rank based upon historical data. Those points totals for those individual student-athletes are then tallied to reach the respective team's points total for that week's rankings. Current season bests as well as previous career bests are considered for the rankings.

Colorado State Men's Track & Field in USTFCCCA National Team Rankings
Preseason, Jan. 10 – No. 6 (66.24 points)
Week One, Jan. 22 – No. 10 (65.62 points)

Nick Kravec, Jalen Hunter Sweep Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Athletes of the Week
- Colorado State seniors Nick Kravec and Jalen Hunter each earned their first career weekly indoor honor from the Mountain West on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, as the duo swept Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week honors.
- With those honors, Colorado State athletes have now been honored by the Mountain West after opening weekend in three consecutive indoor seasons. It is also the second straight season that a heptathlete has been honored (Hunter Price on Dec. 13, 2016).
- Kravec topped the heptathlon field at the Mines Alumni Classic & Multi, racking up 5,507 points (5,548 when converted for track size) to win by over 100 points. The Fort Collins, Colo., native's score was a personal best, and ranks fifth in program history and well as third in the nation at that point.
- Hunter opened his indoor season with a time of 8.08 (8.12 when adjusted for altitude) in the 60-meter hurdles at the Air Force Holiday Open, a time that has been topped by only nine other athletes in program history. The senior from Denton, Texas ranked 17th in the nation at that point in the 60-meter hurdles.

World-Class Athletes Highlight Rams' Returners
- Among Colorado State's returners for this upcoming season are three athletes that ranked among the best in the world last indoor season. Each of the throws, combined events and distance events are covered as Mostafa Hassan, Hunter Price and Cole Rockhold finished the most recent indoor season ranked with the best of the best.
- See below for details on where each finished in the world rankings for the 2016-17 indoor season. The IAAF ranks the top performances in the world, whether by an amateur or professional. Each list varies in length based upon predetermined cut times/marks and a target desired number of qualifying athletes for an event.

Colorado State Returning Athletes on 2016-17 IAAF Senior Indoor Lists (in order of world ranking)
Mostafa Hassan - Shot Put - 69-10.75 (21.30m) - No. 4 (No. 1 Egypt)
Hunter Price - Heptathlon - 5,996 points - No. 9 (No. 2 USA)
Cole Rockhold - 3,000 meters - 7:59.89 - No. 99 (No. 32 USA)

Rams Return Four Indoor All-Americans
- The Colorado State men's track & field team finished the 2016-17 indoor season at No. 12 in the nation, marking the program's highest all-time NCAA finish. From that team, Colorado State returns four of five All-America performers, with Jerrell Mock being the only exception. Mock has exhausted his indoor eligibility, but will compete for the Rams this outdoor season.
- Each of Mostafa Hassan, Hunter Price and Cole Rockhold earned First-Team All-America honors with their performances in their respective events, while Grant Fischer was a Second-Team All-American. Among those was Hassan's first-place finish in the shot put, marking Colorado State's first national championship in any sport since 2005 (track & field hammer thrower Loree Smith).
- See below for how each returning athlete performed at the 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Colorado State Returning Athletes at 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships
Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put – 69-9.5 (21.17m) – First Place (First-Team All-America)
Hunter Price – Heptathlon – 5,996 – Fourth Place (First-Team All-America)
Cole Rockhold – 3,000 Meters – 7:59.89 - Sixth Place (First-Team All-America)
Grant Fischer – 5,000 Meters – 13:55.37 – Ninth Place (Second-Team All-America)

Eight All-Conference Performers Return for Reigning Mountain West Champions
- Among the accomplishments of the 2016-17 indoor season for Colorado State were team conference titles on each of the women's and men's sides. That marked the Rams' first ever sweep of the women's and men's titles at the Mountain West Indoor Championships, the women's second consecutive team title and the men's first since 2002.
- The Rams return eight indoor All-Mountain West performers from those teams, including individual conference champions Mostafa Hassan (shot put), Hunter Price (high jump) and Cole Rockhold (3,000 meters). Grant Fischer earned indoor All-Mountain West honors in each of the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters.
- See below for a full listing of 2017 indoor All-Mountain West performers that return for the Rams this season.

Colorado State Returning Athletes with 2017 Indoor All-Mountain West Honors
Grant Fischer – 3,000 Meters, 5,000 Meters
Autumn Gardner – High Jump
Mostafa Hassan – Shot Put (individual champion/MW Men's Student-Athlete of the Year)
Nick Kravec – Heptathlon
Macy Kreutz – 4x400-Meter Relay
Hunter Price – High Jump (individual champion)
Cole Rockhold – 3,000 Meters (individual champion), Distance Medley Relay
Ronald Sayles – Distance Medley Relay

Notable Performances at the Potts Invitational (Jan. 12-13)
- After a month away from competition, the Colorado State track & field team returned to competition at the Potts Invitational in Boulder, Colo. The Rams recorded 13 event wins and numerous marks on CSU's all-time indoor list.
- See below for a breakdown of CSU's top performances and why they were notable.
Marybeth Sant
- 60 meters – 7.47 (fifth on CSU's all-time indoor list, won event)
- 200 meters – 24.81 (11th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Ronald Sayles
- 200 meters – 21.49 (fifth on CSU's all-time indoor list, won event)
Jasmine Chesson
- 400 meters – 55.94 (seventh on CSU's all-time indoor list, top collegiate finisher)
Caleb Hardy
- 400 meters – 48.38 (ninth on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Emma Kratzberg
- 400 meters – 57.08 (12th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Garrett Lane
- 60-meter hurdles – 8.16 (12th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Hannah Freeman
- 800 meters – 2:14.90 (13th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Nick Kravec
- 60-meter hurdles – 8.23 (17th on CSU's all-time indoor list)
Kelcey Bedard
- Weight throw – 61-6/18.74m (won event)
Alex Blaho
- Shot put – 56-6.5/17.23m (won event)
- Weight throw – 60-7/18.46m (won event)
Eric Hamer
- 3,000 meters – 8:34.47 (top collegiate finisher)
Carson Hume
- Mile – 4:14.44 (won event)
Nick Meihaus
- High jump – 6-7/2.01m (won event)
Destinee Rocker
- 60-meter hurdles – 8.54 (won event)
Tarynn Sieg
- Shot put – 47-2/14.37m (won event)
Gabby Smith
- Pole vault – 12-5.5/3.80m (won event)
E'Lias Sutton
- 60 meters – 6.97 (won event)

Notables from the Mines Alumni Classic & Multi, Air Force Holiday Open (Dec. 7-8)
- Colorado State track & field boasted a collection of top performances in the combined events, sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws after its opening weekend at the Mines Alumni Classic & Multi and the Air Force Holiday Open.
- See below for the athletes that received accolades or entered the record books with their performances in those two meets.
Nick Kravec
– Heptathlon – 5,507 points (fifth in CSU history, MW Men's Field Athlete of the Week)
Jalen Hunter
– 60-Meter Hurdles – 8.08 (MW Men's Track Athlete of the Week)
Destinee Rocker
– 60-Meter Hurdles – 8.44 (third in CSU history)
Marybeth Sant
– 60 Meters – 7.48 (fifth in CSU history)
Jessica Ozoude
– 60 Meters – 7.48 (fifth in CSU history)
Aliya Simpson
- Pole Vault – 12-5.5/3.80m (fifth in CSU history)
Talia Marquez
– Pentathlon – 3,608 points (10th in CSU history)
- Long Jump – 18-9.75/5.73m (11th in CSU history)
Gabby Smith
– Pentathlon – 3,571 points (12th in CSU history)
Tarynn Sieg
– Shot Put – 47-4.25/14.43m (12th in CSU history)
Alex Blaho
– Shot Put – 59-1.25/18.01m (15th in CSU history)
Amelia Harvey
- 60-Meter Hurdles – 8.95 (19th in CSU history)

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