Rams in position to score in multis after opening day of MW Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Calendar

Show:/

No Upcoming Events

CLOVIS, Calif. – The Colorado State track & field team put itself in position to score points in each of the decathlon and heptathlon, as the Rams opened competition at the 2018 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Wednesday.

Freshman Eric Lundgren is currently in fifth in the decathlon, and is on pace for a personal best with 3,381 points after day one. As has been a strength for him all season, the freshman once again dominated the decathlon shot put, taking first in the event by over four feet (48-2.5/14.69m/771 points). That mark for the native of Cheyenne, Wyo., ranks as an all-time conference meet record in the decathlon shot put. Lundgren rounded out his day with a third-place finish in the decathlon high jump (6-0/1.83m/653 points) and a fourth-place finish in the final decathlon event of day one, the 400 meters (52.58/700 points).

The shot put was also a big factor for junior Gabby Smith, who paces the Rams in women's multis with 2,931 points and an eighth-place position after four heptathlon events. Smith registered a personal-best in that event by nearly three feet, taking second place with a throw of 41-0.5 (12.51m/695 points). The junior added an additional top-10 finish in a heptathlon event as she closed day one with a time of 26.95 in the 200 meters.

Senior Talia Marquez sits right behind Smith in heptathlon competition, currently ranking ninth after day one with 2,874 points. The Arvada, Colo., native opened the day with a personal-best time of 14.76 in the heptathlon 100-meter hurdles to place eighth, and finished in the same position in the high jump (5-2.5/1.59m/724 points) and the 200 meters (26.21/w: 2.7 m/s/779 points).

Fellow freshman decathlete Dustin Ethridge is in seventh place after five events with 3,268 points. His highest finish was third place in the high jump (6-0/1.83m/653 points), followed by a fifth-place finish in the long jump (20-10/6.35m/w: 2.2 m/s/664 points). Notably, his shot put mark of 35-10.5 (10.93m/542 points) was a personal best, while his time of 53.30 in the 400 meters was his first collegiate mark in the event (669 points).

IN THEIR WORDS
Colorado State head assistant coach Ryan Baily
"I thought that Eric (Lundgren) and Dustin (Ethridge) competed great in the decathlon today, and Lundgren breaking the decathlon shot put conference record was big. Talia (Marquez) is doing fine and Gabby (Smith) did great to post a big shot put PR. We just need to refocus and be ready to compete at a higher level tomorrow."

NOTES
- Gabby Smith's previous personal best in the shot put before Wednesday was 38-3.25 (11.67m).
- Talia Marquez had a personal best of 14.90 in the 100-meter hurdles prior to her new best on Wednesday.
- Dustin Ethridge improved upon his previous personal-best shot put mark of 34-1.25 (10.40m).

UP NEXT
The Colorado State track & field team continues competition at the 2018 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championships at 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT with the second half of the meet's multi-event competition. The women's and men's 10,000 meters are also scheduled for Thursday, beginning at 8:15 p.m. PT/9:15 p.m. MT.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results