Colorado State University Athletics
Three New Rams Headed to Track & Field Program
11/12/2020 5:18:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Rams Add a Graduate Transfer for Spring and Two Signees for 2021 Fall
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Rams added a graduate transfer for this coming spring and two incoming freshmen for the class of 2021 through national letters of intent, announced Thursday by head coach Brian Bedard.
Able to contribute immediately on the men's side is the University of Minnesota graduate transfer, Dawson LaRance, coming off a runner-up finish in the 800-meters at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships. The two freshmen, Tayla Brunger and Klaire Kovatch, will join the women's side in the sprints and throws section, respectively. Brunger reigns from Whanganui, New Zealand which laid claim last year to three of the top-5 U-18 women sprinters in the country, including the new Ram who prides herself in the 200 and 400. Kovatch, of Seeley Lake, Mont., dominated her second state discus title in 2019, winning by a margin of nearly 30 feet.
LaRance, originally of Billings, Mont., comes to Colorado State with two years eligibility in cross country and track, while also in pursuit of a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration. In his last appearance as a Gopher, LaRance earned USTFCCCA All-America honors with the distance medley relay team and Second Team All-Big Ten honors in the 800 at the conference meet. Like CSU's Eric Hamer and Tarynn Sieg, LaRance was set to compete in Albuquerque for the national meet before COVID-19 halted the championships. During his tenure at Minnesota, he saw action in all five of the possible conference track championships, competing in the 800, distance medley relay, mile and 4x400m relay. Prior to his collegiate career, he was named 2017 Montana Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year and was a four-time individual Montana Class AA state champion, including breaking a 31-yard old state record in the 800.
"We are super fortunate to add Dawson LaRance to our track and cross country roster in January," head distance coach Art Siemers said. "At the University of Minnesota, Dawson established himself as an outstanding student and team leader while running 1:48 800 and placing as high as second in the Big 10 Championship meet. We are excited to add his extreme talent and hard work to our middle distance squad."
Unfortunately, a cancelled junior season denied Kovatch at a chance to make it three in a row for state high school discus titles, but the 6-foot thrower set her sights on the summer's Big Sky Games – an amateur multi-sport event affiliated with State Games of America. The result was a title and meet record for girls in the 16-18 age range with a throw of 148-9'. The Seeley-Swan High School record book has Kovatch in the top-10 in six events, including the school record in the discus, which she has extended by nearly 20 feet from the time of breaking to stand at 150-2'.
Leading up to her second consecutive discus title in the MHSA Track and Field Championships, Kovatch won six other discus events in 2019 including the district and divisional stops with the latter representing her personal record. When she wasn't winning, she finished runner-up three times. In javelin, she notched two third place finishes and occupies No. 7 on the all-time school list. Beyond the throws, Kovatch holds her own in other aspects of track including being a part of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams – both swept district and division, while the latter also grabbed the state title compared to runner-up finish in the 4x100m. Kovatch's versatility extends to volleyball and basketball as she entertained over 25 school others to play any of her three sports.
"Klaire is a multi-sport athlete that shows leadership and work ethic on her high school teams," head coach Brian Bedard said. "She's coached by her father during track season and works for the family business while going to school. This tells me Klaire will fit in well at college already knowing how to manage her time and talents. She's a grinder."
Brunger makes it three straight recruiting classes that the Rams have dipped into Oceania Region, joining freshman Grace Goldsworthy and All-Mountain West sophomore Tom Willems – both of Australia. By a comfortable margin, Brunger was named Whanganui Athlete of the Year in May. At the 2020 New Zealand Championships, she took gold in the junior 100 and 200 races, while finishing runner-up in the 400m. Earlier this month in the first of three regional meets, Brunger recorded her first legal sub 12-second 100m with a time of 11.97. Back in March, she clocked a 54.63 400 that vaulted her to the top of the U-20 rankings and second in the opening rankings nationally.
This won't be the first time Brunger has been to America. Last year, she was a part of the California Track & Field Tour – a three-week meet series organized annually for New Zealand athletes.
"She has great range and I see her fitting in great with the women we have in the program," assistant coach J.J. Riese added.
For More on Colorado State Track & Field and Cross Country follow: Twitter – CSUTrackFieldXC | Instagram – csutrackfieldXC | Facebook – Colorado State Track & Field/Cross Country
Able to contribute immediately on the men's side is the University of Minnesota graduate transfer, Dawson LaRance, coming off a runner-up finish in the 800-meters at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships. The two freshmen, Tayla Brunger and Klaire Kovatch, will join the women's side in the sprints and throws section, respectively. Brunger reigns from Whanganui, New Zealand which laid claim last year to three of the top-5 U-18 women sprinters in the country, including the new Ram who prides herself in the 200 and 400. Kovatch, of Seeley Lake, Mont., dominated her second state discus title in 2019, winning by a margin of nearly 30 feet.
LaRance, originally of Billings, Mont., comes to Colorado State with two years eligibility in cross country and track, while also in pursuit of a master's degree in Public Policy and Administration. In his last appearance as a Gopher, LaRance earned USTFCCCA All-America honors with the distance medley relay team and Second Team All-Big Ten honors in the 800 at the conference meet. Like CSU's Eric Hamer and Tarynn Sieg, LaRance was set to compete in Albuquerque for the national meet before COVID-19 halted the championships. During his tenure at Minnesota, he saw action in all five of the possible conference track championships, competing in the 800, distance medley relay, mile and 4x400m relay. Prior to his collegiate career, he was named 2017 Montana Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year and was a four-time individual Montana Class AA state champion, including breaking a 31-yard old state record in the 800.
"We are super fortunate to add Dawson LaRance to our track and cross country roster in January," head distance coach Art Siemers said. "At the University of Minnesota, Dawson established himself as an outstanding student and team leader while running 1:48 800 and placing as high as second in the Big 10 Championship meet. We are excited to add his extreme talent and hard work to our middle distance squad."
Unfortunately, a cancelled junior season denied Kovatch at a chance to make it three in a row for state high school discus titles, but the 6-foot thrower set her sights on the summer's Big Sky Games – an amateur multi-sport event affiliated with State Games of America. The result was a title and meet record for girls in the 16-18 age range with a throw of 148-9'. The Seeley-Swan High School record book has Kovatch in the top-10 in six events, including the school record in the discus, which she has extended by nearly 20 feet from the time of breaking to stand at 150-2'.
Leading up to her second consecutive discus title in the MHSA Track and Field Championships, Kovatch won six other discus events in 2019 including the district and divisional stops with the latter representing her personal record. When she wasn't winning, she finished runner-up three times. In javelin, she notched two third place finishes and occupies No. 7 on the all-time school list. Beyond the throws, Kovatch holds her own in other aspects of track including being a part of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams – both swept district and division, while the latter also grabbed the state title compared to runner-up finish in the 4x100m. Kovatch's versatility extends to volleyball and basketball as she entertained over 25 school others to play any of her three sports.
"Klaire is a multi-sport athlete that shows leadership and work ethic on her high school teams," head coach Brian Bedard said. "She's coached by her father during track season and works for the family business while going to school. This tells me Klaire will fit in well at college already knowing how to manage her time and talents. She's a grinder."
Brunger makes it three straight recruiting classes that the Rams have dipped into Oceania Region, joining freshman Grace Goldsworthy and All-Mountain West sophomore Tom Willems – both of Australia. By a comfortable margin, Brunger was named Whanganui Athlete of the Year in May. At the 2020 New Zealand Championships, she took gold in the junior 100 and 200 races, while finishing runner-up in the 400m. Earlier this month in the first of three regional meets, Brunger recorded her first legal sub 12-second 100m with a time of 11.97. Back in March, she clocked a 54.63 400 that vaulted her to the top of the U-20 rankings and second in the opening rankings nationally.
This won't be the first time Brunger has been to America. Last year, she was a part of the California Track & Field Tour – a three-week meet series organized annually for New Zealand athletes.
"She has great range and I see her fitting in great with the women we have in the program," assistant coach J.J. Riese added.
For More on Colorado State Track & Field and Cross Country follow: Twitter – CSUTrackFieldXC | Instagram – csutrackfieldXC | Facebook – Colorado State Track & Field/Cross Country
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