Ram Men Defend Mountain West Outdoor Championship

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CLOVIS, Calif. – Running away from the competition was the Colorado State men's team Saturday to capture the Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championship for the second time in a row and third in program history.

When you factor in the indoor conference meet, no other men's team has hoisted the conference trophy since 2018 outdoor, which marks four in a row for the program (2021 outdoor, 2020 indoor, 2019 outdoor, 2019 indoor). The men compiled 206 points, finishing well ahead of Air Force (177.50) and Utah State (107). If it wasn't a sure thing by the time the 5,000-meter race – the second to the last event – lined it, it definitely was afterwards when the MW Most Outstanding Performer Eric Hamer separated from the field to capture his second individual title and put the hammer on the nail for the team title.

The women's title was a battle that went down to the final events. The Rams led going into the day, but the San Diego State Aztecs surged ahead with a dominant day on the track, finishing with 161 points. Colorado State tallied 145.50 points to place second for their seventh runner-up position in MW history. Out of the 21 runnings of the event, the CSU women have been on the podium 18 times.

Head coach Brian Bedard was named MW Men's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year – now an award he has received three times (2015, 2019), which is the same amount and years of MW outdoor titles.

Three individual championships highlighted the men's side with two making waves in the history books. First, the 110m hurdle group swept the event becoming the third school in conference history to do so, joining BYU (2000) and Air Force (2004). Andrew Doctor crossed first at 14.18 then Liam Mather at 14.30 and Kamal-Craig Golaube to round it out at 14.36. Dawson LaRance, a newcomer on the roster after transferring from Minnesota, won the 800m, marking the third Ram to do so in MW history. LaRance puts his name in the category of Ryan Friese (2009) and Bryan Berryhill (2000, 2001). Lastly, Hamer took the last lap of the 5K in dominant fashion like a metaphor for the men's competition. The Monument, Colo. native pulled off the rare distance double of capturing the 10K along with the 5K – a feat done by two others Luke Caldwell (UNM, 2013, 2014), Ian McFarland (AF, 2008).

The ladies had no shortage of podium visits and individual championships as well. Lauren Gale won her second MW 400m outdoor championship and fourth-straight overall MW 400m Championship when you count indoors. Four 400m titles is the most in MW history, tying Emily Romo (CSU) Michele Davis (UNLV), and Jessica Fox (WYO). Gale is the only one to complete go four consecutively. Continuing the dominance they displayed throughout the meet, the women throwers put six into the finals and placed first and third. Maria Muzzio attained her second championship in the meet as she won the event in 2018. It is the third-straight year that a Ram has won the event.

Outside of first-place finishes, the men obtained nine second- and third-place finishes in the final day. The women had one other podium finish outside of Gale and Muzzio with several right on the cusp.

Since the start of the 2019 indoor track season, the Rams have taken six of the possible eight trophies overall when counting both genders.

MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL STANDINGS

WOMEN (Top-3)
1. San Diego State, 161
2. Colorado State, 145.50
3. UNLV, 122

MEN (Top-3)
1. Colorado State, 206
2. Air Force, 177.50
3. Utah State, 107

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