Saarel Named Academic All-American

BOULDER— For the second straight year, University of Colorado runner Ben Saarel has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Division I Team.

Saarel, a Salt Lake City, Utah native, was selected to the second team with an impressive 3.96 grade point average as an engineering physics and computer science major while competing on both the cross country and track and field teams. He was a third team selection for the 2014-15 season.

Saarel, a junior academically, redshirted the 2016 indoor and outdoor track and field season, but he had a very successful 2015 cross country campaign.

Only competing in two cross country meets for the Buffs, Saarel made both count. He helped CU win the NCAA Mountain Region Title, placing 21^st overall to earn his third straight all-region honor. Two weeks later, Saarel recorded his third consecutive All-American honor, placing 31^st as the Buffs placed second in the team race.

Although Saarel has not raced in a CU uniform this track season, he has raced unattached. He ran at the prestigious HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic in May against some of the top runners, collegiate and professional, in the country, recording an impressive time of 3:39.67 in the 1,500-meter run. That time beat CU's record (3:39.77) that was set by Alan Culpepper in 1996. A few weeks later at the Portland Track Festival, he lowered the 1,500 record by finishing in 3:48.40, which was also a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time.

Players Mentioned

Ben Saarel

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