Buffs Find Success With Two-Sport Athletes

BOULDER – Colorado student-athletes Aaron Haigler and Davion Taylor recently wrapped up a busy spring semester that saw the two-sport stars excel on the field and on the track.

The two are attending Colorado on football scholarships, but are talented enough to also compete with the track and field program. And compete at a high level.

At last weekend's Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, Taylor set a new PR in the 100-meter dash with a 10.51 preliminary time. He later went on to finish sixth in the finals to earn All-Pac-12 honors. That 10.51 he ran in the prelims was the fastest 100-meter time recorded on the track team this season, and the fastest by a Buff in the last five years.

Haigler this season recorded CU's best mark in the shot put at 51-04.25 on May 4 at the Air Force Twilight meet. At the Pac-12 Championships last weekend, he finished 11th in the shot put and 18th in the discus.

CU head football coach Mike MacIntyre has long been a proponent of two-sport athletes and for him it starts when they are in high school.

"No. 1, I know they are developing all kinds of skills, I know they are not just focused on football so they have more upside when they come to college," MacIntyre said. "And I think one of the best things of it is that they truly know how to manage time. College is about managing time and understanding that because you are busy. When they go from three different sports or two different sports they are having to manage time.

"Also they have to work with different coaches, different teams and different personalities, so therefore they are more adaptable I think to team atmospheres and it gives them a leg up."

It has not just been Haigler and Taylor as two-sport Buffs under MacIntyre at CU. Isaiah Oliver, who was just a second round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons last month, was an All-Pac-12 performer in both football at track.

Colorado's most recent signee, Kary Kutsch from Butte College, played football and was a thrower on its track and field team.

Other Buff signees from the December period with multi-sport backgrounds include: Delrick Abrams Jr. (basketball and track), Daniel Arias (track), Jarek Broussard (track), Tava Finau (track), Joshka Gustav (track), Hasaan Hypolite (track), Mustafa Johnson (basketball), Aaron Maddox (basketball and track), Ray Robinson (track), Deion Smith (track), Dimitri Stanley (basketball and track), Blake Stenstrom (track early in high school career), Alex Tchangam (soccer) and L.J. Wallace (track)

"I really like it in college because when they come here our weight room is very flexible with the way we do things, the way our seasons work," MacIntyre said. "We have a phenomenal weight facility so our guys can lift weights year-round even when they are playing other sports, so it really does not affect them preparing. Then also they are able to do our spring practice with us, so it works out well.

"When they are running track or playing other sports they're also staying in great shape. It is not like they are getting out of shape, so I think it is very good."

It is a trend MacIntyre looks to continue at CU.

"We'd like to have more, hopefully we'll have some guys doing other sports, too," MacIntyre said of the possibility of football players venturing in to other sports outside of just track.

Both Haigler and Taylor spoke highly of having the opportunity to compete in both sports that they love.

"It's been a really awesome experience and I'm fortunate to be able to compete in two sports at the collegiate level," Haigler said. "I hope this becomes more of a norm for athletes that come to CU. (CU head football strength and conditioning coach) Drew Wilson is really great at working with you and helping you succeed in both sports."

Taylor's taste of success on the track this spring caught him by surprise. In junior college at Coahoma CC he did qualify for the NFCAA Track and Field Championships, but this was on a much higher level.

"It was a tremendous experience," Taylor said of his first spring at CU. "It was ahead of my expectations with track because I did not expect to do as well as I did. I did not expect to make it to the (Pac-12 100-meter) finals, I just wanted to go and make a name for myself. It was a huge accomplishment."

Now with a taste of success, Taylor said he is hungry to duplicate that on the football field.

"By me doing so good in track, now I know people are going to be watching me come football season," he said. "So now I know I can't be slacking off over the summer and I have to come with full force during the season and have good results on the football field as well."

Once he returns to campus for summer school and workouts in June he'll have a new goal to prepare himself for his first Pac-12 football season.

"During the offseason I am trying to get to my goal weight of 225 pounds over the summer and keep my speed that I have," he said. "I'm trying to become a better linebacker and get all of the fundamentals and all the plays down pat so I won't have to think about it when I am on the field, it will be more reaction instead of thinking."

Players Mentioned

Delrick Abrams Jr.

Daniel Arias

Jarek Broussard

Melekiola Finau

Joshka Gustav

Aaron Haigler

Hasaan Hypolite

Mustafa Johnson

Aaron Maddox

Isaiah Oliver

Ray Robinson

Deion Smith

Dimitri Stanley

Blake Stenstrom

Davion Taylor

Alex Tchangam

L.J. Wallace