Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Preps For Indoor Big 12 Championship
February 25, 2010 | Track and Field
BOULDER- The University of Colorado track and field team is gearing up for the 2010 Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, February 26-27 in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State will host the championship for the fourth time since the inception of the league in 1996 at Lied Recreation Center. The Cyclones last hosted the meet in 2007.
The Buffaloes are looking strong in the distance and combined event disciplines on both sides as they head into competition. The men own three of the top five times in the conference in the 5,000-meters. Richard Medina has the best time for the Buffs at 14:04.24, which is third in the conference. Aldo Vega is just behind Medina in fourth (14:04.36) and Christian Thompson is fifth (14:15.67). Jordan Kyle leads the Buffs in the 3k after clocking a time of 8:08.33, the eighth fastest time in the Big 12.
Laura Thweatt ranks in the top seven in both the 3 and 5k events. She is sixth in the 5k (16:34.33) and is seventh in the 3k (9:29.00). Allie McLaughlin and Laura Tremblay are a great 1-2 freshman punch in the 3k. The duo ran the second and third fastest freshman debut times in CU history. McLaughlin's time of 9:23.31 is fifth in the Big 12, while Tremblay's mark of 9:25.73 ranks sixth.
The combined event discipline has been growing by leaps and bonds in the last three years under the direction of assistant coach Lindsey Malone. Alex Von Hagen ranks fourth in the heptathlon in the Big 12 with 5,042 points. He became the fourth Buff to record 5,000 points in the event and owns the third best mark ever by a Buff. Adam Salzmann is sixth on the conference list with 4,887 points. Eddie Taylor and Brock Emory are just out of the top eight (ninth and 10th, respectively) and could find a spot on the podium.
The women have been led by Brianne Beemer. She is fifth in the league with 3,625 points and also ranks 10th on CU's all-time list. Alyssa Frank is seventh overall (3,468). Katie Dreher is 11th overall (3,347).
Colorado will look to other areas as well to gain some points. The men's middle distance crew is lead by Steve Kasica and Matthew Biegner. Kasica ranks amongst Big 12 competitors 11th in the 800 (1:50.50), while Biegner is 19th in the mile (4:09.44). Emma Coburn and Elizabeth Tremblay will lead the women's middle distance crew. Coburn is eighth in the mile (4:48.59) and Tremblay is 25th in the 800 (2:13.96),
The sprinters are led by A.J. Whitaker, Quinton Dodson and Matthew McCathran. Whitaker is 15th in the 60 after running a time of 6.81. Dodson has the best time in the 200 for the Buffs (22.03) and is 23rd in the league. McCathran is the top 600-yard runner for CU (1:11.97) and is 16th overall. Joi Windham will lead the women. She is 28th in the 600 (1:27.17).
CU's field events can also help out the team score. Trey Mullen and Patrick Bachmann are 15th and 18th, respectively, in the weight throw in the conference and are coming off meet when they each recorded personal records. Mullen earned a toss of 55 feet, 8.25 inches, while Bachmann was right behind with a throw of 55-02.25. Dane Chobanian is the top shot putter for the Buffs this season. He is 18th with a mark of 50-02.50. Kaity Kark and Chynna McCall will lead the women once again. Kark is 24th in the weight throw (50-11.50) and is 27th in the shot put. McCall ranks 25th in the weight throw (50-10.75).
The combined events will kick off the weekend events on Friday at 10 a.m. (CT). The running events will start at 2 p.m. on Friday with the prelims of the women's 60-meter hurdles. The field events will start at 3 p.m. on Friday with women's weight throw.
Colorado's men and women placed 12th at the championship in 2009. The men recorded 16 points and the women notched 11. Jeremy Dodson picked up 14 points for the Buffs as he placed second in the 200m and was fourth in the 60m. Ryan Campbell also earned a point by taking eighth in the 200 and Kenyon Neuman picked up the final point for the Buffs in the 5k. Jenny Barringer led the women with 10 points as she won her first indoor Big 12 title in the mile. Laura Thweatt recorded the remaining point by taking eighth in the 5k. The best finish at the Big 12 Championship for the Buffs was in 1999 when the men claimed second place. The highest the women have ever finished was third in 1997.
Live stats for the championship can be found at www.big12sports.com and www.cyclones.com.
Following the conference championships, the Buffs will have one more opportunity to qualify for the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships. Select athletes will travel to a last chance meet March 6 and 7. The national indoor championship is set for March 12 and 13 in Fayetteville, Ark.
- Colorado track & field -
