Colorado University Athletics
No. 19 Buffs Head to NCAAS
March 10, 2015 | Track and Field
BOULDER - The No. 19 University of Colorado men's track and field team will send five athletes to compete in four events at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, March 13-14, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Seniors Jake Hurysz and Alex Kizirian will be joined by juniors Ammar Moussa, Pierce Murphy and Morgan Pearson. This is the second NCAA indoor meet for Hurysz and Pearson, while Kizirian, Moussa and Murphy will be competing at nationals for the first time.
Hurysz qualified for nationals after setting a CU record in the mile, clocking in at 3:58.13 at the Husky Classic on Feb. 14. His time ranks 14th overall in the nation. From top to bottom, the racers are only separated by 3.27 seconds. Montana State's Cristian Soratos has the best time at 3:55.27 and the slowest time is 3:58.54. The preliminary round is set for Friday at 5:15 p.m. MT, with the finals on Saturday at 5:10 p.m.
Kizirian is CU's weight throw and Balch Fieldhouse record holder at 70 feet, eight inches, which he threw at the Potts Invite on Jan. 17. He is the first CU weight thrower to qualify for the indoor championship and is the first thrower since Clint Moore (shot put) in 1995 to advance to nationals. Only two other Buffs, Moore and Chris Volgenau (shot put, 1991-92) have ever competed at indoor NCAAs. The weight throw will be contested at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Friday's other event for the Buffs is the 5,000-meter run final at 7:45 p.m. and will feature Moussa, Murphy and Pearson. Murphy ranks fourth in the nation after clocking in at 13:39.29 earlier this season at the Husky Classic, while his time put him fourth on CU's all-time performers list. Pearson has the ninth fastest time in the NCAA (13:43.37), which is seventh on CU's all-time performers list and Moussa is 16th on the list entering the meet with a time of 13:48.34, ninth on CU's all-time performers list.
CU will compete in two events on Saturday. Besides the final in the men's mile, the Buffs have two, Hurysz and Pearson, competing in the 3,000-meter run at 7:15 p.m. Pearson ranks fourth in CU's history with a time of 7:51.93, which he just ran at the MPSF Indoor Track and Field Championships. Hurysz also had a great finish at the MPSF meet, clocking in at 7:53.06 for the 14th fastest NCAA time this season. The 3k field is only separated by 8.15 seconds. Oregon's Eric Jenkins has the fastest time at 7:44.91 and the slowest time in the final is 7:53.27.
ESPN3 will provide live coverage of the championships starting at 5 p.m. MT both days and live results will be available at NCAA.com.
CU recorded 37.41 points in the latest USTFCCCA Division I Computer Rankings to be ranked 19th this week and have steadily moved up during the season. The Buffs cracked the top 25 last week at 22nd after several successful performances at the MPSF Championships.
NCAA INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Randal Tyson Track Center (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Friday, March 13 (Times are MT)
5:15 p.m. - Men's Mile (Prelims)
6 p.m. - Men's Weight Throw (Finals)
7:45 p.m. - Men's 5,000-Meters (Finals)
Saturday, March 14 (Times are MT)
5:10 p.m. - Men's Mile (Finals)
7:15 p.m. - Men's 3,000 Meters (Finals)
