Buffs Set To Compete in Air Force Invitational

BOULDER – The University of Colorado track and field program heads down I-25 to Colorado Springs to compete in the Air Force Invitational this Friday and Saturday.

Colorado will not have a presence in the first of this three day meet as the team will not compete any combined event athletes in the pentathlon or heptathlon. Action begins Friday for the Buffaloes with Eriana Henderson breaking a two-year hiatus in the women's 60-meter dash for Colorado as she competes in the qualifying preliminaries. Jaida Drame will be the lone 400-meter athlete this weekend while Tamia Badal, Dani Johnson, Samantha Crosmer, Kendal Smith, Kellen Monestime, Garrett Nelson and Nathan Hoy all fill in the 200-meter dash.

The long jump will see Valerie Welch look to defend her title from last season at this meet but will have stiff teammate competition with freshman Avery McMullen and Cheyenne Cheshier present in the jumps Friday. Heptathletes Wyatt Rhoads and Davis Butte will begin a long weekend Friday in the long jump.

Saturday action ramps up for CU as the 60-meter hurdles begin with Monestime, Butte and Rhoads on the men's side while Johnson, Henderson, Badal, Welch, McMullen and Cheshier all compete on the women's side. This will be Cheshier's first time hurdling in a Colorado uniform as she will also compete in the triple jump.

The high jump will be another chance at a title for the Buffaloes as Jeremy Cody is tied for the best entry mark at 2.12m (6-11.5). He will be joined by Ryan Charles, Giancarlo Narvarte and Rhoads. Butte will be in the pole vault. Kylee Harr will join McMullen on the women's side of the high jump.

The throws action will begin Friday with the weight throw where Tyler Sconce, Clayton Castro and Lars Atkinson will compete for the men while the same quartet of freshmen women will continue to push their way in to the top-10 record book with Gya'ni Sami, Jane Powers, Elena Opp and Lauren Whyrick. The shot put occurs Saturday with all the same women except Powers competing as well as all the same men with the inclusion of Ryan Ganson and Henry Carlson.

This will be the last meet of early January as the entire team takes off the following weekend to prepare for the Colorado Invitational.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lars Atkinson

Tamia Badal

Davis Butte

Henry Carlson

Clayton Castro

Ryan Charles

Cheyenne Cheshier

Jeremy Cody

Jaida Drame

Ryan Ganson

Kylee Harr

Eriana Henderson

Nathan Hoy

Dani Johnson

Avery McMullen

Kellen Monestime

Giancarlo Narvarte

Garrett Nelson

Elena Opp

Jane Powers

Wyatt Rhoads

Gya'ni Sami

Tyler Sconce

Kendal Smith

Valerie Welch

Lauren Whyrick