Valerie Constien

Photo by: Chris Hook

Photo by: Dan Madden

Photo by: Cliff Grassmick

Position:
Distance
Height:
5-6
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Edwards, Colo.
High School:
Battle Mountain

PERSONAL BESTS
INDOOR
Mile: 4:51.06 (2015)
3,000-meters: 9:36.74 (2017)
OUTDOOR
1,500-meters: 4:33.53 (2015)
3,000-meters: 10:04.50 (2018)
5,000-meters: 16:49.51 (2018)
3,000-meter steeplechase: 9:47.97 (2018)

PAC-12 SCORING
2015 Steeplechase, 7th (10:28.08)
2016 Steeplechase, 4th (10:05.65)
2018 Steeplechase, 3^rd(10:04.50)

NCAA SCORING
2018 Steeplechase, 5^th (9:48.40)

HONORS
2018 All-American First Team (Steeplechase)
2018 All-American – Cross Country (30^th)

2018: Indoor: Constien only race during the indoor season was the 3,000 meters at the Potts Invitational in January. She brought home first place and clocked in at 10:02.66.
Outdoor: Constien had an impressive season racing the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She earned All-American honors in this event and recorded a personal best of 9:47.97 at the NCAA Prelims in May, placing second.

2017: Indoor: Constien raced in both the mile and the 3,000-meter race. She won her only mile race at the CU Invite (5:01.16) and recorded a personal best in the 3k at the Husky Classic (2/11) when she raced to a time of 9:36.74.
Outdoor: Did not compete.

2016: Indoor: Redshirt. Did not compete.
Outdoor: Constien had another good campaign for the Buffs, making the NCAA Championships in her sophomore season. In her steeplechase season debut, Constien ran 10:26.06, which at the time was a personal best. She improved at her next meet, the Brutus Hamilton Open, with a third place finish and a time of 10:08.18. Constien came on strong at the Pac-12 Championships, clocking a time of 10:05.65 to place fourth overall and become the fifth fastest Buff ever in the event. Her time qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary round, where she placed ninth (10:09.89) to earn a spot at NCAAs.

2015: Indoor: Constien ran the mile in her final two meets. She recorded a season best time (4:51.06) at the MSPF Championship, which was 16^th overall.
Outdoor: Constien ran a 1,500 (4:33.53) and 3k (10:17.30) during the season, but her main focus was the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her first race was at the CU Invite (4/11) and she placed second in 11:09.03. A few days later at Mt. SAC Relays (4/16), she finished eighth in the ‘B’ section, clocking in at 10:45.46. Constien picked up a couple points for the Buffs at the Pac-12 Championships, placing seventh in the steeplechase with a season best 10:28.08. She qualified for NCAA West Prelims and placed 34th.

CROSS COUNTRY:
(2018) Constien helped lead the Buffs to their third NCAA National Championship with a 30^th place All-American finish, good for sixth on the team.
(2017) Constien started her junior season at the Colorado State Invitational with a 16th place finish as CU’s fourth uniformed harrier. In the following meet, the Rocky Mountain Shootout, she led the emerging varsity team with a second place overall finish in 21:34. Constien went on to race at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and placed seventh overall, CU’s No. 3, in the ‘B’ race. After her regular season performances, Constien earned a position on the Pac-12 Championship roster and finished 64th overall (CU’s No. 10).
(2016) Did not compete.
(2015) Constien made her cross country debut for the Buffs at the USA Junior Cross Country Championships, recording a runner-up finish in 21:54. The finish qualified her for the world championships where she placed 62^nd in 22:58. Constien went on to race as a redshirt freshman in the fall. She finished sixth at the Rocky Mountain Shootout. At the open race at NCAA Pre-Nationals, Constien placed 13^th overall. She didn’t score for the Buffs in the last three races, but played an important part of the team. Constien was 29^th at Pac-12s, 24^th at regionals and 136^th at NCAAs. Her performance at regionals garnered her all-region recognition.
(2014) Redshirt. Did not compete.

HIGH SCHOOL: Constien was a four-sport athlete at BMHS, competing in cross country, track & field, Nordic skiing and soccer. She owns or is a part of seven records at BMHS. In 2013, Constien ran 17:55 to set the 5k cross country record and in the spring of 2014, she recorded records in the 800-meters (2:16) and 1,600 (5:04). Constien also own records in the triple jump (36-3), 4x400, 4x800 and distance medley relays. The Huskies won three straight 4A Western Slope League Championships in track (2011-13) and three in a row for cross country (2011-13) during her time on the team. Constien was named first-team all-state her junior and senior years for cross country and was a first team all-state selection for track as a sophomore. She raced at the 2013 Nike Cross Country South West Regionals and was 10th overall. On the track, Constien placed sixth at the state championships in the 1,600, finishing in 5:04. Constien also earned numerous academic honors while at BMHS and was a member of the National Honor Society. She was recruited by many schools including Brown, California, Cornell, Iowa State, Nebraska, Penn and Washington before deciding on Colorado.

IN THE CLASSROOM: Constien is majoring in environmental engineering.

PERSONAL: Valerie H. Constien was born on March 21, 1996 in Vail, Colo. She is the daughter of Ron and Ann Constien of Edwards, Colo., and has one sister, Elizabeth. Constien enjoys baking, crafts and reading and can play the piano and French horn. She was a member of her high school’s band and pep band all four years of high school and is also a big-game hunter.