Colorado University Athletics
Combined Events Kick Off Indoor Season
Von Hagen leads a group of seven heading into the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1,000-meter run tomorrow. He placed first in the long jump and the high jump. Von Hagen recorded a jump of 22-11.00 in the long jump which was almost two feet farther than Skylar Morgan (Air Force Academy) who is second in the competition with 2,703 points.
“This was a very strong day for Alex,” assistant coach Lindsey Malone said. “He was very close to his pr in the high jump and opening up at 22-11 in the long jump is very strong. It ranks third on the Big 12 performance list right now. This is a great start for him and I am excited to see where he is going to go.”
Von Hagen also recorded a better high jump than Morgan and took first with a height of 6-04.00. He was second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.46. Teammate Adam Salzmann won the race at 7.41.
CU’s Parker Fales is currently in fourth with 2,405 points. He helped the Buffs go 1-2-3 in the 60-meter dash as he placed third in 7.47. Fales was also third in the long jump, recording a leap of 20-09.75.
“I am thrilled about Parker as well,” Malone said. “Parker was strictly a long and triple jumper in high school and had never done any of these other events before. Parker coming in and doing this well is pretty phenomenal. We skipped two heights in the high jump and he didn’t make the next one, but he was even across the board.”
Salzmann is in seventh (1,872) after scratching on all three of his attempts in the long jump. He is only 254 points behind the sixth-place finisher, Noah Palicia (AFA), who was 2,126 points and is just 302 points away from the fifth-place athlete (Philip Rancourt, AFA).
“He pulled himself back during the high jump,” Malone said. “That was a pr for him. I moved him over to his right leg this year; he had been a left leg jumper in high school, so that was pretty exciting. Being able to come back after getting no points and then finishing takes a lot of mental power.
“And for him to be able to do that and just being a freshman is really impressive. Not being able to score in the long jump is the only unfortunate thing to happen today, but on the bright side, he has fixed his run and they were great jumps, just not countable.”
On the women’s side, Troi Smith led the Buffs with 3,102 points and placed second. She was the top collegiate performer in her first combined events competition. Smith took third in the 60-meter hurdles (9.42), shot put (30-01), high jump (5-02.25) and long jump (16-10.5). She was fourth in the 800-meter run (2:35.81).
Chelsea Haverty, who had been a sprinter and a jumper previously for the Buffs, also transitioned well in to the combined events, placing fourth with 2,986 points. Haverty placed second in the long jump, recording a jump of 17-04.00 and she was the top collegiate finisher. She tied for fourth in the high jump with Danielle McCarty (AFA), both jumping 4-11.75.
Max Van Dyke finished sixth for the Buffs with 2,282 points. She placed fifth in the 800 (2:49.17) and was sixth in the shot put (28-02.25).
“I’m very impressed by how they held themselves together,” Malone explained. “Their overall attitude was fantastic. They came in excited for the event and were composed. It’s really easy in the combined events to get overwhelmed with how many events you are doing and concentrating on what event is coming up. They took it one event at a time, which shows a lot of maturity.
“Coming into this meet with sprinting backgrounds and having to throw a shot put and do the high jump, it’s really intimidating at the collegiate level with people watching. I think they all held it together and I am really impressed with how they did. I am very excited to see where they are going to go. This is a great start, everyone got a score and that is huge for your first time.”
Malone competed in the first two events herself, taking second in the 60-meter hurdles (9.40) and was first in the high jump at 5-07.00.
Volunteer assistant coach Heather Sterlin Biglow recorded a mark of 3,816 to provisionally qualify for the USA Track and Field Indoor Championship. She placed first in four of the five events to win the meet.
The Buffs had a good showing on their first day of combined events under first-year assistant Malone.
“I was really excited to walk out and see everyone in their uniform,” Malone said. “This was the first time I have seen them in black and gold and the first time I have gotten to put it on and be a coach in it. It was a really special feeling and being home to host our first meet and seeing all of our support staff and administration around was awesome. I’m really excited to be here.”
Malone is looking forward to more combined event meets with her athletes in the future.
“This whole group has amazing attitudes coming in and that is a really big part of the combined events,” she said.
The meet will resume on Saturday, Jan. 19 with the men’s weight throw at 10 a.m. The sprints will begin at 1:45 p.m. with the men’s 60-meter dash prelims.
2008 POTTS INDOOR INVITE
Balch Fieldhouse (
Women’s Pole Vault
1. Katherine Colvin, UNA, 11-05.75; 2. Melissa Rhodes,
Men’s Pole Vault
1.
Women’s Pentathlon
1. Heather Sterlin Biglow, UNA, 3816; 2. Troi Smith, CU, 3102; 3. Danielle McCarty, AFA, 2999; 4. Chelsea Haverty, CU, 2986; 5. Katherine Higdon, AFA, 2338; 6. Max Van Dyke, CU, 2282
60-Meter Hurdles: 1. Heather Sterlin Biglow, UNA, 8.88; 2. Lindsey Malone, UNA, 9.40; 3. Troi Smith, CU, 9.42; 4. Danielle McCarty, AFA, 9.72; 5. Chelsea Haverty, CU, 9.96; 6. Deb Durey, AFA, 10.53; 7. Max Van Dyke, CU, 10.62; 8. Katherine Higdon, AFA, 10.86.
High Jump: 1. Malone, 5-07.00; 2. Biglow, 5-04.50; 3. Smith, 5-02.25; 4. Haverty, 4-11.75; 5. McCarty, 4-11.75; 6. Higdon, 4-09.00; 7. Durey, 4-03.25; 7. Van Dyke, 4-03.25.
Shot Put: 1. Biglow, 39-08.50; 2. McCarty, 31-05.25; 3. Smith, 30-01.00; 4. Durey, 30-01.00; 5. Higdon, 29-06.00; 6. Van Dyke, 28-02.25; 7. Haverty, 26-10.00; Malone, ND.
Long Jump: 1. Biglow, 18-06.50; 2. Haverty, 17-04.00; 3. Smith, 16-10.50; 4. McCarty, 15-03.25; 5. Higdon, 14-05.25; 6. Van Dyke, 13-10.50; Malone, ND; Durey, ND.
800-Meters: 1. Biglow, 2:30.52; 2. McCarty, 2:35.81; 3. Haverty, 2:39.91; 4. Smith, 2:47.24; 5. Van Dyke, 2:49.17; 6. Higdon, 3:02.15; Malone, NT; Durey, NT.
Men’s Heptathlon
Leaders: 1. Alex Von Hagen, CU, 2729; 2. Skylar Morgan, AFA, 27-03; 3. Matt Gensic, AFA, 2516; 4. Parker Fales, CU, 2405; 5. Philip Rancourt, AFA, 2174; 6. Noah Palicia, AFA, 2126; 7. Adam Salzmann, CU, 1872.
60-Meters: 1. Adam Salzmann, CU, 7.41; 2. Alex Von Hagen, CU, 7.46; 3. Parker Fales, CU, 7.47; 4. Skylar Morgan, AFA, 7.48; 5. Matt Gensic, AFA, 7.49; 6. Noah Palicia, AFA, 7.59; 7. Philip Rancourt, AFA, 7.70.
Long Jump: 1. Von Hagan, 22-11.00; 2. Morgan, 21-00.00; 3. Fales, 20-09.75; 4. Gensic, 20-06.25; 5. Rancourt, 19-01.50; 6. Palicia, 17-11.75; 7. Salzmann, FOUL.
Shot Put: 1. Morgan, 38-09.00; 2. Gensic, 34-10.25; 3. Salzmann, 33-03.25; 4. Rancourt, 32-09.75; 5. Fales, 31-05.75; 6. Von Hagen, 31-01.00; 7. Palicia, 27-00.00.
High Jump: 1. Von Hagen, 6-04.00; 2. Morgan, 6-02.75; 3. Gensic, 5-11.25; 3. Salzmann, 5-11.25; 5. Palicia, 5-08.75; 6. Fales, 5-07.75; 7. Rancourt, 5-04.25.
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