2016 Cross Country Roster
Klecker, Joe
Joe Klecker
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- null
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Hometown:
- Minnetonka, Minn.
- High School:
- Hopkins
Bio
2019: Finished his career on a high note as the NCAA runner-up…recorded a time of 30:37.1 in his final race and helped CU to a third-place team finish…also recorded all-region and All-Pac-12 First Team honors…was 11th at regionals…became CU’s first Pac-12 men’s individual champion, outkicking the field…helped CU win the team conference title, snapping a two-year hiatus…it was CU’s seventh title in nine seasons…placed ninth at pre-nationals and was third at the Joe Piane Invitational…started the season fifth at the Wyoming Invitational.
2018: Led the Buffs in every single race…came in fifth at pre-nationals, his first race of the season…followed that up with a fifth-place finish at Pac-12s to earn himself All-Pac-12 First Team honors…at regionals, he defended his individual title, finishing first in 29:16.6 to become the first Buff since Jorge Torres (2000-02) to record back-to-back titles…in CU history, he is one of just four Buffs to win back-to-back regional crowns...went on to finish eighth at NCAAs to record his second All-America honor while leading the Buffs back to the podium…CU finishing fourth as a team.
2017: Continued to impress as a sophomore…was fifth at the Colorado State Invitational to open the season…in the first varsity meet of the season, the Joe Piane Invitational, led the Buffs with a fourth-place finish…led the team in the following three races…was ninth at the NCAA Pre-National Invitational and earned a runner-up finish at the Pac-12 Championships, CU’s then-best individual finish since joining the league in 2011…Klecker became the first Buff since Billy Nelson in 2005 to win the NCAA Mountain Region individual crown, crossing the 10k finish in 30:13.6…at the NCAAs, he finished 67th as CU’s third scorer.
2016: Had an outstanding redshirt freshman season, picking up his first All-America and all-region honors… his season started at the CSU Invite where he placed fourth overall...clocked a second-place finish at the Rocky Mountain Shootout, finishing just four seconds behind teammate John Dressel (who was racing unattached)... at pre-nationals, he placed 24th (CU’s No. 2)…helped CU earn its sixth straight Pac-12 team titles with a 19th-place finish as the Buffs fifth scorer…excelled when the meets moved from 8k to 10k in the postseason...led the team at regionals, placing third overall…ended his season 28th at nationals for his first All-America honor.
2015: Redshirt…did not compete.
HIGH SCHOOL: Captured two individual state championships his senior season…led the Royals to a third-place finish as a team at the Class AA state meet en route to earning the Gatorade Minnesota Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year…set a state record in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:06.54 and also took first in the 3,200 in 8:57.76…a First Team All-State selection, he earned fourth-place in the mile at the prestigious Adidas Grand Prix, crossing the line in 4:04.13, which ranked as the nation’s No. 5 performance among prep competitors in 2015 at the time of his selection…named to the USA Today All-America second team…in the fall of 2014, Klecker placed third at the Minnesota State High School Class AA State Cross Country Championships, finishing the course in 15:26.2…owns HHS records in the 1,600, 3,200 and 5,000 on the cross country course.
HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 800-meters: 1:56.44; Mile: 4:04.13; 1,600-meters: 4:06.54; 3,200-meters: 8:50.12.
IN THE CLASSROOM: Biochemistry major…ecology and evolutionary biology minor…has recorded a GPA greater than 3.60…three-time Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention honoree.
PERSONAL: Joseph Richard Klecker…born November 16, 1996 in Minneapolis, Minn…son of Barney and Janis Klecker of Minnetonka, Minn…father used to own the U.S. record for the 50-mile ultramarathon (4:51:25)…mother competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics (marathon) and won two U.S. marathon national championships…Both parents ran track and cross country in college…one of six children.
2018: Led the Buffs in every single race…came in fifth at pre-nationals, his first race of the season…followed that up with a fifth-place finish at Pac-12s to earn himself All-Pac-12 First Team honors…at regionals, he defended his individual title, finishing first in 29:16.6 to become the first Buff since Jorge Torres (2000-02) to record back-to-back titles…in CU history, he is one of just four Buffs to win back-to-back regional crowns...went on to finish eighth at NCAAs to record his second All-America honor while leading the Buffs back to the podium…CU finishing fourth as a team.
2017: Continued to impress as a sophomore…was fifth at the Colorado State Invitational to open the season…in the first varsity meet of the season, the Joe Piane Invitational, led the Buffs with a fourth-place finish…led the team in the following three races…was ninth at the NCAA Pre-National Invitational and earned a runner-up finish at the Pac-12 Championships, CU’s then-best individual finish since joining the league in 2011…Klecker became the first Buff since Billy Nelson in 2005 to win the NCAA Mountain Region individual crown, crossing the 10k finish in 30:13.6…at the NCAAs, he finished 67th as CU’s third scorer.
2016: Had an outstanding redshirt freshman season, picking up his first All-America and all-region honors… his season started at the CSU Invite where he placed fourth overall...clocked a second-place finish at the Rocky Mountain Shootout, finishing just four seconds behind teammate John Dressel (who was racing unattached)... at pre-nationals, he placed 24th (CU’s No. 2)…helped CU earn its sixth straight Pac-12 team titles with a 19th-place finish as the Buffs fifth scorer…excelled when the meets moved from 8k to 10k in the postseason...led the team at regionals, placing third overall…ended his season 28th at nationals for his first All-America honor.
2015: Redshirt…did not compete.
HIGH SCHOOL: Captured two individual state championships his senior season…led the Royals to a third-place finish as a team at the Class AA state meet en route to earning the Gatorade Minnesota Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year…set a state record in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:06.54 and also took first in the 3,200 in 8:57.76…a First Team All-State selection, he earned fourth-place in the mile at the prestigious Adidas Grand Prix, crossing the line in 4:04.13, which ranked as the nation’s No. 5 performance among prep competitors in 2015 at the time of his selection…named to the USA Today All-America second team…in the fall of 2014, Klecker placed third at the Minnesota State High School Class AA State Cross Country Championships, finishing the course in 15:26.2…owns HHS records in the 1,600, 3,200 and 5,000 on the cross country course.
HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 800-meters: 1:56.44; Mile: 4:04.13; 1,600-meters: 4:06.54; 3,200-meters: 8:50.12.
IN THE CLASSROOM: Biochemistry major…ecology and evolutionary biology minor…has recorded a GPA greater than 3.60…three-time Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention honoree.
PERSONAL: Joseph Richard Klecker…born November 16, 1996 in Minneapolis, Minn…son of Barney and Janis Klecker of Minnetonka, Minn…father used to own the U.S. record for the 50-mile ultramarathon (4:51:25)…mother competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics (marathon) and won two U.S. marathon national championships…Both parents ran track and cross country in college…one of six children.
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