Adding to their already impressive season, the UCCS Track & Field teams ended the NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships with a bit of history under their belts.
The teams’ performances set the bar for UCCS as the men’s team scored a program-high 13 points, the most points ever scored at a national meet, and placed T-18th for their best finish at indoor nationals. The women’s team scored 21 points for the most points scored on the national stage as they placed eighth for the best finish in school history.
Multiple athletes racked up honors, including:
- Junior Dakota Abbott became the program’s first national champion in the triple jump, and become the school’s second-ever men’s indoor national champion
- Afewerki Zeru ran to an All-American finish in the 3000m and recorded his second PR at nationals.
- Senior Hannah Meek garnered her second All-American honor of the meet by leaping to a fifth place mark of 12.37m in the women’s triple jump. Earlier in the meet she worked her way to a podium finish by registering a third-place jump of 6.09m, also for All-American honors
- Sophomore Riley McGrath joined Meek for double All-American honors in her first trip to indoor nationals as she competed in the women’s mile final to finish seventh with a time of 4:57.80.
- Senior Kayla Zink sprinted her way to a podium finish. With a time of 7.47s, Zink clocked a photo finish to place second in the women’s 60m and claim All-American status.
- Junior Peter Ackah was the first All-American on Friday after the Accra, Ghana native jumped to a mark of 7.28m to finish seventh.
- The DMR team team of Riley McGrath, Dejah Glover, Ellie Enderle, and Almasri earned their All-American honors by placing eighth in the event and racing to a time of 11:45.70.
To see a complete list of competitors and accolades, please visit our athletics website GoMountainLions.com.