Rams head to conference weekend after peak performances at 7220 Invite

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LARAMIE, Wyo. – The Colorado State track & field team took full advantage of its final tune-up before conference weekend with several lifetime bests at the 7220 Invite on Friday from the Memorial 8 Track at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

In the field events, one of the highlights on each of the women's and men's sides was the high jump. On the men's side, sophomore Uche Obinnah recorded a personal-best in the high jump en route to an individual victory in the event. Obinnah topped 6-11 (2.11m), which ranks fourth in program history and ties for the Mountain West lead. On the women's side, McKenzie Wright cleared a season-best 5-9.25 (1.76m), which is within an inch of her personal best (5-10) and ranks 42nd in the NCAA this season. In the horizontal jumps, Marlee Brown leapt a personal-best 18-5.25 (5.62m), which ranks 19th on CSU's all-time outdoor list.

On the track, the highlight was a pair of top-five marks in the 400 meters. Freshman Jasmine Chesson paced the Rams in the event with a personal-best time of 53.81, while fellow freshman Jessica Ozoude clocked a personal-best time of 53.84. Chesson's time, which is an improvement over her previous collegiate best by over 1.5 seconds, ranks third on CSU's all-time outdoor list, while Ozoude's time ranks fourth on CSU's all-time outdoor list. Michelle Gould also registered a personal best in the 400 meters, clocking the No. 15 time in program history (55.92).

At the same distance, Emma Kratzberg clocked a winning time of 1:00.42 in the hurdles. Annemarie Carlson ran a personal-best time of 1:00.84, which moves her up to 12th on CSU's all-time outdoor list. On the men's side, Darius Smith placed as the top collegian with a time of 51.99. That time moves Smith up to 13th on CSU's all-time outdoor list in the event.

Colorado State's top performer in the pole vault was Josie Spitz, who cleared a personal-best 12-9.5 (3.90m). Freshman Tate Thornton also registered a personal best in the event, topping 12-3.5 (3.75m). Spitz's mark places at third on CSU's all-time outdoor list, while Thornton's ranks at ninth on CSU's all-time outdoor list.

A personal best in the men's shot put highlighted throwing events, as senior Austin Blaho notched a lifetime best in the event for the fourth consecutive meet. Blaho's mark was 58-10.75 (17.95m), which ranks sixth on CSU's all-time outdoor list and 54th in the NCAA this season. In the women's shot put, sophomore Maria Muzzio topped the field with a mark of 48-11.75 (14.93m).

Another of the top performers in the women's throws was Kelcey Bedard, who won a pair of events on Friday, highlighted by her hammer throw of 199-2 (60.70m). Bedard also won the women's discus with a mark of 170-5 (51.94m). The junior's hammer mark is topped by only 40 NCAA athletes this season, while her discus mark is bested by only 55 athletes in the NCAA this season.

Colorado State took the top three spots in the women's hammer, with junior Linnea Jonsson placing just behind Bedard with a best throw of 199-0 (60.65m). Aimee Larrabee was third with a person-best mark of 198-2 (60.40m). With her performance, Larrabee moves up to fifth all-time in the event in program history.

IN THEIR WORDS
Colorado State head coach Brian Bedard
"I was very happy with how we competed today – some big highlights for us. I thought we responded really well after last week, and it helped that we had really good weather. We're peaking at the right time, and we had a lot of lifetime bests up there. I'm excited about what I saw. A lot of good things happened, and that's what you hope happens in this sort of meet. Our coaches and our athletes are pretty fired up today. We had a solid week of training – I liked the intensity and focus we came out with."

Colorado State head assistant coach Ryan Baily
"I was really pleased with how we competed today. Josie (Spitz) and Tate (Thornton) stepped up in the pole vault today and Uche (Obinnah) and McKenzie (Wright) competed very well in the high jump. I was proud to see the improvements in each of those events today, and excited to see that we're headed in the right direction heading into conference."

NOTES
- Uche Obinnah has registered each of his two top performances in the high jump in outdoor competition. His previous best was 6-10.25 at the 2017 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
- Four Rams now rank within CSU's all-time top 10 in the women's pole vault. Those athletes are Gabby Smith (No. 2), Josie Spitz (No. 3), Aliya Simpson (No. 6) and Tate Thornton (No. 9).

UP NEXT
The Colorado State track & field team has next week away from competition before returning to action at the 2018 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The conference meet is slated to be contested from May 9-12 in Fresno, Calif.

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