NEW ORLEANS, La. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's and women's track & field teams each made their way into the top-10 of the Week 2 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Rankings, as announced on Tuesday afternoon. For a second straight week, the men's team recorded their highest ranking in program history as they moved up one spot to No. 7 (96.88 points), while the women's team vaulted six spots up the rankings to No. 5 (124.60 points).
 
Grand Valley State University's men's and women's track & field teams each hold the No. 1 national ranking in the week 2 poll, with the Laker's men garnering 157.55 points and the women's team collecting 145.08 points.
 
The UCCS men's track & field team has tallied a total of 20 national qualifying marks across nine different events this season and added four new or improved national qualifying marks over the past weekend while competing at the CRC Mountain Lion Open and Colorado Invitational. The Mountain Lion men currently have eight student-athletes ranking in the top-10 on the NCAA Division II performance list for their event.

• Dakota Abbott – Long Jump – 7.27m/23' 10.25" (17th)
• Dakota Abbott – Triple Jump – 15.15m/49' 8.5" (8th)
• Peterson Bohannon – Long Jump – 7.20m/23' 7.5" (24th)
• Skye Ciccarelli – High Jump – 2.10m/6' 10.75" (T6th)
• Evan Graff – Mile – 4:04.11* (9th)
• Gavin Harden – Mile – 4:06.03* (14th)
• Gavin Harden – 3000m – 8:17.48* (25th)
• Thorben Hast – Long Jump – 7.13m/23' 4.75" (31st)
• Thorben Hast – Heptathlon – 5,275 points (5^th)
• Dawson Hopkinson – Pole Vault – 4.98m/16' 4" (T11th)
• Chris Hudnall – 60m Hurdles – 8.21s* (33rd)
• Justyn Loper – Weight Throw – 17.94m/58' 10.25" (T39th)
• Brian Mosley Jr. – 60m – 6.76s* (T7th)
• Richard Safoh – Long Jump – 7.18m/23' 6.75" (T25th)
• Kymani Sterling – 60m – 6.86s* (T39th)
• Peyton Turnage – Long Jump – 7.50m/24' 7.25" (5th)
• Peyton Turnage – Triple Jump – 14.60m/47' 11" (26th)
• Tanner Walsh – High Jump – 2.04m/6' 8.25" (T18th)
• Daryon Wilson – Long Jump – 7.38m/24' 2.5" (10th)
• Afewerki Zeru – 3000m – 8:08.24* (9th)

 
The Mountain Lion women's track & field team also registered strong performances at the CRC Mountain Lion Open and Colorado Invitational on Friday and Saturday, posting seven new or improved provisional marks to bring their season total to 19 national qualifying marks across 11 events. The UCCS women also currently hold top-10 marks among Division II competition in eight different events.

• Layla Almasri – Mile – 4:47.74* (5th)
• Layla Almasri – 3000m – 9:44.03* (14th)
• Almasri, McGrath, Hedlund, Alyssa Lopez – Distance Medley Relay – 11:39.54* (2nd)
• Emily Arseneau – Shot Put – 14.84m/48' 8.25" (7th)
• Christine Bailey – Long Jump – 5.77m/18' 11.25" (T17th)
• Christine Bailey – Triple Jump – 11.79m/38' 8.25" (25th)
• Audrey Bloomquist – Triple Jump – 11.90m/39' 0.5" (20th)
• Hannah Ellis – 5000m – 17:18.56* (20th)
• Margaret Gardella – 60m – 7.62s* (T18th)
• Kate Hedlund – Mile – 4:53.28* (17th)
• Anna Holland – Weight Throw – 17.12m/56' 2" (32nd)
• Sydney Marr – Weight Throw – 17.46m/57' 3.5" (24th)
• Riley McGrath – Mile – 4:56.27* (28th)
• Hannah Meek – Long Jump – 6.37m/20' 10.75" (1st)
• Hannah Meek – Triple Jump – 12.30m/40' 4.25" (T6th)
• Melissa Moreni – 60m Hurdles – 8.65s* (T7th)
• Faith Novess – High Jump – 1.73m/5' 8" (T7th)
• Lydia Pavlenko – Triple Jump – 11.96m/39' 3" (18th)
• Kayla Zink – 60m – 7.46s* (2nd)

*Converted for altitude/track size
 
The Mountain Lions will be idle this weekend before traveling to Topeka, Kan. where the team will compete at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge on Thursday, Feb. 10 and the Ichabod Invitational on Saturday Feb. 12. Both meets will be hosted by Washburn University at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility.
 
2021-2022 USTFCCCA National and Regional Rankings
1/25:     MEN: #8 (#1 South Central Region)
             WOMEN: #11 (#1 South Central Region)
 
2/1:       MEN: #7 (#1 South Central Region)
             WOMEN: #5 (#1 South Central Region)