The Colorado State Rams track and field team headed up to Laramie, Wyoming this weekend for the Rocky Mountain Classic in a final tune-up before next weekend’s indoor conference championships.
University of Tennessee transfer and incoming football player Preston Williams highlighted the Rams’ action on Friday.
Williams jumped 24-6.25 in the long jump at War Memorial Fieldhouse to win the event by over a foot. In what was Williams’ debut — both as a Ram and a collegiate track athlete — he recorded the second-best mark in indoor school history and now holds the best mark in the conference this indoor season.
“Today was (Williams’) third day and that’s his all-time best in the long jump,” said CSU assistant coach Ryan Baily. “He didn’t jump as far in high school — he’s just a better athlete. He had six really good jumps and didn’t foul a single jump. He’s got a lot more in him, he’s not satisfied. We’re excited to have him and we appreciate football allowing him to do this too. It’s exciting to have an athlete that doubles on sports. It’s not too often that you see that in our world.”
Freshman high jumper Trenton Wallace also had a big day on the men’s side. Wallace cleared 6-10.25, good for a new indoor personal best, to win the high jump. Wallace’s mark is the seventh best indoor jump in CSU history.
On the women’s side sophomore Kelcey Bedard won the weight throw with a new indoor-best of 63-1.5. In the same event junior Aimee Larrabee also recorded a new personal-best with a throw of 59-5.
In the women’s 55-meter dash senior Leah Fair and junior Lettia Wilson both picked up new indoor-bests to finish second and third, respectively. Fair finished the event with a 6.97, good for fourth in CSU history, while Wilson’s time of 6.99 ranks as the fifth best in school history.
“We got some things done tonight,” CSU head coach Brian Bedard said. “We saw some highlights in most of the event areas that we competed in. Most importantly, a lot of our athletes solidified spots on the conference team as we figure out our top 28. That’s a big part of what we came up here for, so it was good to see.”
The Rams head to Albuquerque, New Mexico this weekend for the Mountain West indoor track and field championships beginning on Thursday, Feb. 23.
Collegian sports reporter Eric Wolf can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @Eric_Wolf5