The 2019-20 indoor track and field season is coming to an end as the Rams travel to New Mexico to earn their title as men’s and women’s champions at the Mountain West Indoor Championships.

The Rams are coming off a successful outing at the one-day Air Force Open on Feb. 21. The meet was considered a tuneup for the championships, giving an opportunity for athletes to make last chance improvements for their upcoming time in New Mexico.

Senior Kamal-Craig Golaube, easing back into events after an injury, placed first in the men’s 60-meter hurdles and tied his own personal record in the process. In total, five personal records were set or tied at the meet: a great performance for a meet meant to be a tuneup.

The University of New Mexico will host the Mountain West Indoor Championships Feb. 27-29. This will mark the sixth time that the New Mexico Lobos have hosted the championships. The Rams will be familiar with the facilities, having competed at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, two weeks ago. The Rams will hope to transfer their success at the Don Kirby meet to the Mountain West Championships.

The meet in Albuquerque will open Thursday with the men’s pentathlon at 10 a.m. followed by the women’s heptathlon at 11 a.m. A majority of the first day will consist of distance events. Friday and Saturday are jam-packed with sprinting and jumping events.

The Rams were quite successful last year at the Mountain West Indoor Championships, winning 29 awards, one of them being the Coach of the Year award for coach Brian Bedard. Sophomore Lauren Gale, a star performer this year, became the first freshman last year to win the 400-meter race.

CSU has plenty of athletes who lead their respective events going into the meet. On the men’s side, senior Eric Hamer leads the 5,000 meters, and on the women’s side, Gale leads the 400 meters. 

“We have the ability to score in every event except the men’s pole vault where we don’t have a competitor,” Bedard said. “That position, which is just like the women, gives us a great opportunity to challenge for a championship.”

According to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Conference Track & Field Rating Index, Colorado State ranks on top for both the men’s and women’s track and field squads.

The Rams have also had a historically successful presence at the Mountain West Championships. The men’s side has 13 top-three finishes in the 20 championships, and the women’s side has 14 finishes at the podium. That being in consideration, the Rams are favorites to win the men’s and women’s Mountain West Indoor Championships.

Leo Friedman can be reached at sports@collegian.com or @LeoFriedman13 on Twitter.