USTFCCCA TEAM RELEASE
USTFCCCA WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RELEASE
USTFCCCA MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS (July 27, 2015) – Colorado State University-Pueblo men's and women's track and field teams received more postseason accolades with nine of its student-athletes named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic. In addition to the individual awards, the women's team, with a GPA of 3.39, picked up all-academic team honors.
The women's team received five nods, with junior Sydni Riley (Florissant, Colo.) guiding the way with a 3.98 grade-point average in psychology.
Riley, a sprinter/mid-distance runner, helped the women's outdoor 4x400 meter team to a first place finish at the RMAC Outdoor Championships. She also earned All-RMAC Second Team honors in the 400 meter run by finishing third. Riley also ran a leg of the 4x100 meter relay that was third at the championships. Riley is a four-time first team academic all-conference selection (twice indoor and twice outdoor).
Also named all-academic by the organization were Summer Eberhardt (Fr., Lamar, Colo.), a psychology major with a 3.97 GPA, Haley Gansz (Jr., Raton, N.M.), a 3.39 EXHPR major, Rachael Lopez (Fr., Fort Lupton, Colo.), an EXHPR (General Sciences) major holds a 3.66 and Miriam Roberts (Fr., Boulder, Colo.), a pre-nursing major with a 3.28 GPA.
Lopez ran a time of 4:34.93 in the 1500m to place ninth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, just one spot from claiming a team point and earning All-American status. The race was her first NCAA Championship finals experience and third overall championship race as she ran in the prelims of the event and in the 800 meter run prelims at indoor nationals.
The freshman was named USTFCCCA All-American Second Team, USTFCCCA All-Region, RMAC Female Freshman of the Year, All-RMAC First Team and was crowned RMAC Champion in the 1500 meter run at the conference meet this outdoor season.
The women's team totaled 110 points at the RMAC Championships to finish fourth in the field of 13 teams. Last season the Pack recorded 64 points and finished sixth at the outdoor championships.
On the men's side, the Pack had four athletes earning recognition.
Dante Carter (Jr., Las Vegas, Nev.) has a 3.90 GPA, and is studying computer science, Christopher Contreras (Fr., New Castle, Colo.), majoring in criminology with a 3.32 GPA, Dueth Vassell (Fr., Denver, Colo.) is a biology major and holds a 3.68, and Derrick Williams (Fr., Columbia Falls, Mont.), has a 3.98 GPA and is a Pre-Med major, each earned honors after a successful outdoor season.
Carter competed in the 800 meter run and finished 19th with a time of 1:54.51.
Carter used the Colorado School of Mines Last Chance Meet (May 9) to post an automatic time of 1:48.50 in the 800m and held the fourth fastest time entering the race. He was an all-region selection by the USTFCCCA in the 800m and All-RMAC First Team in the 1500m.
Vassell ran the 400m in 48.03 to finish fourth in his heat and 12th overall at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The athletes that finished in the top three in his heat went 2-3-4 overall. He was off a qualifying mark by 0.59 seconds. Vassell was one of two freshmen in the field and ranked No. 11 entering the race. The all-region performer ran a winning time of 47.24 at the RMAC Championships May 3 to earn All-RMAC First Team honors.
Williams ran a time of 3:48.62 in the 1500 meter run to finish third and earn his third NCAA All-American award (twice indoors).
He was an USTFCCCA All-American and All-Region selection, All-RMAC First Team and RMAC Champion in the 1500m this outdoor season. He was named RMAC Male Athlete of the Meet following the RMAC Championships after also winning the 3000 meter Steeplechase.
Williams was a two-time indoor All-American this season, as he anchored the men's distance medley relay team to a national runner-up finish and then finished second in the 3000 meter run.
Carter, Vassell and Williams each ran a leg of the men's distance medley relay team that finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Returning as a collegiate sport for the first time in 22 years, the men's team totaled nine points to finish T-30th in their first NCAA Outdoor Championships since 1993, where they placed 43rd.
Freshman Devundrick Walker (Mid-Distance, Aurora, Colo.), along with Williams, became the first outdoor All-Americans for men's track and field since Ivory Rounds in the triple jump at the 1993 championships.
Walker ran a personal-best 1:50.28 in the preliminaries of the NCAA Outdoor Championships and was just off that mark on the second day of competition as he crossed the line at 150.80. Walker was the fastest freshman in the race, as he was one of just two in the entire qualifying field.
Walker was second at the RMAC Championships in the 800 meter run to earn All-RMAC First Team honors. He also posted a provisional qualifying time in the 1500 meter run during the outdoor season. The All-American award is the second of his young career, as he was also a member of the indoor distance medley relay team that finished second.
The ThunderWolves capped the RMAC Championships in fifth place (11 teams) with 78.5 points and won three individual titles and the 4x400 meter relay.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and have reached a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
