Bears Tally Four Wins and Seven Top-10 Marks in Colorado Springs

Friday, December 13

Colorado Springs, CO

All Day

University of Northern Colorado

UCCS Pre-Holiday Invite & Multi

12/14/2024 6:51:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field, Track & Field, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Indoor Track & Field

Full Team Results Big Sky Performance List NCAA DI Performance List

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Northern Colorado track and field team picked up four wins and recorded four top-10 program performances over the weekend at the UCCS CRC Pre-Holiday Invite and Multi. The Bears hold nine NCAA top-50 performances and lead the Big Sky Conference in 13 events.

"The Bears had a great weekend at the UCCS Holiday Invite!" Associate Head Coach Stormie Sickler said. "Across every event group we saw success, winning four events in total. Going 1-2-3 in the women's 3K, 1-2 in the women's long jump, and first in the women's triple and men's 200 meters. We feel very confident in where we are in training for being an early-season meet."

Shantell Hafner won the women's 3,000 meters, while the Bears' other victories came from Johnny Fisher in the men's 200 meters, Kiana Van Haaren in the women's long jump, and Jaelynn Lane in the women's triple jump.

Van Haaren's mark of 6.16 meters (20 feet, 2.5 inches) in the long jump currently ranks fifth in the NCAA this season and second on Northern Colorado's all-time performance list.

Lane, a freshman, broke into the Bears' all-time top-10 list for the long jump with a leap of 5.74 meters (18 feet, 10 inches), placing her ninth. She also claimed the second spot in the triple jump with a mark of 12.00 meters (39 feet, 4.5 inches).

"The jumps group showed that the Bears are here to work, with Kiana and Jaelynn's performances over the weekend," Sickler said. "We are all thrilled to see what the season brings!"

The Bears swept the podium in the women's 3,000, with Hafner leading the way in 10:13.33. Her time ranks sixth on Northern Colorado's all-time performance list. Summer Olson followed closely in second with a time of 10:13.37, moving up two spots on the program's all-time list. Claire Nowels finished third in 10:51.69.

Fisher won the men's 200 with a time of 22.52 seconds.

"We had several personal bests or athletes who performed just shy of their personal bests in their season opener, which supplies a lot of motivation for the athletes as they head into Christmas break training," Sickler added. "We're very proud of how each of the athletes competed this weekend, and we're excited to come back in January to pick up where we left off and build off the momentum the Bears have created!"

UNC Top-10 All-Time Additions
Women's 3000m
6 - Shantell Hafner, 10:13.33
7 - Summer Olson, 10:13.37

Women's Long Jump
2 - Kiana Van Haaren, 20-2.5 (6.16m)

Women's Triple Jump
2 - Jaelynn Lane, 39-4.5 (12.00m)

Women's Pole Vault
7 - Samantha Kullish, 11-0.75 (3.37m)
7 - Alexa Oatman, 11-0.75 (3.37m)

Men's Heptathlon
4 - Ryan Pollyea, 4456

Bears in the Rankings
WOMEN
200m | 37th NCAA, 1 BSC – Wendira Moss, 24.70
400m | 25th NCAA, 1 BSC – Wendira Moss, 56.27
Mile | 5th NCAA, 1 BSC – Regina Mpigachai, 4:37.23
60mH | 47th NCAA, 1 BSC – Alexia Austin, 8.58
Long Jump | 5th NCAA, 1 BSC – Kiana Van Haaren, 6.16m (20'-2.5")
Triple Jump | 37th NCAA – Jaelynn Lane, 12.00m (39'-4.5")
MEN
60m | 42nd NCAA, 1 BSC – Jerome Campbell, 6.79
200m | 15th NCAA, 1 BSC – Jerome Campbell, 21.55
400m | 1st NCAA, 1 BSC – Zander Cruzan, 46.73

Next Up
The Bears will travel to Lincoln, Neb. For the Graduate Classic Invitational, running from Jan. 17-18.

For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the cross country and track and field teams on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsTFXC), and Instagram (@UNC_BearsXCTF).