Buffs Kick Off Indoor Track Season

BOULDER – Colorado track and field will kick off the 2021-22 indoor season this weekend at a pair of meets at Air Force and Boston University this Friday and Saturday, respectfully.
 
A majority of the track squad will compete at the Air Force Holiday Open this Friday with 23 student-athletes entered in the sprints, hurdles, jumps and throws. The one exception is Eduardo Herrera, who is breaking the normal CU mold and heading to the BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener to compete in an elite 5,000 with a number of the top-tier distance runners coming together to chase a fast time to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships and more before the winter break.
 
Herrera, who finished 24th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, will take to the track just three weeks later for his first 5,000 since finishing 15th at the USATF Olympic Trials at the end of June. Earlier this year he ran the second-fastest outdoor 5,000 in CU history in 13:24.46 in Eugene. After that race he was fourth at the Pac-12 Championships in 13:36.19 then finished 15th at the NCAA West Preliminaries in 14:01.69. This will be Herrera's first-ever indoor 5,000 for CU.
 
This Friday will officially kick off the start of the season with the throws and combined-events and jumps teams competing at Air Force. The men will send 10 athletes with four different athletes competing in the long jump, weight throw and high jump. The women are sending 13 athletes with six competing in the weight throw, five in the long jump and four in the 60-meter hurdles.
 
Six athletes will make their CU debut. For the men, Isaiah Bouchard will compete in the weight throw, Noah Bouchard will compete in the high and long jump, Aidan Christiansen will compete in the 60-meter dash and long jump, Jackson Meyer will compete in the high and long jump and John Swabik will compete in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump and long jump. On the women's side, Amanda Opp is the lone freshman to debut in the weight throw.
 
The men are mostly focused on the weight throw, long jump and high jump. The throwers in the weight are Lars Atkinson, Bouchard, Clayton Castro and Tyler Sconce. Bouchard, Ryan Charles, Meyer and Swabik are in the high jump while the same except Charles will compete in the long jump with Christiansen competing there instead.
 
The women are focused on the weight, long jump and hurdles. Heptathletes Elise Gillett, Jada Green, Kara Lucyk and Avery McMullen are all hurdling with each either in the high jump or long jump. Sarah Aanenson, Gillett, Green, Lucyk, and Allie Routledge are all long jumping. The throws crew consists of Bella Braun, Opp, her cousin Elena Opp, Jane Powers, Gya'ni Sami and Lauren Whyrick.
 
Saturday's race will be live-streamed on FloTrack while Friday's events can be followed here.