Avery McMullen Breaks Records, Claims Pac-12 Heptathlon Title

BOULDER — Avery McMullen of Colorado rewrote another record at CU, dominating the heptathlon and setting a new facility record for a first-place finish at the 2024 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships at Potts Field on Saturday.

McMullen started the day in second place after a sixth-place finish in the shot put on Friday. However, she quickly surged ahead by winning the 200-meter (23.94) and long jump (6.35m), regaining control of first place. Despite a fourth-place finish (37.88m) in another event, McMullen maintained a 76-point lead going into the final event. Although slow to start in the 800-meter run, she rallied in the last 300 meters to secure Colorado's first heptathlon conference title with a CU record of 5,913 points, surpassing Annette Tannander's record set in 1983.

"Today was incredible! Avery winning a Pac-12 Championship at home in the heptathlon. First time in school history in the Pac-12. To do it in front of her parents and family was just a phenomenal day for her and a phenomenal effort," said multi-event coach Lindsey Malone.

Eva Bruce earned a point with an eighth-place finish, recording a personal best of 4,915 points. Bruce achieved personal bests in the 200m (24.99) and javelin (22.89) and also jumped a season-best 5.81m in the long jump.

"Eva (Bruce) also had a bunch of PRs. She did a tremendous job; she scored in the heptathlon," said coach Malone, adding, "We scored 11 points (in the heptathlon), which is really a big deal."

Coach Malone's group continued to accumulate points, earning five more when Allie Routledge cleared a personal best 1.79m for a fourth-place finish in the high jump.

In the men's decathlon, Troy Colleran (5976 points) and John Swabik (5542 points) contributed three points for the Buffs with seventh and eighth place finishes.

In the men's 800 meters, Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff (1:50.13) achieved a personal best, and Ben Greene (1:51.08) and Drew Costelow (1:51.68) finished 10th, 11th, and 14th respectively.

In the men's 3,000 steeplechase, freshman standout Kole Mathison led the race from the beginning but was overtaken by the experienced Washington squad in the final laps. Mathison ultimately secured third place (9:06.55) with a blazing final 100m, ahead of teammate Charles Welch (9:07.16) who finished fourth. Conner Wingfield placed sixth (9:23.29), earning the Buffs 12 points in the event.

In the men's hammer throw, Matt Ward scored two points with a seventh-place finish, tossing 67.64m.

Colorado's women's team sits third in the standings with 53 points, Oregon leads the pack with 61 points. The men's is tied for fourth place with 26 points, while Washington is leading the group with 82 points.

The Buffs will conclude the 2024 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships on Sunday. The events will include the women's discus featuring Amanda Opp and Obi Osafa-Mensahat at 11 a.m. Noah Bouchard, Troy Colleran, and John Swabik will represent CU in the high jump. To close out the field events for Colorado, Matt Ward and Laurence Atkinson will compete in the men's discus. The running events will commence at 1 p.m. with the women's 4x100 relay and conclude with the men's 4x400 relay, marking the end of the Pac-12 era for Colorado.