SPOKANE, WA (Blugolds.com) – This weekend the nation's top track and field athletes competed at the 2022 United States Track and Field (USATF) Indoor Championships with three former Blugolds finishing in the top five in their respective events.
Roger Steen finished third at the meet with a throw of 21.07 meters (69-1 ½) behind two-time gold medalist and world-record holder, Ryan Crouser. Steen's throw set a new personal best.
At Eau Claire, Steen won two national titles in the shot put in 2015 and helped the Blugolds capture their first indoor team national title. At that meet, Steen not only won the event but also set a meet record. Steen also played football for the Blugolds and has served as an assistant throws coach for men's and women's track and field.
Dylan Cooper was fourth in the heptathlon, setting a new personal best with a score of 5,771. Cooper's top events were the 1,000m where he set a personal best with a time of 2:44.75, finishing the event in third. Cooper also had a personal best with a third place finish in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.05.
As a Blugold, Cooper was the 2020 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Field Athlete of the Year after tying the NCAA Division III record in the heptathlon with 5,441 points. Cooper was unable to compete for a national title as the championship was canceled due to COVID-19.
Sarah Glidden finished fifth in the pentathlon at the USATF Championships, setting a personal best with a score of 4,102. Glidden beat the field in the 800m with a time of 2:22.21, her best time of the season. She was second in the high jump with a height of 1.78 (5-10), which was a new personal best.
As an undergrad, Glidden won the national title in the pentathlon in 2018 and was named the USTFCCCA National Men's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020. She was just the second woman in the history of the USTFCCCA National Award Program to earn an NCAA DIII honor for coaching men and the first to do so for the indoor season.
