Mines Alumni Classic & Multi, Thursday-Friday: [Performance List] [Schedule of Events] [Steinhauer Info]

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THE SEASON BEGINS
The Colorado School of Mines track & field program begins the 2016-17 indoor season tomorrow afternoon with the annual Mines Alumni Classic & Multi in Steinhauer Fieldhouse. The two-day event kicks off with the first stages of the women's pentathlon and men's heptathlon at 1 p.m., and is followed in the evening with the long jump, weight throw and men's pole vault starting at 6:30 p.m. Day two begins with the shot put, triple jump and women's pole vault at 10 a.m. The track events then begin at 11 a.m. with the prelims of the 60m dash and hurdles. The meet concludes with the 1600m relay which starts at 3:05 p.m.

WHO IS HERE
The Mines Alumni Classic brings in athletes from schools such as CSU-Pueblo, Western State, MSU Denver, UCCS, Chadron State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado Christian, Azusa Pacific and Division I competitors from Colorado and Colorado State. 

PRESEASON RMAC
The RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll came yesterday afternoon and the Mines men found themselves as the preseason pick to repeat as the RMAC Indoor Champions. The Orediggers had 115 total points and eight-of the-12 first-place votes to edge out Adams State who had 111 points and three first-place nods. The women were selected to finish seventh with 102 points. Senior distance runner Dan Mahoney was Mines' only Preseason All-RMAC selection.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
The preseason USTFCCCA NCAA D-II National Rankings came out last week, and the Orediggers men were selected seventh. Big reason behind that were the top times and marks set by Triston Sisneros (Hept, High Jump), Austin Smith (Hept), Logan Winfield (Mile), Ryan Morningstar (800m), Dan Mahoney (3000m) and Chris Erwin (5000m) from last season. 

WHAT TO WATCH
During the first meet of the season, pay particular attention to the freshman pole vaulting quartet of Jake Pinkston (Kingwood, Texas), Brandon Hinkle (Yuma, Colo.), Zach Clark (Gillette, Wyo.) and Darin Meeker (Tallahassee, Fla) who will be making their Mines debuts.  Pinkston was a District Champion at Kingwood HS while Meeker and Hinke were state runner-ups in their respective states.

COACH SPARKS SAID IT
"We're excited to start the Indoor season," said head coach Matt Sparks. "As a coaching staff, we are planning on red-shirting a large group of proven, talented student-athletes this year, and that will provide opportunities for other people to step up and contribute.  We'll have one of the youngest, most talented teams in school history on the track, and in the field this season.  The expectation remains the same; compete and win at the highest level."