PUEBLO – Colorado School of Mines senior Tyler Curtis turned in the one of the best performances on one of the biggest stages, earning runner-up in the 3000-meter steeplechase Friday evening at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Pueblo.

Curtis ran to his first collegiate All-American honor and the highest finish ever by an Oredigger in the event with a time of 9:12.30, comfortably taking second behind national champion Tabor Stevens of Adams State (8:59.81) and nearly three seconds ahead of Michael Jordan of Southern Indiana in third.

Coincidentally enough, Curtis, a Caldwell, Idaho native and Mining Engineering major, will return to his home state this summer to work in the Lucky Friday Mine. Located in Idaho's Silver Valley, the mine is a producer of lead, zinc and silver – the element most synonymous with a runner-up result throughout sports.

The school-record holder and reigning RMAC champion is just the third Oredigger to garner All-American in the steeplechase, joining Ryan Miles (2006, 2008) and Neal Anderson (2012).

The eight-point effort moved Mines into a three-way tie for sixth through seven events in the men's classification with 11.00 points, seven back of first-place Ashland.

Junior Seun Ogunmodede debuted in the men's high jump in the afternoon, but was unable to clear the opening height of 6-8.75 (2.05 meters) in three attempts.

Mines concludes the championships Saturday at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl as Ogunmodede competes in the men's triple jump at 5:15 p.m. and senior Hannah Schuster, senior Russell Drummond and junior Frank Socha run in the 1500 finals, beginning with the women's race at 5:35 p.m.

Free, live coverage of all the events is available at www.ncaa.com/liveschedule.

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