Bigfork High School graduate Makena Morley became the first University of Colorado runner to earn First Team All-America honors in two different races at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 14 years with top-eight finishes in the 3,000- and 5,000-meters on March 8 and 9 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Morley, who is a junior by eligibility, started the competition by finishing seventh in the 5K in 15:41.67 on Thursday. One day later, Morley crossed the tape sixth in the 3K with a time of 9:06.74. Morley entered both races ranked 14th in the nation.
A four-time state cross country champion and four-time Gatorade Montana Athlete of the Year for the Valkyries, Morley began her collegiate career at the University of Montana before transferring the join the vaunted Buffaloes program midway through her freshman year. Since arriving in Colorado, Morley has posted Second Team All-America finishes in the indoor 5K (2017) and outdoor 10K (2018). She helped Colorado win the NCAA Division I national championship in cross country last year, finishing eighth in the nation to land on the All-America first team.
Morley and the Buffaloes begin the outdoor track and field season this week. If she chooses, Morley has one remaining year of eligibility in track and field, although she has exhausted her college eligibility as a cross-country runner.