Donna Waller (2018) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Donna Waller

Induction:
2018
Class:
1987

The first prolific sprinter in CU women’s track history, she set the standards in the CU record book that others who followed took aim at and only recently surpassed … A two-time All-American between indoor and outdoor track (1984-87), when just the top six earned the honor (top eight do now) … Qualified for the NCAA’s four times … CU’s co-Female Athlete of the Year for the 1986-87 school year when she was a senior … Indoors, she was a two-time Big Eight Conference champion in the 60-yard hurdles, and she earned All-America honors in the 55-meter hurdles in 1987 when she ran a 7.77 time (5th in the NCAA) … Outdoors, she was a two-time league champ in the 100-meter hurdles, and earned All-America honors in the event as a senior in 1987, with a 13.33 time which was good for fourth place nationally … Still owns the 55-meter hurdle mark for Balch Fieldhouse (7.60), which she set as an unattached runner at the 1988 Potts Invitational … Qualified three times for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988, 1992 and 1996 (was a three-time U.S. Olympic Festival medalist); she was fifth in the ’92 trials and was processed as a team alternate (missed qualifying by 1/100th of a second) … A four-time USA Track & Field Championship finalist in 1987 (sixth), 1988 (fourth), 1989 (seventh) and 1995 (sixth) … A 1992 USA Indoor National Team Silver medalist … She competed internationally for both the US West Track Club (founded by former CU sprint coach Mike Gilbert) and for the Goldwin Track Club, Nike and Reebok from 1987-1997 … Entered coaching in 1997 as the assistant men’s and women’s track coach at Long Beach State University; while there from 1997-99, she coached eight conference champions … She returned to CU as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles (for both the men and women), tutoring three Big 12 Conference champions and one Olympian from 1999-2002 … Now resides with her family in Pensacola, Fla., with her husband of 15 years, former CU All-American in track and U.S. Marine Major Matthew Queen, and her two daughters, Faith and Alexa … Currently works as a college academic counselor, but has also worked at middle and high schools.