2017-18 Track and Field Roster
Saarel, Ben
Ben Saarel
- Position:
- Distance
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- null
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- High School:
- Park City
Bio
PERSONAL BESTS
INDOOR
800-meters: 1:51.32 (2017)
Mile: 4:00.39 (2017)
3,000-meters: 7:52.61 (2014)
5,000-meters: 13:58.19 (2015)
OUTDOOR
800-meters: 1:51.11 (2014)
1,500-meters: 3:38.40 (2016, school record)
5,000-meters: 13:48.97 (2014)
MPSF SCORING
2014 Mile, 5th (4:05.22)
2017 Mile, 1st (4:02.33)
PAC-12 SCORING
2014 1,500-meters, 4th (3:43.38)
2015 1,500-meters, 3rd (3:46.90)
2017 5,000-meters, 5th (14:04.27)
NCAA SCORING
2014 (I) 3,000-meters, 3rd (8:13.45)
2017 (I) Mile, 8th (4:07.84)
2017 (O) 1,500-meters, 8th (3:44.78)
ACADEMIC HONORS
CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team (2016)
CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team (2015)
CoSIDA All-District First Team (2015, 16)
Pac-12 All-Academic First Team (2015, 17)
Academic All-MPSF (2015, 17)
USTFCCCA Academic (2014, 17)
HONORS
2014 All-America First Team (Indoor 5k)
2014 All-America Second Team (Outdoor 1,500)
2017 All-America First Team (Indoor Mile)
2017 All-America Second Team (Indoor 3k)
2017 All-America First Team (Outdoor 1,500)
CU 1,500-meter record holder (3:38.40)
2017: Indoor: Saarel had yet another impressive season as he competed in a variety of events. He was the third fastest runner in the 3,000-meter run at the Husky Classic (2/11), clocking a time of 7:53.74. Saarel earned his first individual conference title with a first place finish at the MPSF Championships (2/24) where he clocked a time of 4:02.33 in the mile. He advanced to the NCAA Championships in both the mile and 3k. He finished eighth in the mile to earn All-America First Team honors after recording a PR time of 4:00.39 for second place in the preliminary round. In the 3k, he finished 15th overall, which earned him second team All-America honors.
Outdoor: Saarel’s focus during the outdoor season was the 1,500-meter run. He clocked a season best time of 3:40.24 to win the event at the Cardinal Classic (4/21), which was also the fastest time by a Buff during the season. At the Pac-12 Championships, he advanced to the finals in the 1,500 after placing eighth in the prelims, but he did not score as he ended up 11th. He advanced to the NCAA Championships and placed eighth (3:44.78) overall to earn All-America First Team honors.
2016: Indoor: Redshirt. Did not compete.
Outdoor: Saarel redshirted the 2016 season, but that didn’t mean he took a break from the track as he focused on the 1,500 and broke a 20-year-old record (3:39.77). On May 20, Saarel ran 3:39.67 at the HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic, taking down the former record by .10 seconds. A few weeks later, he lowered the record even more, clocking 3:38.40 at the Portland Track Festival. Saarel qualified for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials. He finished eighth in his heat, 13th overall in the first round, but did not compete in the semis due to a strained hamstring.
2015: Indoor: Saarel only raced three times for CU as a sophomore. He started off by winning the mile (4:12.30) at the Air Force Open (1/24). He moved up to the 5k in his next race, and placed 14th in 13:58.19. Saarel’s final race of the season was the 3k at the MPSF Championships. He finished 12th overall in 7:57.73.
Outdoor: Saarel concentrated on the 1,500 during his sophomore campaign. He ran his first race in a CU uniform at the Payton Jordan Invite (5/2), where he finished fourth in the third section in 3:41.90. His next meet was the Pac-12 Championships. He won the prelims in 3:41.85 before placing third the following day in 3:46.90. Saarel went on to race at the NCAA West Prelims, placing fourth in the first round (3:45.04). He was 12th in the semifinals (3:44.19), which advanced him to NCAAs where he placed 19th in the semifinals (3:47.07).
2014: Indoor: Saarel had an outstanding freshman campaign. He began the indoor season with an 800 at the Air Force Invitational (1/25), placing seventh in 1:52.86. Saarel’s next race was a 3,000 at the Husky Classic (2/15) and he showed that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with as he placed second in the invitational section in 7:52.61. At the time, the 7:52.61 was the third-fastest time ever run by a Buff; second only to Olympian Adam Goucher. It was also the fastest debut by a CU freshman. Saarel competed two weeks later at the MPSF Championship in the mile and scored points for the team with a fifth-place finish (4:05.22). Saarel’s 3k time ranked 12th overall in the NCAA, so he moved on to the indoor championships where he would earn his first indoor track All-America honor with a third-place finish (8:13.45).
Outdoor: Saarel kept the good times rolling during his outdoor campaign, focusing mainly on the 1,500. He started the season winning the 800 at the CU Invite (4/12), crossing the finish in 1:51.11. Just a week later, he won the 1,500 at the Bryan Clay Invite (4/18) and became the fifth best CU performer in the event with a time of 3:41.54. Saarel also ran a pair of 5,000’s, with his first at the Payton Jordan Invite (5/4), coming in with a time of 13:48.97 for 12th overall. He switched back to the 1,500 at the Pac-12 Championships, and placed fourth for the Buffs in 3:43.38. Saarel qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in both the 1,500 and 5k. He was 40th in the 5k (14:53.63) and placed 12th in the 1,500 to advance to the NCAA Championships. At NCAAs, Saarel placed 16th in the semifinals (3:47.19) to earn All-America Second Team honors.
CROSS COUNTRY: (2016) Saarel had another great season for CU. He ran his first two meets of the season unattached, but ended speculation about redshirting the 2016 season at pre-nationals, where he came away with a 28th place finish. Saarel ran his best Pac-12 Conference finish, placing third overall, as he guided CU to its sixth straight conference title while earning first team all-conference honors. He was 25th at regionals, which earned him his fourth all-region award. Saarel ended his cross country career with the Buffs on a very high note, becoming just the third male to ever earn All-America honors four times with a 21st place finish at NCAAs.
(2015) Saarel only raced twice for the Buffs, but excelled at both meets. He was 21st overall at the regional meet, earning all-region honors in the process. He earned his third consecutive All-American honor at NCAA with a 31st place finish.
(2014) Saarel had another great season for the Buffs. He started by placing fifth at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and followed that up with a fourth place finish at pre-nationals. Saarel earned All-Pac-12 second team honors with his eighth place performance at the Pac-12 Championships, helping CU win its fourth straight team title. Two weeks later, Saarel helped the Buffs win the NCAA Mountain Region Championship, placing 13th overall. He also earned his second all-region honor with the finish. At the NCAA Championships, Saarel was the second Buff across the finish, taking seventh overall for his second straight All-America honor as CU won its second straight NCAA Championship.
(2013) Saarel had an outstanding true freshman season for the Buffs, earning All-Pac-12 First Team, All-Mountain Region and All-America honors. He raced the Rocky Mountain Shootout unattached and took second to teammate Blake Theroux by just one second (25:35). Saarel’s first race for the Buffs was NCAA Pre-Nationals, and he took ninth overall as CU’s No. 2 scorer. In the following meet, the Pac-12 Championships, he was the fifth runner to cross the finish, CU’s third harrier, and helped the Buffs win their third team championship. Saarel continued to shine and at regionals, he was seventh overall, but he saved the best for last at the NCAA Championships where he took eighth overall and led the Buffs to their fourth NCAA Championship since 2001. Saarel became CU’s first true freshman since Billy Nelson in 2002 to record All-America honors. That year Nelson was 42nd overall.
HIGH SCHOOL: Saarel was named the 2012 Gatorade Utah Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after winning the Utah State Class 3A Championships in 14:56.7, which was the second fastest time ever run on the course. In doing so he helped the Miners to a fourth-place team finish. Saarel placed second at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championship before winning the Foot Locker West Regional. At the Foot Locker Championships, Saarel placed fourth in 15:13, just 14 seconds behind the winner. Saarel earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012. On the track he won the 800 and 1,600 Utah state titles, both in school record time. Saarel recorded a time of 1:51.13 in the 800 and 4:07.95 in the 1,600. Saarel also won the Arcadia Invitational 3,200 (8:45.74) and the Adidas Dream Mile (4:02.72). At the 2013 Simplot Games, he won the 3,200-meters and broke the meet record with a 9:00.62 performance. Saarel won three state championships in 2012 (800, 1,600 and 3,200). He was also recruited by Michigan, Wisconsin, Princeton, Stanford and Oklahoma.
HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 800-meters: 1:51; Mile: 4:02.72; 1,600-meters: 4:07.95; 3,200-meters: 8:49.
IN THE CLASSROOM: Saarel is an engineering physics major and a computer science minor. He currently owns a 3.976 GPA.
PERSONAL: Ben Saarel was born on March 8, 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the son of Doug, a former rower at Princeton, and Tess Saarel of Cleveland, Ohio. He also has one sister, Emma, who ran at Swarthmore College. Saarel enjoys skiing and has volunteered with the Special Olympics.
INDOOR
800-meters: 1:51.32 (2017)
Mile: 4:00.39 (2017)
3,000-meters: 7:52.61 (2014)
5,000-meters: 13:58.19 (2015)
OUTDOOR
800-meters: 1:51.11 (2014)
1,500-meters: 3:38.40 (2016, school record)
5,000-meters: 13:48.97 (2014)
MPSF SCORING
2014 Mile, 5th (4:05.22)
2017 Mile, 1st (4:02.33)
PAC-12 SCORING
2014 1,500-meters, 4th (3:43.38)
2015 1,500-meters, 3rd (3:46.90)
2017 5,000-meters, 5th (14:04.27)
NCAA SCORING
2014 (I) 3,000-meters, 3rd (8:13.45)
2017 (I) Mile, 8th (4:07.84)
2017 (O) 1,500-meters, 8th (3:44.78)
ACADEMIC HONORS
CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team (2016)
CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team (2015)
CoSIDA All-District First Team (2015, 16)
Pac-12 All-Academic First Team (2015, 17)
Academic All-MPSF (2015, 17)
USTFCCCA Academic (2014, 17)
HONORS
2014 All-America First Team (Indoor 5k)
2014 All-America Second Team (Outdoor 1,500)
2017 All-America First Team (Indoor Mile)
2017 All-America Second Team (Indoor 3k)
2017 All-America First Team (Outdoor 1,500)
CU 1,500-meter record holder (3:38.40)
2017: Indoor: Saarel had yet another impressive season as he competed in a variety of events. He was the third fastest runner in the 3,000-meter run at the Husky Classic (2/11), clocking a time of 7:53.74. Saarel earned his first individual conference title with a first place finish at the MPSF Championships (2/24) where he clocked a time of 4:02.33 in the mile. He advanced to the NCAA Championships in both the mile and 3k. He finished eighth in the mile to earn All-America First Team honors after recording a PR time of 4:00.39 for second place in the preliminary round. In the 3k, he finished 15th overall, which earned him second team All-America honors.
Outdoor: Saarel’s focus during the outdoor season was the 1,500-meter run. He clocked a season best time of 3:40.24 to win the event at the Cardinal Classic (4/21), which was also the fastest time by a Buff during the season. At the Pac-12 Championships, he advanced to the finals in the 1,500 after placing eighth in the prelims, but he did not score as he ended up 11th. He advanced to the NCAA Championships and placed eighth (3:44.78) overall to earn All-America First Team honors.
2016: Indoor: Redshirt. Did not compete.
Outdoor: Saarel redshirted the 2016 season, but that didn’t mean he took a break from the track as he focused on the 1,500 and broke a 20-year-old record (3:39.77). On May 20, Saarel ran 3:39.67 at the HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic, taking down the former record by .10 seconds. A few weeks later, he lowered the record even more, clocking 3:38.40 at the Portland Track Festival. Saarel qualified for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials. He finished eighth in his heat, 13th overall in the first round, but did not compete in the semis due to a strained hamstring.
2015: Indoor: Saarel only raced three times for CU as a sophomore. He started off by winning the mile (4:12.30) at the Air Force Open (1/24). He moved up to the 5k in his next race, and placed 14th in 13:58.19. Saarel’s final race of the season was the 3k at the MPSF Championships. He finished 12th overall in 7:57.73.
Outdoor: Saarel concentrated on the 1,500 during his sophomore campaign. He ran his first race in a CU uniform at the Payton Jordan Invite (5/2), where he finished fourth in the third section in 3:41.90. His next meet was the Pac-12 Championships. He won the prelims in 3:41.85 before placing third the following day in 3:46.90. Saarel went on to race at the NCAA West Prelims, placing fourth in the first round (3:45.04). He was 12th in the semifinals (3:44.19), which advanced him to NCAAs where he placed 19th in the semifinals (3:47.07).
2014: Indoor: Saarel had an outstanding freshman campaign. He began the indoor season with an 800 at the Air Force Invitational (1/25), placing seventh in 1:52.86. Saarel’s next race was a 3,000 at the Husky Classic (2/15) and he showed that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with as he placed second in the invitational section in 7:52.61. At the time, the 7:52.61 was the third-fastest time ever run by a Buff; second only to Olympian Adam Goucher. It was also the fastest debut by a CU freshman. Saarel competed two weeks later at the MPSF Championship in the mile and scored points for the team with a fifth-place finish (4:05.22). Saarel’s 3k time ranked 12th overall in the NCAA, so he moved on to the indoor championships where he would earn his first indoor track All-America honor with a third-place finish (8:13.45).
Outdoor: Saarel kept the good times rolling during his outdoor campaign, focusing mainly on the 1,500. He started the season winning the 800 at the CU Invite (4/12), crossing the finish in 1:51.11. Just a week later, he won the 1,500 at the Bryan Clay Invite (4/18) and became the fifth best CU performer in the event with a time of 3:41.54. Saarel also ran a pair of 5,000’s, with his first at the Payton Jordan Invite (5/4), coming in with a time of 13:48.97 for 12th overall. He switched back to the 1,500 at the Pac-12 Championships, and placed fourth for the Buffs in 3:43.38. Saarel qualified for the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in both the 1,500 and 5k. He was 40th in the 5k (14:53.63) and placed 12th in the 1,500 to advance to the NCAA Championships. At NCAAs, Saarel placed 16th in the semifinals (3:47.19) to earn All-America Second Team honors.
CROSS COUNTRY: (2016) Saarel had another great season for CU. He ran his first two meets of the season unattached, but ended speculation about redshirting the 2016 season at pre-nationals, where he came away with a 28th place finish. Saarel ran his best Pac-12 Conference finish, placing third overall, as he guided CU to its sixth straight conference title while earning first team all-conference honors. He was 25th at regionals, which earned him his fourth all-region award. Saarel ended his cross country career with the Buffs on a very high note, becoming just the third male to ever earn All-America honors four times with a 21st place finish at NCAAs.
(2015) Saarel only raced twice for the Buffs, but excelled at both meets. He was 21st overall at the regional meet, earning all-region honors in the process. He earned his third consecutive All-American honor at NCAA with a 31st place finish.
(2014) Saarel had another great season for the Buffs. He started by placing fifth at the Rocky Mountain Shootout and followed that up with a fourth place finish at pre-nationals. Saarel earned All-Pac-12 second team honors with his eighth place performance at the Pac-12 Championships, helping CU win its fourth straight team title. Two weeks later, Saarel helped the Buffs win the NCAA Mountain Region Championship, placing 13th overall. He also earned his second all-region honor with the finish. At the NCAA Championships, Saarel was the second Buff across the finish, taking seventh overall for his second straight All-America honor as CU won its second straight NCAA Championship.
(2013) Saarel had an outstanding true freshman season for the Buffs, earning All-Pac-12 First Team, All-Mountain Region and All-America honors. He raced the Rocky Mountain Shootout unattached and took second to teammate Blake Theroux by just one second (25:35). Saarel’s first race for the Buffs was NCAA Pre-Nationals, and he took ninth overall as CU’s No. 2 scorer. In the following meet, the Pac-12 Championships, he was the fifth runner to cross the finish, CU’s third harrier, and helped the Buffs win their third team championship. Saarel continued to shine and at regionals, he was seventh overall, but he saved the best for last at the NCAA Championships where he took eighth overall and led the Buffs to their fourth NCAA Championship since 2001. Saarel became CU’s first true freshman since Billy Nelson in 2002 to record All-America honors. That year Nelson was 42nd overall.
HIGH SCHOOL: Saarel was named the 2012 Gatorade Utah Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after winning the Utah State Class 3A Championships in 14:56.7, which was the second fastest time ever run on the course. In doing so he helped the Miners to a fourth-place team finish. Saarel placed second at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championship before winning the Foot Locker West Regional. At the Foot Locker Championships, Saarel placed fourth in 15:13, just 14 seconds behind the winner. Saarel earned a top-20 national cross country ranking in 2012. On the track he won the 800 and 1,600 Utah state titles, both in school record time. Saarel recorded a time of 1:51.13 in the 800 and 4:07.95 in the 1,600. Saarel also won the Arcadia Invitational 3,200 (8:45.74) and the Adidas Dream Mile (4:02.72). At the 2013 Simplot Games, he won the 3,200-meters and broke the meet record with a 9:00.62 performance. Saarel won three state championships in 2012 (800, 1,600 and 3,200). He was also recruited by Michigan, Wisconsin, Princeton, Stanford and Oklahoma.
HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 800-meters: 1:51; Mile: 4:02.72; 1,600-meters: 4:07.95; 3,200-meters: 8:49.
IN THE CLASSROOM: Saarel is an engineering physics major and a computer science minor. He currently owns a 3.976 GPA.
PERSONAL: Ben Saarel was born on March 8, 1995 in Cleveland, Ohio. He is the son of Doug, a former rower at Princeton, and Tess Saarel of Cleveland, Ohio. He also has one sister, Emma, who ran at Swarthmore College. Saarel enjoys skiing and has volunteered with the Special Olympics.
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