After another strong season, Garrett Cooley successfully defended his crown as HCAC Field Athlete of the Year. Cooley entered the 2017 track season as the reigning Athlete of the year with his sights set on defending his crown and qualifying for Nationals.
“It feels great to repeat,” Cooley said. “It was my main goal before the season, in addition to qualifying for Nationals.”
Cooley’s performances were stellar throughout the season. Twice, he set the school record in the 60 Meter Dash, which he now holds with a time of 6.894 seconds. Cooley also set an HCAC Indoor Track and Field Championship Meet record with a 7.08 meter long jump. He also won the high jump at the meet.
While his showing at the Conference Championships earned many accolades, they did come with a price.
At the end of the 60 Meter Dash, Cooley flipped over the finish line, severely straining his hamstring. The injury held him out of Saturday’s Fred Wilt Invitational.
“I’ve been doing extensive rehabilitation to be able to compete within the next two weeks,” Cooley said. “I feel pretty good now and will be able to compete in Nationals.”
Cooley will travel to Chicago, Illinois March 10th and 11th to compete for a National Championship in the long jump.