Valerie Welch

Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics

Photo by: Shaun Wicen/CU Athletics

Photo by: Dave Albo/Lane 1 Photography

Position:
Sprints/Hurdles
Height:
5-10
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Iowa City, Iowa
High School:
West

ALL-AMERICAN (2)
2019 All-America Honorable Mention (4x400)
2020 All-America (DMR)

NCAA QUALIFIER (3)
2019 400 Hurdles (Preliminaries)
2019 4x400-meter relay (22nd)
2020 Distance Medley Relay (Cancelled)

CU HONORS
School Record Indoor 4x400-meter Relay (2019)
2nd CU History DMR (2020)
2nd CU History Indoor 4x400-meter Relay (2020)
3rd CU History Indoor 4x400-meter Relay (2018)
5th CU History 400-meter Hurdles
7th CU History 60-meter Hurdles
8th CU History Indoor Long Jump

PAC-12 SCORING
2019 400 Hurdles, 7th (59.13)
2019 4x100-meter relay, 6th (45.92)
2019 4x400-meter relay, 4th (3:34.82)

MPSF SCORING
2018 60-meter hurdles, 8th (8.52)
2019 4x400-meter relay, 2nd (3:38.24)
2020 4x400-meter relay, 4th (3:39.64)

ACADEMIC HONORS
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2018, 19, 20)
Pac-12 All-Academic First Team (2019)
MPSF All-Academic (2019, 20)

2021: Indoor: Raced four times for the Buffs ... Set 400m personal best of 57.12 at the Razorback Invitational ... A few weeks later, ran 200m personal best of 25.83 at Air Force Collegiate Open.
Outdoor: Competed six times for the Buffs, focusing on 400H and relays ... Finished season at the PAC-12 Championships, where she competed in the 400H and scored in the 4x100 relay with a team 7th place finish.
2020: Indoor: Ran in the 60 hurdles at six meets with a season best of 8.58 at the Colorado Invitational ... Ran the 400 leg on the distance medley relay at the Colorado Invitational, posting the second-best time in school history ... Finished fourth at the MPSF Championships in the 4x400 with the second-best team in school history ... Qualified for the NCAA Championships in the DMR ... Named an All-American following championships cancelation.
Outdoor: Canceled (Coronavirus)
2019: Indoor: Focused on the 60 hurdles and 4x400 ... Won the long jump at the Air Force Invitational in a personal best 5.85 meters (19-2.5) ... Ran a season-best 60 hurdle at the Colorado Invitational in 8.53 ... Twice broke the school record in the 4x400-meter relay ... Finished second in the MPSF in the 4x400-meter relay.
Outdoor: Broke 14 seconds at the Mt. SAC Relays in the 100 hurdles ... Broke the 60-second barrier in the 400 hurdles a week later at the Jack Christiansen Invitational ... Exploded with three scoring events at the Pac-12 Championships including seventh in a personal best 59.13 in the 400 hurdles ... Was sixth in the 4x100 and fourth in the 4x400 ... Placed 30th at the NCAA preliminaries in the 400 hurdles ... Qualified for the NCAA Championships with an eighth-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:34.92 ... Finished 22nd in the nation at the championships.
2018: Indoor: During her 2018 indoor season, Welch competed in the 400-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles and the long jump; however, her main focus was the 60-meter hurdles. At the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Classic in December, she took home first place with a time of 8.68. Her best time of the season was at the MPSF Championships in February where she clocked in at 8.49 and earned sixth place.
Outdoor: Welch competed in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles as well as the long jump during her outdoor campaign. She saw success in the 100-meter hurdles at the Air Force Twilight where she brought home first place with a time of 14.16. At the Pac-12 Championships in May she recorded personal bests in both the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles. She earned a mark of 18-11.75/5.78 in the long jump, and clocked in at 14.10 in the 100-meter hurdles. At the Cardinal Classic in April she earned a personal best of 1:00.48 in the 400-meter hurdles and placed third.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterman at West High School, Welch was a key contributor in the long jump and sprint events over her career. With state titles in the long jump, 100-meter hurdles and distance medley relay, Welch earned a spot on the Elite All-State Team following her junior and senior seasons. Additionally, she holds her high school records in the 100-hurdles (14.43), 400-hurdles (1:02.7), long jump (19-4), shuttle hurdle relay (1:02.97) and distance medley relay.

HIGH SCHOOL BESTS: 100 hurdles: 14.43; 400-hurdles: 1:02.7; long jump: 19-4; shuttle hurdle relay: 1:02.97.

CLASSROOM: Welch is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. She has a GPA greater than 3.9.

PERSONAL: Valerie Joan Welch was born in Iowa City, Iowa and is the younger of Ted Welch and Kerry Mallon’s two children. She has an older sister named Roisin.