Monticello grad Adam Bunker finishes 17th in NCAA steeplechase

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Utah Valley University freshman Adam Bunker, a 2019 graduate of Monticello High School, earned All-American honorable mention status on Wednesday, June 8 at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon.
Bunker finished 17th overall in the 3000-meter steeplechase quarterfinals and seventh in his heat, nearly sneaking onto the All-American second team with a late push.
His time of 8:44.67 at the national championship event ranks third among freshmen across the nation and he becomes just the sixth track and field All-American in UVU history.
Though he’s just a freshman, Bunker is already making his mark on UVU track and field. He set a new 3000-meter steeplechase school record with his time of 8:40.00 at the NCAA preliminaries at the University of Arkansas May 27.
In his 3000-meter steeplechase debut at the Hayward Premiere April 1-2, also at the University of Oregon, Bunker finished in 8:48.61. It’s the fastest 3000-meter steeplechase debut among incoming freshmen all-time in the state of Utah.
Earlier this season Bunker scored an 8:20.09 finish in the 3000-meter run at the University of California, Davis Aggie Open to enter the UVU record books in third place all-time.
He finished the 1500 in 3:49.96 at the Beach Invitational at Long Beach State, good enough for sixth all-time at UVU.
Bunker’s debut season performance with the Wolverines comes on the heels of an outstanding career at Monticello High School from 2016 to 2019.
He helped the Buckaroos to two track and field state championships in that time period and two cross country state championships. He earned individual track and field state championships in the 3200 in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
He was a state champion in the 1600 meter in 2018 and 2019 and won an individual state title in the 800 meter in 2019. And he won individual state championships in cross country in 2017 and 2018.
Additionally, he won the 2000-meter steeplechase at the Great Southwest Classic Track and Field Meet at the University of New Mexico in June 2019 to officially wrap up his high school career, besting top athletes from 20 southwestern states.

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