Sophomore Justin Roosma continued his assault on the Eastern Washington University track and field record book last week, and was named the Big Sky Conference "Track" Athlete of the Week announced Monday (May 10).
 
Recording the best time in school history in 37 years, Roosma had a time of 1:50.31 in the 800 to win that event at the Whitworth Twilight on May 5. The mark ranks fifth all-time at EWU, and it was the best since Chris Violette had a 1:49.54 time in 1984.

Roosma edged Idaho's Shea Mattson by just .37 seconds as both exceeded the previous Boppell Track record of 1:51.25. It capped a whirlwind week for Roosma, who set the school's steeplechase record just five days earlier.
 
"Justin continues to shine for us as he ran one of the fastest 800-meter races in recent history," said Eastern head men's coach Stan Kerr.
 
Roosma set the school record in the steeplechase on April 30 at the Canyon Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz., with a time of 8:54.69. He broke the previous school record set 16 years ago of 8:56.31 by Branden Fuller in 2005. In an earlier meet at Whitworth in April, Roosma recorded EWU's third-fastest 1,500-meter time of 3:48.43.
 
"Justin has been a great addition to our team and has established himself as a foundational piece of the distance crew," said distance coach Sam Read. "He puts his head down, does the hard work in training, and has seen the fruits of his labor pay off these last few races. The 800 provided him with even more momentum going into this championship season and we are excited to watch him continue to test and push his limits."
 
Entering this week's Big Sky Conference Championships on May 12-15 in Ogden, Utah, Roosma ranks fourth in the league in the steeplechase. The Eagles have had no champions in that event, but the previous record holder, Fuller, was runner-up twice.
 
Roosma was also third in the league in the regular season in the 800 with his 1:50.31 time, but he will not run that event in Ogden. He made his Eastern debut on March 19 at Whitworth, competing in the 800 and 1500 after not participating in cross country or indoor track and field during the 2020-21 season.
 
He garnered the fifth Big Sky weekly honor for the Eagles this season, with women's hammer thrower Vernice Keyes winning "Field" honors on May 3. Earlier this season, women's pole vaulter Morgan Fossen won Field Athlete of the Week honors, and hurdler Parker Bowden has been honored twice on the men's side for running events. Others nominated for this week's award were hurdler Felicity Hempstead (women's track), pole vaulter Savannah Schultz (women's field) and hammer thrower Colton Kautz (men's field).
 
A 2019 graduate of Walla Walla Valley Academy in Walla, Walla, Wash., Roosma competed one season of cross country at Pacific Union College in California before transferring to EWU.  As a freshman in 2019, he won the California Pacific Athletic Association title in Fresno, Calif., by covering the 8,000-meter course in 24:46.5 to win by three seconds. It was the fastest time in league history as he became the first freshman to win the championships in league history and was the Cal Pac Cross Country Athlete of the Year. He went on to place 16th at the NAIA Championships to earn All-America honors, finishing with an 8K time of 25:15.4.
 
In high school track and field as a senior in 2019, he won the title in the 1,600 meters at the WIAA State 2B Championships with a school-record and personal-best time of 4:15.07 at EWU's Roos Field. He was the State runner-up as a junior in that event when he had a time of 4:19.34, and he was 10th as a sophomore in 2017 when he had a time of 10:19.07 in the 3,200.
 
He had school and personal records in the 800 (1:55.89) and 3,200 (9:45.8) as a junior. In cross country as a senior in 2018, he had a personal best time on 5,000-meter courses of 15:22.4, which was also a school record. He was coached in high school by Michael Bumgardner. In all, he competed three years in track and field, and two seasons each in cross country and basketball.