Williams caps off college career with a host of accomplishments

Former Wildcat running star Derrick Williams recently finished his college running career with a number of achievements, both on and off the field.

Williams, 25, graduated from Colorado State University Pueblo Saturday summa cum laude (4.0 GPA) with both a bachelor of science and a master of science in biology and was the first student to receive his diploma as the 2019 recipient of the Threlkeld Prize for Excellence.

Named for the late Budge Threlkeld, a former administrator and professor, the award is presented to a graduating senior who demonstrates excellence in academic and co-curricular activities as well as in service to the University and to the community.

Williams officially graduated in December, but served as a student employee in the CSU-Pueblo Foundation and as a workshop teacher for Upward Bound at Pueblo Community College while finishing out his running career.

A team captain from 2014-2018, Williams was awarded the Colorado State University-Pueblo Athlete of the Year and the Spank Blasing Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Williams is also a two-time Summit award winner, five-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Runner of the Year, three-time NCAA Division 2 Elite 90 Award winner, All-American and All-District Academic award winner.

Williams earned 14 All-American awards between his time at Carroll College and CSU-Pueblo and was twice the national runner-up in the distance medley relay and also finished second in the 3,000-meter race at the 2015 National Indoor Championships. Overall, Williams finished in the top-three five times at nationals and won 20 all-regional awards and six RMAC championships.

Williams, who graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 2012 with a number of Wildcat running records, now plans on attending medical school.