Redshirt senior jumps athlete Richard Safoh has long been among the best in jumping events in the RMAC. 

In his first outdoor season, he just-missed all-American status in men’s long jump at the RMAC Championships in 2021. Now he’s the back-to-back RMAC champion in long jump after winning the event at the 2024 Outdoor Championships and the 2025 Indoor Championships. 

“It’s been a journey for sure,” Safoh said. “There’s a lot I had to learn — about the sport, about myself. But the team and [Coach Fellows] were always ready to lend out a helping hand. He’s been real patient with me.”  

Safoh is a native of Aurora, Colorado. As a high school senior, Safoh and his family thought the computer science degree at UCCS would be a good option to stay close while pursuing athletics and education. “I called UCCS and got offered a scholarship. I just kind of went with it because I wanted to go to UCCS regardless,” he said.  

Arriving at UCCS, his focus was on the triple and long jump events, with some sprinting sprinkled in. As an underclassman, Safoh consistently improved on his personal records both events each season. His first career RMAC championship podium finish in long jump during the 2023 outdoor season was a sign of bigger things to come. 

Safoh returned to the RMAC Outdoor Championships in 2024. He was slated to compete in long jump and triple jump when he tweaked his back the week before the meet, and then again on the bus ride to Grand Junction, Colorado. “At that point, it was just, ‘what can I do to feel [the injury] as little as possible?’” Safoh said. 

“There’s a lot of pressure on me to win that specific meet,” Safoh said. “Going out there and being able to put my head down and push through the injury, all the adversity and win — That one felt sweet.” 

Heading into the 2024-2025 indoor season, Safoh’s goal was to get back to the long jump victor’s spot on the podium at conference championships, and he had a new strategy to make that happen: the men’s 60-meter dash.  

“I understood that if I were to focus on the 60 and put myself in the conversation with all the big sprinters, naturally, I’m going to get faster for the runway in long jump,” Safoh said.  

He said some people doubted that he could be competitive in the 60, since he was primarily a jumper, but they were wrong.  

Safoh’s extra sprint training translated into 3 provisional qualifying marks for long jump and podium finishes at indoor conference championship in long jump and the 60. Safoh won the individual long jump with a mark of 7.46 meters and finished third in the 60 with a time of 6.78 seconds. 

“I had expectations to win the [long jump],” Safoh said. “It felt nice to be able to meet your goals and show that all the work I’ve put in throughout the season wasn’t a waste.”  

His indoor season performances were enough to qualify him for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in Indianapolis in March. Safoh concluded his career at UCCS by finishing seventh with a mark of 7.31 meters in long jump at nationals.  

“Honestly, I’m blessed,” Safoh said. “[Finishing seventh] wasn’t what I was aiming for, if I’m being honest. But regardless, I went out there and gave it my all.” 

After capping off his indoor season at nationals, Safoh was named the RMAC Men’s Indoor Co-Field Athlete of the Year. He learned he received the award by being tagged in a post on Instagram. “I wasn’t expecting it. Also, I’ve never really known when those come out, so when I see the post and see my face, I was like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s cool.’”  

Safoh’s college eligibility is up, but he doesn’t plan to stop jumping. He will continue to train, with hopes of becoming a professional athlete.  

According to FloTrack, an athlete had to hit a minimum mark of 7.75 meters to qualify for the USATF U.S. Olympic Trials. From there the top 48 athletes who have hit that mark are invited to the trials. Safoh’s long jump personal best is 7.79 meters.  

Safoh is expecting to graduate this winter with a bachelor’s in engineering. He says he will miss training with his teammates the most. “You’re dying and throwing up every practice. It’s all just so worth it when you go to conference and you’re holding up the trophy.” 

Redshirt senior Richard Safoh competes in triple jump at the 2025 RMAC Indoor Championships. Photo by Lillian Davis.