Century grad ranks among the best college freshmen hurdlers in the country

May 12—FARGO, N.D. — Josh Kyei-Baffour is a quick learner. He's also one heck of an athlete.

Combine the two and it's no surprise that Kyei-Baffour — who graduated last spring from Century and owns the all-time Minnesota high school record in the 110-meter hurdles — is crushing things in Year 1 at North Dakota State University.

Kyei-Baffour already ranks third all-time in the 110 hurdles at NDSU with the 13.69-second time he recorded last week in a meet at the University of Minnesota. That also ranks fifth-best among all college freshmen in the country and 17th overall in the NCAA West Region.

A year ago, before winning the state 110 hurdles championship, Kyei-Baffour used the section qualifying meet to set the Minnesota record with a 13.58 time. It was a mark he'd been gunning for all season.

He hasn't topped that yet with the Bison, though the hurdles are set three feet higher at the college level, from 39 inches to 42 inches. So there is an adjustment there, though Kyei-Baffour hasn't had too much of an issue with it.

"It takes most hurdlers about a year to adjust to that height," said NDSU hurdles coach Reece Vega. "A lot of that with Josh is because of his technical abilities.

"Josh was really good out of high school, but you never know what you're going to get from a freshman. Josh developed real quickly. It's been fun to watch. He was coached really well in high school."

Upon seeing the clock stop at 13.69, Vega, a St. Charles native, had one immediate thought.

"I went up to him and said, 'We've been waiting for that,'" Vega said. "But the hurdles are such a technical event. There is always something that's going to happen. You might go crashing into a hurdle or you're in a race where you can't get in a rhythm."

Kyei-Baffour's first nine months at NDSU, in Fargo, N.D., have been all about rhythm. He found his almost immediately, on the track, in the classroom and with his social life. As good as Kyei-Baffour is in the 110 hurdles, don't anticipate him transferring to somewhere bigger and better.

"This doesn't feel like a mid-major program at all," Kyei-Baffour said. "We are a top program, not a mid-major."

Everything is in place for him in Fargo — except those extra-cold winters — for him to not be thinking about hitting the portal.

"I really do like it here," Kyei-Baffour said. "Freshman year is a building year. It is exciting. You make some tweaks and you build off of that. I'm close to the school record. I am a big one for breaking records and getting in the record books. You have to dream big and hope you pull through."

Kyei-Baffour says he was brought to NDSU for a reason. A deeply religious man, who attends bible study at NDSU, he said the only way he'd leave is if God led him to that.

But there are so many reasons for him to stay. One of them is that Chris Hilton is there. The former St. Charles track and field standout is rooming with Kyei-Baffour in a dorm. The two have grown close.