Reports From LBSU
The Long Beach State track and field team officially opens the 2010 outdoor season this weekend when it makes the short trip to Fullerton for the Ben Brown Invitational, March 4 and 6.
The meet will begin with the hammer throw on Thursday. The women are set to open the action at 10 a.m., while the men are slated for a 1:15 p.m. start. A full day of events on Saturday, March 6, starts with the men’s javelin at 9 a.m. and concludes with the distance carnival (6 p.m.).
MPSF INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
Both the 49er men and women finished 10th at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships, Feb. 26-27. Nicholas Armstrong highlighted the weekend with a seventh-place showing in the heptathlon. He won the high jump and had two other top 10 finishes, compiling 4,983 total points which ranks him second in school history.
Sam Jeter also had a strong performance in the 400m, taking seventh with a season-low 48.31 seconds, which puts him ninth among the 49er all-time top 10. Colin Dunbar scored in both throwing events, finishing seventh in the weight throw (60-03.75) and eighth in the shot put (53-11.25). Matt Maldonado crossed the finish line in 4:04.36 in the mile to place sixth, while Nimrod Piggee also took sixth in the 60m hurdles (8.27).
The high jumpers led the way for the 49er women. Tayler O’Connor was the top finisher, tying for fourth place by clearing 5-08.50. O’Connor bettered her lifetime best as she is now tied for fifth in school history.Janelle Coulter also scored for The Beach, tying for seventh with a mark of 5-06.50, while Katrina Graves-Johnson notched a personal best (5-06.50).
The quartet of Jessica Barnard, Kristen Kiefer, Missy Barclay and Annie Randall also scored for The Beach with a seventh-place performance in the distance medley relay (12:08.64).
MALDONADO SHATTERS MILE SCHOOL RECORD
Matt Maldonado led The Beach at the Husky Classic on Feb. 13 as he turned in the top time in school history in the mile. Maldonado crossed the finish line in 4:03.94, shattering the previous school record of 4:11.85, held by Mario Cobian. Maldonado finished fifth in his heat.
BLACK, DUNBAR POST NCAA INDOOR PROVISIONAL MARKS
Alex Black (high jump) and Colin Dunbar (weight throw) both notched NCAA indoor provisional qualifying marks in their respective events at the NAU Team Challenge on Feb. 6. Black cleared a lifetime-best 7-00.50 to win the high jump as he now ranks third on the 49er all-time top 10 list. Dunbar, meanwhile, was the top performer in the weight throw with a toss of 64-06. His mark also put him third in school history.
UP NEXT
Long Beach State wraps up the indoor season next weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., March 12-13. The 49ers will also continue their outdoor season at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego (March 12-13).