The Long Beach State track and field team will have a split squad this weekend with one group heading back to Flagstaff, Ariz., for the NAU Invitational and another group traveling to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Classic.
ABOUT THE NAU INVITATIONAL
The 49ers will be sending a handful of its jumpers, throwers, sprinters/hurdlers and mid-distance runners to the NAU Invitational on Feb. 13. The one-day meet will be held at J.L. Walkup Skydome on the Northern Arizona University campus. A total of nine teams will be competing, including ranked foes Arizona and Arizona State. Action gets underway with the women’s pole vault at 8:15 a.m., while the men’s 4x400m relay is the final event scheduled at 2:20 p.m.
A GLANCE AT THE HUSKY CLASSIC
Long Beach State will also send a small contingent of distance runners and high jumpers to the Husky Classic at Dempsey Indoor, Feb. 12-13. Alex Freitas (800m), Mario Granville (800m), Matt Maldonado (mile), Travis Kuhlman (3000m), Steven DeCastro (3000m), Annie Randall (mile) and Jessica Barnard(mile) are set to represent The Beach in the distance events, while Janelle Coulter and Alex Black will compete in the high jump.
All of LBSU’s events are slated to take place on Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning with the women’s high jump at 9:30 a.m.
BLACK, DUNBAR POST NCAA PROVISIONAL QUALIFYING MARKS
Alex Black (high jump) and Colin Dunbar (weight throw) both notched NCAA provisional qualifying marks in their respective events at the NAU Team Challenge last weekend. 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.
REWIND: NAU TEAM CHALLENGE RECAP
In addition to NCAA provisional qualifying marks from Alex Black and Colin Dunbar, the 49ers had a handful of other impressive performances at the NAU Team Challenge last Saturday.
Brad Zarembski finished second, behind Black, in the high jump with a mark of 6-08.75. Eric Nowell also took second in the triple jump (47-08), while Kenneth Medwood was the runner-up in the 400m dash, clocking in with the eighth-fastest time in school history (48.12). In the 60m hurdles, Nimrod Piggee placed second with a time of 8.18, putting him third on the 49er all-time charts.
On the women’s side, LBSU swept the medal honors in the high jump as Tayler O’Connor and Katrina Graves-Johnson took first and second, respectively, with lifetime-bests of 5-08. Janelle Coulter completed the sweep, claiming third place at 5-06. Miia Mobley posted a runner-up finish in the triple jump, bettering her own school record with a leap of 39-10.50.
As a team, the 49er men finished second behind UCLA, while the women came in fourth place.
UP NEXT
Long Beach State will take a week off from competition before heading to Seattle for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships, Feb. 26-27.
Reports From LBSU