WALNUT, Calif. - The CSU Bakersfield men's and women's track and field teams opened up the 2013 outdoor season with a bang on Friday when Courtney Parker (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., South HS), Thomas Judge (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Garces HS) and Gabe Holland (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska, University of Alaska) claimed individual titles at the Pomona Preview Meet on Friday and Saturday.
Parker claimed her first-ever individual meet title with a toss of 113-05 to win the women's javelin. Judge, the defending 2012 Great West Conference hammer champion, recorded a personal-best mark in his winning throw of 187-06 feet to claim the men's hammer title. Holland posted the farthest mark to win the discus with a toss of 159-07. He also placed third in the hammer with a throw of 163-10.
"This was a great start and all of the student-athletes have worked really hard to be at
this point," said CSUB head coach Marcia Mansur-Wentworth. "I couldn't
be more proud of how they performed on Friday and Saturday."
The throwers were impressive in the season opener for CSUB. Bryan Wilmert (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) placed second in the shot put with a throw of 47-08.5 and also finished fifth in the hammer throw (163-10). Collin Ellis (R-Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersfield HS) placed fifth in the men's discus (136-05), Karnell Grimes (R-So., Rosamond, Calif., Rosamond HS) took fourth in the men's javelin (163-05), and Gabby Guiliano (Fr., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) finished fourth in the women's javelin (99-07).
On the track, Richard Maestre (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif., South HS) had a standout day for the CSUB men, placing second in the 110 hurdles (15.42 seconds) and second in the 400 hurdles (55.95). Justus Mora (Jr., Sparks, Nev., Spanish Springs HS) recorded a fourth-place finish in the 100 in 10.97 and Derek Stotler (So., Vista, Calif., Rancho Buena Vista HS) took fifth place in the 3,000 with a time of 9:18.64.
Leading the CSUB women on the track was Sara Nielson (Sr., La Quinta, Calif., Riverside CC), who placed second in the 100 hurdles (15.03), and Alyssa Page (So., Santa Rosa, Calif., Montgomery HS), who took fifth in the 400 (59.77). The 'Runners also had a nice showing in the long jump as freshman Jamara Scott (Bakersfield, Calif., Golden Valley HS) and Audrena Harlan (Antioch, Calif., Dozier-Libbey Medical HS) placed third and fifth respectively with marks of 16-09.25 and 15-06.
Both 'Runners squads will be back in action March 8-9 at the Ben Brown Invitational at Cal State Fullerton.
~www.GoRunners.com~
