LOS ANGELES, Calif.-- The CSU Bakersfield track and field team opened its outdoor season at the Cal State LA Invitational Friday and Saturday. The field athletes competed on Friday while the track athletes competed on Saturday.
“We had some good results in our opener,” said Bakersfield's Director of Track Marcia Mansur-Wentworth. “Brian's win and Karnell's win were nice in the first meet. I was also happy with Jose's high jump. Overall, I'm very proud.”
Men
In his first meet of the season, redshirt senior Karnell Grimes (Rosamond, Calif., Rosamond HS) took on the javelin and earned a victory with a top mark of 189-07. The throw raises the fifth-year senior's personal best by a little more than four feet and moves Grimes from 13th all-time for the 'Runners to 10th.
After becoming the first WAC Champion for the 'Runners a year ago, Bryan Wilmert (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) returned to competition in style. The senior posted a distance of 194-08 on Friday, which not only earned him a victory at the meet, but was also further than either of his best throws from the WAC Outdoor Championships (191-04) and the NCAA Regional meet (193-10). Wilmert's personal best of 197-00 stands at seventh all-time for CSUB.
Michael Lovato (Jr., San Diego, Calif., San Diego Mesa College) made his CSUB debut with a time of 1:58.87 in the 800m, a mark already faster than the best 'Runner time from 2014. The junior transfer is just 3.5 seconds outside of the CSUB all-time Top 20. Last year's top 800m runner, DeArris Rockett (So., Palmdale, Calif., Highland HS) also lowered his previous best time on Saturday with a time of 2:00.78.
Joselito Flores (Fr., Fairfield, Calif., SPSV HS) made his debut with a height of 6-07.50 to finish sixth in the high jump. The mark gives the freshman the 13th-best height for CSUB all-time, but is still half an inch away from his personal best. Flores also registered a leap of 22-03.50 in the long jump which leaves the freshman just under a foot outside of the CSUB Top 20.
The men's 4x400m relay team posted a time of 3:26.08 in their first go of the season. The mark is just five seconds off CSUB's top time from 2014, which was posted at WAC Outdoors. Jose Espinoza (So., Shafter, Calif., Shafter HS) lowered his personal best in the 3000m by 18 seconds to 9:05.23.
Women
Freshman Micaiah Lugo (Oxnard, Calif., Rio Mesa HS) made her debut on Friday with a seventh-place finishes in both the discus and hammer throw. Lugo posted a mark of 121-11 in the discus which leaves the freshman just two feet outside of the CSUB Top 20 list. A throw of 134-05 in the hammer was good enough to rank Lugo 12th all-time for the 'Runners.
Alicia Torres (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif., Bakersfield College) also made her Roadrunner debut with a mark of 43-00.25 in the shot put to finish third. The throw ranks the Bakersfield native 12th all-time for the 'Runners as she posted the best distance since 2006.
Sophomore Tori Blackmon (Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) finished the 1500m in a time of 5:06.54 to lower her personal best by two seconds. Taevionna Wilson (R-Jr., Antioch, Calif., Antioch HS) posted a collegiate best time of 12.45 in the 100m dash to finish eighth. The time leaves Wilson just .04 outside of the CSUB Top 20. Wilson later finished the 200m dash in 25.88 which was half a second off her personal best.
CSU Bakersfield will return to action next weekend as Grimes and Wilmert will take on the competitive Ben Brown Invitational while the rest of the Roadrunners will compete in the CSUN invitational. Ben Brown is set for Friday, Mar. 13, while the CSUN Invite will take place the next day.
~GoRunners.com~
