BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Roadrunner track and field team earned five All-Western Athletic Conference honors at the Outdoor Championships in 2014 before doubling that total at the 2015 meet. In CSU Bakersfield's third season in the league, Director of Track and Field Marcia Mansur-Wentworth's squad is prepared to match last year's total in Lawrence, Kan., May 11-14 at the 2016 WAC Outdoor meet.
“Last year, the men had six All-Conference honors from four different men and the women had four,” Mansur-Wentworth said before the team took off for Kansas. “I believe we should be able to improve on those results. I am encouraged with all the student-athletes we are taking to this year's Championships.”
CSUB's women will be led by senior captain Tricia Cervantes, who is chasing her fourth All-WAC honor in the multi events. “Tricia is an ideal example of the term student-athlete,” Cervantes' coach said. “She has earned three All-WAC honors and leads our team in community service events and is our SAAC representative.”
Mansur-Wentworth expects Cervantes to podium in the heptathlon after doing so in the pentathlon at this year's WAC Indoors meet. The senior from Beaumont, Calif. will also run in the 100-meter hurdles and take a leg for the CSUB relays.
The biggest surprise of the season for CSUB has been the instant success of redshirt senior Madison Bundy. After completing her four years of eligibility with the 'Runner softball team, Bundy continued on in a Master's program at CSUB and joined the track team.
With no prior experience, the native of Anacortes, Wash. picked up the javelin, already has the fourth-best throw in CSUB history (140-11), and is currently third in the WAC. If Bundy can podium this week, she will earn All-Conference honors in her second sport, having earned First Team All-WAC for CSUB softball in 2015. If she can do it, Bundy will become the first WAC student-athlete to accomplish the feat since Hawaii's Amber Kaufman did so in 2010 (volleyball and track and field – high jump).
Senior Alicia Torres and redshirt junior Marina Emhoff are also searching for repeat performances as All-WAC honorees this week. Torres is looking to earn another award in the shot put while Emhoff will tackle the 400-meter dash again. The latter will also run in the relays for CSUB.
Sophomore Angel Valdez will compete in her first-ever 10,000 after a standout season, improving CSUB bests in the 3,000 and 5,000. “Angels' workouts are indicative of her fitness to tackle this distance successfully,” said CSUB's coach.
“Alisha Byrd and Audrena Harlan have made great progress in the triple jump this year and are expected to vie for podium spots,” said Mansur-Wentworth. “I'm also looking for points from Taevionna Wilson, who set a huge personal best in the 100 to leap up to our Top 10 in that event on the depth chart, and from Susannah Vera, who will compete in the high jump.”
For the 'Runner men, Bakersfield will look to a trio of jumpers to impress. “Joselito Flores is having a great year in the high jump, where he's improved to eighth on the CSUB all-time list and set a meet record at the Bulldog Invitational,” said Mansur-Wentworth.
She also applauded Flores' teammate, Justin McKinley, who has the tenth-best high jump mark in CSUB history. Flores, a two-time All-WAC honoree, will also compete in the long jump and both relays while McKinley is set for the long jump and 4 x 100 relay. Freshman Tim Van Horn will also tackle the high jump, rounding out CSUB's trio of talented leapers.
Alec Benavides, who earned All-WAC in the decathlon in 2015, will compete in the javelin this year. Benavides has already moved up to 15th all-time for the 'Runners in the event. The native of Bakersfield will also take on the high jump.
“Looking strong in the hurdles, Tristan Watson will run the 110 hurdles and Gabe Gaeta in the 400 hurdles,” said Mansur-Wentworth. “Both are chasing their first All-WAC honors and both will compete in the relays as well.”
Senior Michael Lovato is expected to make the 800-meter finals and contend for All-WAC honors. Sophomore Anthony Jones has sprinted well this year and will take on the 100-meter dash and will join the 4 x 100 relay.
For the throwers, Emmett Wirtz should help CSUB continue its streak of All-Conference honors in the hammer and will compete in the shot put as well. Also looking to vie for points in the shot put and hammer is freshman Luis Mendez.
The Roadrunners will kick off the 2016 WAC Outdoor Championships on Wednesday, May 11, when Cervantes tackles the first four events of the heptathlon. For a full schedule of events, links to live stats, and more information on the meet, visit the Championships page at WACSports.com.
~GoRunners.com~
