Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Head to MPSF Championships
2/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
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49ers Head to MPSF Championships with Chance to Medal LONG BEACH, CA-- Long Beach State track and field will head to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships on February 23 and 24 in Seattle, WA with the chance to pick up their best performance in seven years. Seven men rank in the top-40 nationally, led by Jimmy Grabow's fifth-fastest 5000-meter time, Brent Gray's 14th-fastest 200-meter time and Ronald Carter's 14th-longest triple jump mark. Fifteen athletes overall rank in the top-10 on the MPSF leaderboard. Gray leads the MPSF in the 200-meter and is fourth in the conference in the 60-meter and looks to become the first indoor all-conference sprinter since Kashus Perona in 2000. The junior has set the school-record in both distances this season. Grabow, in his final indoor season, posted the world's fastest indoor 5000-meter time in 2007 back on February 10 and ranks second in the MPSF and fifth nationally in that event. His 3000-meter time is 38th nationally and sixth in the MPSF in the event he is running this weekend. He is looking to become the first indoor all-conference runner for LBSU. Carter, in his final indoor season, and looks to return to the NCAAs for the second-straight meet, after earning All-America honors during the outdoor sesaon. Carter's triple jump mark is second in the MPSF. Among others ranked nationally are: Chris Richardson (19th-heptathlon), Robert Jennings (23rd-weight throw) and Ezra Kwong (31st-shot put). On the women's side, Ludi Valdez ranks fourth in the MPSF 5000-meter and Nicole Blalock is 10th in the mile. Two triple jumpers, Tisha Uwadiale and Miia Mobley are in the top-10 in the triple jump, while Jennifer Onyeagbako (7th) and Katelyn Ciarelli (8th) are in the top-10 in the MPSF weight throw. The top three athletes are named all-conference, as the MPSF is made up of schools from the Big West, Pac-10, Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences. The NCAA Championships are March 9 and 10 in Fayetteville, AR, which Grabow has already qualified for in the 5000-meter. LBSU had a record five men earn All-MPSF honors in 2000. |
