Long Beach State University
Beach Invitational
Fowler Joins Regional List At Beach Invitational
4/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 20, 2008
Long Beach, Calif. - Featuring 1100 athletes in front of 2,120 through the gates on Saturday, Long Beach State finished their home schedule at the Beach Invitational. Austin Fowler earned an individual invite to the NCAA Regionals, highlighting a split squad effort for the 49ers.
Fowler, already headed to Northridge as part of the men's 4x100m relay team, earned a trip in the 200m dash as well, finishing as the top collegiate runner in the event with a time of 21.35, exactly the mark needed for an NCAA berth.
The men's track team had a number of strong finishes. Brent Gray, running in just the 100m dash was the top collegiate finisher, taking second overall with a time of 10.45, just over his best time this season. Nimrod Piggee also had PR in the 110 hurdles, finishing 13th overall with a time of 14.70 seconds.
Among the female track runners, Jessica Branker matched the success of Gray, finishing second in the 100m dash with the top collegiate time of 11.78. The women's relay team also found success at that distance, winning the 4x100m relay with a time of 45.92, just missing out on regional qualifying.
Carly Harris also became the 49ers first qualifier for the Big West championships in the steeplechase. Harris' time of 11:14.37 was the fastest for Long Beach State this year and good for second place at the Brach Invitational.
Out on the field, the women's jumpers also had a good day at Cerritos College. Tayler O'Conner tied a lifetime best by clearing 5'7" and joining a three-way tie for second place in the event. Miia Mobley took third in the long jump with a mark of 18'7.75", and Tiana Johnson shattered her previous best in the triple jump, going nearly a foot further to 39'5.25" to take third place.
Katelyn Ciarelli also finished in third place for the women, finishing behind just one college competitor with a mark of 160'7".
For the men on the field, David Sampson earned second place with a season-best 54'7.25" toss in the shot put, and Collin Cram was the top collegiate finisher in the pole vault, getting over the top of 16'0.75, tying his previous best.
Long Beach State will send detachments of athletes to a number of different events this upcoming weekend in a recovery week from a busy week last week. The 49ers will have one more major tuneup at the Steve Scott Invitational on May 3-4 prior to the Big West Championships, beginning with the heptathlon and decathlon on May 9.
