Long Beach State University Athletics
Beach Begins Postseason At NCAA Regionals
5/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 30, 2008
Long Beach, Calif. - The road to the postseason has finally ended, as Long Beach State's qualifying athletes participate in the NCAA West Regional meet beginning today. The 49ers had nine women in nine events and 12 men in 17 events qualify for competition.
Long Beach State sends three of four relay teams to the competition, as both men's relay teams as well as the women's 4x100m relay are entered for Long Beach State. The top three relay teams from each region will automatically move on to the NCAA Outdoor Championships held June 11-14 in Des Moines, Iowa.
The 49ers also have a number of individuals participating in the meet as well. Jessica Branker leads the women's half, running the 100m and 200m dashes as the girl's only multi-event competitor outside of the relays. LBSU triple jump record-holder Miia Mobley is also entered in her signature event, and Big West Freshman of the Year Phylicia Johnson continues her debut season in the 100m hurdles. She's joined by another freshman hurdler in Kristen Kiefer, who will run the 400m hurdles.
Long Beach State also has a pair of field athletes who will finish competition in the finals today. Katelyn Ciarelli will represent the 49ers in the discus, while Jill Reynolds will make her third NCAA appearance in the pole vault. Alex Shaw rounds out the field competitors, but the two-time Big West javelin champion will have to wait until Saturday for her time at the meet.
For the men's side, the sprinters again will make a strong showing for Long Beach State. Big West Track Athlete of the Year Brent Gray and junior Austin Fowler will both be competing in the 100 and 200m dashes, and freshman Kelsey Caesar will run in the 400, one of just two freshman in the event. Alex Freitas has a good chance to be the first LBSU men's distance runner at the NCAA championships from the 800m, and Christopher Lawson qualified for the meet in the 400m hurdles.
Out on the field, a pair of javelin throwers will start the meet for the 49ers today, as Tyson Gray will attempt to return to the NCAA Championships, and Chris Richardson will take a break from his decathlon duties to participate in the event, where he is nationally ranked.
Other men's field athletes for Long Beach State include Alex Black in the high jump, Ed Cornell and David Sampson in the discus, and Robert Jennings in two events, the discus and the hammer.
The top five athletes in each event earn an automatic trip to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Additional entries will be added based on individual marks throughout the 2008 season.
Players Mentioned
