O'Connor heads to Big West Multi-Events Championship

The Beach track and field team closed out competition at the Mt. SAC Relays on Friday.

5/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field

May 6, 2009

LONG BEACH - Junior Tayler O'Connor will be the lone representative for the Long Beach State track and field team at the 2009 Big West Conference Multi-Events Championship, which takes place at Anteater Stadium on the campus of UC Irvine, May 8-9.

O'Connor, a native of San Mateo, Calif., will be competing against a tough field in the heptathlon. Earlier in the season, she notched the 10th-best point total in school history at the Mt. SAC Relays (April 15-16).

The heptathlon gets underway at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and will conclude on Saturday, with the first event scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

ASICS/STEVE SCOTT INVITATIONAL RECAP
The Long Beach State track and field team had one of its most productive weekends of the season at the two-day Asics/Steve Scott Invitational as the 49ers recorded five NCAA West Regional qualifying marks.

The distance program boasted three of the five regional qualifiers, and was led by junior Missy Barclay, who won the 1500-meter run with a lifetime-best 4:27.62. Barclay's mark moved her up to fourth place on the 49er all-time charts.

Senior Dylan Jaedtke also posted an NCAA Regional mark in the 3000-meter steeplechase as he claimed top honors with a personal-record 9:06.13. Rounding out the distance qualifiers was junior Alex Freitas who completed the 800m in a season-best 1:50.37.

In other top distance performances, senior Carly Harris took first place in the 5000m, while freshman Matt Maldonado won the men's 1500m.

Also qualifying for the regional meet was sophomore Nimrod Piggee (110m hurdles) and senior Rodney Hawkins (triple jump).

UP NEXT
Long Beach State returns to action next weekend when it makes its way back to Irvine for the 2009 Big West Track and Field Championships, May 15-16.

The NCAA West Regional meet is slated for May 29-30 in Eugene, Ore.

NCAA WEST REGIONAL QUALIFIERS
Men (9): Alex Black (high jump), Colin Dunbar (hammer throw), Alex Freitas (800m), Rodney Hawkins (triple jump), Dylan Jaedtke (steeplechase), Matt Maldonado (1500m), Kenneth Medwood (400m hurdles), Nimrod Piggee (110m hurdles), Patrick Smith (javelin).

Women (4): Missy Barclay (1500m), Carly Harris (5000m, 3000m steeplechase), Tayler O'Connor (high jump), Jennifer Onyeagbako (discus, hammer).