Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State heads to Aztec Invitational, USC Trojan Invitational
3/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
March 17, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State track and field team returns to action this weekend as it sends its throwers to the USC Trojan Invitational on Friday, March 18, before the team heads to San Diego for the Aztec Invitational on Saturday (March 19).
USC TROJAN INVITATIONAL
The 49ers will participate in the hammer throw at the USC Trojan Invitational at Mt. SAC on Friday. The women are scheduled for a 10 a.m. start, while the men will follow at 1 p.m.
AZTEC INVITATIONAL
LBSU is also set to compete in the Aztec Invitational which will be held at SDSU Sports Deck. This is the first time the 49ers are sending a full squad to the Aztec Invite since 2002. The meet features an elite field that includes defending national champion Texas A&M, along with UCLA, Wisconsin, Kansas State, Northern Illinois, BYU, Cal State Northridge and host San Diego State.
"This is a great opportunity for us not only to see where we're at, but also for us to find growth from the experience we are going to get," said 49er head coach Andy Sythe. "We also want to continue to add to our list of qualifiers for the conference championships and the Cal-Nevada Championships."
The meet gets underway with the 3000m steeplechase at 8:30 a.m., while the field events begin with the women's javelin at 10 a.m. The men's 4x400 relay is the last event on the schedule with an approximate start time of 4:35 p.m.
THREE 49ERS EARN WEEKLY HONORS
After a successful showing in their season-opening meet at the Ben Brown Invitational, three 49ers garnered Big West Track and Field weekly honors the conference office announced March 9. Colin Dunbar and Tara Ross were tabbed the men's and women's field athletes of the week, while Chris Sweeney was named the co-track athlete of the week.
In the women's javelin, Ross had a toss of 158-09 to win the event. Her mark was also the fifth-best effort in LBSU history. She placed ahead of teammate Randi Hicks, a 2010 All-American and Big West champion.
Dunbar had three top 10 finishes on the weekend. He placed fourth overall in the hammer with a lifetime-best 209-08. That mark ranks him third on the 49er all-time charts and is the furthest throw by a Big West athlete since 2006. Dunbar also took fifth in the shot put with a personal record and seventh in the discus.
Sweeney finished first in his heat and second overall in the 400m, clocking in with a lifetime-best 48.22. He also established a personal-record 22.39 in the 200m.
BIG WEST QUALIFIERS
After just one meet, 20 LBSU men have qualified for the Big West Championships in 28 events. The throwers have led the way with Rajan Bains and Colin Dunbar notching conference qualifying marks in the shot put, disucs and hammer. On the women's side, 17 athletes have qualified in 19 events. Shakina Phillips and Kristen Kiefer are the only multiple-event qualifiers (100 hurdles and 400 hurdles).
UP NEXT
Long Beach State is back in action next weekend when it sends a split squad to the Stanford Invitational (March 25-26) and the Cal-Nevada Championships (March 26-27).
Players Mentioned
