Long Beach State Welcomes Four Incoming Throwers for 2019-20 Season

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State Track and Field is excited to add five new throwers as part of the incoming class for the 2019-20 season as announced by Director of Track and Field Andy Sythe and throws coach Cory Loebl.

"The goal of this recruiting class was to go out and some of the very best that's out there in the state of California," said Loebl. "Each incoming athlete has either been a state champion or has led the state in their respective event. These signees come in with the intent to improve on already quality marks achieved at prior levels and will have immediate impact with helping win additional team and individual event titles."

Melissa Favorite, Santa Cruz, Calif. (Soquel HS/DeAnza CC)

A Junior College transfer out of DeAnza CC, Favorite was one of the top junior college throwers in the nation last season, with a best mark of 49.54m that was best in California and fifth in the nation in the discus. Competing in both the discus and the hammer throughout the season, she was the Coast Conference champion in both events, finished as the champion in the hammer and the runner-up in the discus at the NorCal Championships, and was the runner-up in both events at the CCCCAA state meet.

Loebl on Favorite:
"Melissa has the physical characteristics to become a great discus and hammer thrower. She has an incredible amount of improvement that can be made and her ceiling of success will only be known at the end of her eligibility. For now, she comes in with very strong marks and I would expect her to be at the top of the conference and region during her time at the Beach."

Gavin Fua, Lakewood, Calif. (Valley Christian HS)

Gavin Fua comes to the Beach after having spent a redshirt season at Cal following a high school career at Valley Christian High School. The state discus champion in 2018, had a high school best of 188-00 in the event as a high schooler while also competing at a high level in the shot put and hammer as well.

Loebl on Fua:
"Gavin is a very versatile athlete that will show strength while competing in three different events. I expect Gavin will have plenty of success at both the Big West Conference and NCAA levels during the next four years."

Marcos Gonzalez, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Martin Luther King HS/Riverside City CC)

The defending junior college state champion in the javelin, Marcos Gonzalez will come to Beach with a career-best of 61.46m set last season in the state championship, crushing the competition in that meet. Gonzalez was ranked No. 1 in the Javelin in the CCCCAA last year.

Loebl on Gonzalez:
"I'm excited to have Marcos step into the program already having significant success in the javelin. His next goals are to continue to develop into being a champion and representing LBSU at the national level in this event."

Alec Jones, Riverside, Calif. (Martin Luther King HS/Riverside City CC)

Ranked as the top junior college thrower in both the hammer and the discus last season in California, Alec Jones piled up incredible results throughout the season, finishing as the state champion in the hammer throw and the runner up in the discus at the CCCCAA state meet one year ago. At the SoCal Championships, Jones was a podium finisher in the hammer, discus and shot put and was the Orange Empire Conference champion in the discus and hammer and the conference runner-up in the shot put.

Loebl on Jones:
"Alec is a very versatile and athletic thrower, really fits into the ideal throws coaches are looking for. He should develop into someone that can really achieve high levels at the Big West Conference and regional levels immediately."

Long Beach State University Athletics