Beach Opener Comes To Successful Conclusion Saturday

Saturday, March 7

Long Beach, Calif.

All Day

Long Beach State University

Beach Opener

3/7/2020 10:37:00 PM | Track and Field

2020 Beach Opener Combined Results Photo Gallery

Long Beach State had 28 Top 5 finishes on the second day of their first meet of the season.

By: Roger Kirk, Assistant Athletics Director, Athletic Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State wrapped up the Beach Opener with a full slate of track events Saturday plus the majority of the field events as the event concluded in its third year with the largest field in the history of the meet.

                Out on the track, the men's team had a pair of event winners, most noteably Cole Bosley, who set a PR in the 800m with a 1:53.28 to win the event in front of Michael Altenburg of Army and Devin Bright of USC. The other event winner came in the 3000m Steeplechase, where Jacob Korgan led a trio of Beach finishers in the event, clocking a 9:38.54 to take the event.

                Michael Hull placed 10th with a 10.62 in the 100m, while Jason Smith took a break from his jumping to run the 200m, where he placed in the Top 10 with a wind-aided 21.59, taking seventh overall.

                Other marks of note were a 3:58.74 from Raymon Ornelas in the 1500m to place sixth and a 3:17.43 in the 4x400 meter to take second overall in front of competitors from UC Irvine and Pepperdine among others.

                LaNaya Griffin set a new PR in the 200m, running a 24.71 to place fourth, while Madison Golden took fifth in the 100m with a time of 11.98. Kylie Strausser had a nice day in the middle distances, setting a PR with a 2:14.74 in the 800m and then getting a podium finish while running her first ever 1500 at 4:40.02, just in front of teammate Ryley Fick who crossed the line in 4:42.57.

                Long Beach State's women's 4x100m relay took second place with a 46.84, placing just behind the Long Beach-tinged Sheffield Elite featuring Director of Operations Jaide Stepter and former LBSU Student-Athlete Courtne' Davis. Sheffield Elite also won the 4x400m relay Saturday.

                The women's jumpers had a trio of podium finishes, as Camille Finley matched her outdoor best with a clearance of 1.60m in the high jump. In the long jump, Maddie DeBorde placed second with a jump of 5.39m, while Jorden O'Neal was fourth with a 5.32m leap. Micayla Kelley then had a big PR in the triple jump of 11.74m.

                Among the women's throwers, Brianna Uipi stood out with a pair of personal bests, 13.20m in the shot put and 44.96m in the discus.

                Micqwaun Wright looks to continue Long Beach State's distinguished line of long jumpers, placing second in his outdoor debut with LBSU with a 6.89m jump, best among all collegiate competitors at the meet. Justin Reed placed fourth in two events, putting up a 6.82m long jump while clearing 1.86m in the high jump. Michael Magula set a new PR in the Pole Vault, clearing 4.98m to tie for third overall in another strong jumps mark.

                In the discus, Long Beach State had two podium finishers as Charlie Vernoy took second with a throw of 55.18m, while Sebastian Coleman placed third with a mark of 53.37m.

                After a successful opening meet, Long Beach State will get a brief break before splitting the squad to participate in Arizona State's Baldy Castillo Invitational and the UC Irvine Collegiate over the weekend of March 20 and 21. Jason Smith will continue to represent the team indoors, however, participating in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13 and 14 in Albuquerque, N.M.