Photo by: John Fajardo
Beach Track and Field Welcomes Six Throwers for 2023 Season
11/23/2022 11:02:00 AM | Indoor Track, Track and Field
The group of five consists of five freshmen and one transfer.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Long Beach State Track and Field team adds to their storied throws program with five newcomers for the upcoming season. The class is made up of two new women's competitors and three new men's competitors.
Women's Commits:
Giszelle Hrehor – Freshman; Buellton, Calif. (Santa Ynez Valley Union HS)
Hrehor joins the Beach after a multi-sport career at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School where she played volleyball, basketball, and softball all four years. She did not start competing in track and field until her senior year, yet still went on to win the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 Discus Championship. After winning both the league Shot Put and Discus titles, she was named her team's Most Valuable Female Athlete.
Samaria Usher – Freshman; Long Beach, Calif. (Lakewood HS)
A Long Beach native, Usher stays home for her collegiate career after four years at Lakewood High School. A multi-sport athlete, she also played basketball along with competition in the throwing events. She was the 2021 CIF-Southern Section Division I runner-up behind teammate Cherish Washington with a personal best mark of 41 feet. Usher also owns a PR in the Discus of 112' 5".
Men's Commits:
Conrad Bernstein – Freshman; El Segundo, Calif. (El Segundo HS)
Bernstein was a multi-sport athlete at El Segundo High School, playing football and baseball before starting track and field as a senior. While he competed primarily in Long Jump in high school, he was recruited as a thrower by Throws Coach Cory Loebl due to his strong background from years of playing baseball.
Aiden Pastorian – Freshman; Temecula, Calif. (Great Oak HS)
Pastorian comes to Long Beach State after three varsity seasons at Greak Oak High School in Temecula. In his senior season, he was the CIF Division I Champion and State Championships Runner-Up in Shot Put, eventually going on to be named to the All-State First Team that season. For his high school career, he helped his team win the league title all three years. He owns lifetime-bests of 66' 7" in Shot Put and 169' 2" in Discus.
Elliot Payne – Sophomore; Maple Ridge, Canada (Cal Poly)
An international recruit, Payne switches Big West institutions after spending his first year of college at Cal Poly. Competing primarily in Javelin, he ranks tenth on the Mustangs' all-time list and qualified for the NCAA West Prelims in his rookie season. A fifth-place finisher at the Big West Championships, he owns a collegiate-best 206' 1" in Javelin. As a high schooler, he set a lifetime-best of 208 feet in the event and was the Canadian U-16 National Champion and Provincial record holder. In total, he was a three-time provincial champion and five-time medalist.
TJ Wiggins – Freshman; Santa Clarita, Calif. (Golden Valley HS)
Wiggins was a thrower for three seasons at Golden Valley High School where he racked up a lengthy list of accolades. As a senior, he earned Milesplit First Team All-California, First Team All-Area, First Team All-League, and was named Most Valuable Field Athlete of the Year. Wiggins was also the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 Champion and CIF Masters Champion in his final high school season. With a lifetime best of 198' 11", he owns the Golden Valley all-time record as well as the CIF=Southern Section Masters Meet record and Foothill League record.
Women's Commits:
Giszelle Hrehor – Freshman; Buellton, Calif. (Santa Ynez Valley Union HS)
Hrehor joins the Beach after a multi-sport career at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School where she played volleyball, basketball, and softball all four years. She did not start competing in track and field until her senior year, yet still went on to win the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 Discus Championship. After winning both the league Shot Put and Discus titles, she was named her team's Most Valuable Female Athlete.
Samaria Usher – Freshman; Long Beach, Calif. (Lakewood HS)
A Long Beach native, Usher stays home for her collegiate career after four years at Lakewood High School. A multi-sport athlete, she also played basketball along with competition in the throwing events. She was the 2021 CIF-Southern Section Division I runner-up behind teammate Cherish Washington with a personal best mark of 41 feet. Usher also owns a PR in the Discus of 112' 5".
Men's Commits:
Conrad Bernstein – Freshman; El Segundo, Calif. (El Segundo HS)
Bernstein was a multi-sport athlete at El Segundo High School, playing football and baseball before starting track and field as a senior. While he competed primarily in Long Jump in high school, he was recruited as a thrower by Throws Coach Cory Loebl due to his strong background from years of playing baseball.
Aiden Pastorian – Freshman; Temecula, Calif. (Great Oak HS)
Pastorian comes to Long Beach State after three varsity seasons at Greak Oak High School in Temecula. In his senior season, he was the CIF Division I Champion and State Championships Runner-Up in Shot Put, eventually going on to be named to the All-State First Team that season. For his high school career, he helped his team win the league title all three years. He owns lifetime-bests of 66' 7" in Shot Put and 169' 2" in Discus.
Elliot Payne – Sophomore; Maple Ridge, Canada (Cal Poly)
An international recruit, Payne switches Big West institutions after spending his first year of college at Cal Poly. Competing primarily in Javelin, he ranks tenth on the Mustangs' all-time list and qualified for the NCAA West Prelims in his rookie season. A fifth-place finisher at the Big West Championships, he owns a collegiate-best 206' 1" in Javelin. As a high schooler, he set a lifetime-best of 208 feet in the event and was the Canadian U-16 National Champion and Provincial record holder. In total, he was a three-time provincial champion and five-time medalist.
TJ Wiggins – Freshman; Santa Clarita, Calif. (Golden Valley HS)
Wiggins was a thrower for three seasons at Golden Valley High School where he racked up a lengthy list of accolades. As a senior, he earned Milesplit First Team All-California, First Team All-Area, First Team All-League, and was named Most Valuable Field Athlete of the Year. Wiggins was also the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 Champion and CIF Masters Champion in his final high school season. With a lifetime best of 198' 11", he owns the Golden Valley all-time record as well as the CIF=Southern Section Masters Meet record and Foothill League record.
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