THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — With the Pomona Pitzer Collegiate All Corners meet just two days away, the Cal Lutheran Track and Field program looks to build upon last season's success heading into the 2019 season.
"We are excited for another track and field season to get underway. We are anxious about seeing what this team has to offer and what they can do on the track and on the field," said head coach Matt Lea, "We have a great mix of upperclassmen and freshmen so it should be fun watching them grow together throughout the season. If everyone stays healthy we can have a lot of fun and do some really big things within the SCIAC and nationally."
On the Regals side, all three podium finishers at last season's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships return to this year's roster. Junior Kendall Guidetti took home the 2018 title in the long jump at 5.67 meters, her second title in as many years. Guidetti also currently holds Cal Lutheran's all-time record in the long jump at 5.75 meters that she notched the previous year at the 2017 SCIAC Championships.
Joining her, senior Alexa Barnes holds the 2018 conference championships silver in the discus throw (38.31 meters). The Washington-native recorded a career-best 39.68 meters in the discus and 47.08 meters in the hammer throw at the Redlands Last Chance Qualifier last year, placing her fifth overall on the program all-time list for both events.
Rounding out the trio, junior Morgan Snyder notched 11.19 meters in the triple jump for a third-place finish at SCIAC Championships. Her season-bests of 11.19 meters in the triple jump and 32.86 in the javelin also move her up in the Cal Lutheran records books to second and fifth place for both events, respectively.
Another notable returner, senior Kelsey Rouse returns for her final season after competing at last year's NCAA Division III Championships as just the third Regal in program history to qualify in the heptathlon. She accrued a total of 4010 points, the fifth highest sum in program history and finished in the top three in the long jump (1.57 meters). Rouse also holds the second-highest sum total of 4475 points, that she recorded just a few weeks prior at the Redlands Final Qualifying Meet.
Leading on the track, senior Rachel Ereso led the Regals with four top-ten finishes at last year's conference championships. She finished sixth in the 4x400 meter relay alongside returners Rouse, senior Kylie Rodriguez and junior Ana Cordoba with a 4:11.95 run; sixth in the 100-meter dash at 12.41 seconds; seventh in the 1500-meter run at 4:51.90; and tenth in the 5000-meter run at 18:37.
On the Kingsmen's side, the team returns three of its five top performers last season. After earning silver in the 4x100 relay and tying the tenth best performance in school history at 41.91 seconds, junior Obasi Dees, junior Chris Brodnax and senior Trent Mosley return to the track in 2019.
Individually, Dees and Brodnax look to improve on their success in sprint events. Dees went on to win the bronze in the 200-meter dash and currently holds the sixth all-time record in the 100-meter at 10.75 seconds. Brodnax also took third in the 400-meter race last season at 49.30 seconds.
Rounding out the track group, distance runner Rigo Baza returns as a junior, looking to improve on his career-best 9:07.68 in the 3000-meter run, the seventh best time in school history.
The season kicks off for both the Kingsmen and Regals on Saturday, February 16, at the Pomona-Pitzer Collegiate All Corners in Claremont, California.
Full Schedule: Men's // Women's
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Release by Christy Effendie, Assistant Sports Information Director
