THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran men's track and field team looks poised for another successful season a year after finishing fifth in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) while also making an appearance at NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. The Kingsmen return three All-SCIAC performers from a year ago and welcome eight newcomers to the team.
Jumps
Leading the way for Cal Lutheran is two-time All-American triple jumper Eric Rogers. The 6-foot-4 senior finished sixth-place at the 2012 NCAA Championships after he recorded a leap of 14.89 meters on his fifth attempt. Rogers already holds the school record for triple jump, recording a mark of 15.15 meters set in 2011. The two-time All-SCIAC recipient was also second in the high jump and fourth in the long jump at the SCIAC Championships.
Fellow senior Jordan Williams returns after competing in both sprints and the long jump in 2012. Junior transfer Halaiano Aholelei-Fuentes joins CLU after playing football at North Central College (Ill.) last fall. The Anaheim, Calif. plans to compete in the long jump as well as the 100 meters.
Cameron Lewis is back as the lone pole-vaulter for Cal Lutheran in 2013. The sophomore finished ninth at the SCIAC Championships after clearing a personal best 3.80 meters.
Sprints and Hurdles
All-SCIAC sprinter Tristan Baer returns in 2013 after finishing fifth at the SCIAC Championships in the 400 meters a year ago. The senior from Orangevale, Calif. ran a personal best 49.40 in the prelims before finishing with a time of 49.76 in the finals. Baer was also a part of the 4x 400 meter relay team that won the SCIAC title in 2010 and finished 12th at the NCAA Championships.
Matt Hamlett returns after earning All-SCIAC honors in 2011. The Long Beach, Calif. native placed ninth in the 400 meters at the SCIAC Championships with a time of 51.21. The senior also ran the third leg of the fifth-place 4x 400 meter relay team.
Hamlett's teammate on that 4x 400 meter relay team, Cody Butcher, is back for another year at Cal Lutheran in 2013. The junior from Simi Valley, Calif recorded a personal best time of 23.05 in the 200 meters at the SCIAC Quad Meet No. 2.
Rounding out the returning All-SCIAC performers is hurdler Joe Forster. The junior from Scottsdale, Ariz. finished sixth in 110 meter hurdles at the SCIAC Championships with a season-best time of 15.59.
Foster's teammate in the 110 meter, Erik Fruth, was having a successful 2012 before a late-season injury forced him out of the SCIAC Championships. Prior to the injury, Fruth had recorded a low-time of 15.23 and also won the 110 meter hurdle race during SCIAC Quad Meet No. 1.
Distance
Sophomore Matthew Garvin finished 24th in the 5000 meter run at the SCIAC Championships last year and back in 2013. The Thousand Oaks, Calif. native got better as the year went on, recording a personal best time of 16:10.30 during the conference championship meet. Garvin was also the top cross-country runner in the fall for Cal Lutheran, finishing 45th at the West Regionals.
David Avila, Shawn Jackson, Dylan Perriseau and Nick Privitelli are all expected to contribute after having strong cross-country seasons in this past fall.
Throws
Senior Justin Puccinelli returns as the most experienced thrower for Cal Lutheran after finishing eighth in the javelin at the SCIAC Championships. Earlier in the year, Puccinelli threw the javelin a personal best 55.29 meters as he won the competition at the SCIAC Quad Meet No. 2.
Sophomore Scott Case placed 14th in the javelin and 18th in the discus at the SCIAC Championships in 2012. Case threw a personal best 44.80 in the javelin during the SCIAC Quad Meet No. 3.
Junior transfer James Laughlin as well as a host of freshmen will compete for top spots in the shot put.
Cal Lutheran opens up its season Saturday, Feb. 16, when they compete in the Pomona-Pitzer All-Comers Meet in Claremont, Calif.
Men's Track and Field: Schedule
Men's Track and Field: Roster
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