SAN LUISOBISPO -- The Cougars thought they were heading to sunny California to compete at the Cal-Poly Invitational; although the weather proved to be less than perfect, the men and women's track teams foreshadowed a strong outdoor season with their first meet of the season.
While trying to adjust to the outdoor climate, the Cougars had a record setting meet with many of the athletes making new personal records and setting new life-time best marks.
"They ran, they threw and they jumped," women's head coach Craig Poole said. "And they did it all very well."
Poole said that although many of their events turned out as expected some of the women competed with lifetime performances.
Some of the standouts were Amy Menlove in the 100m-hurdles running the event in 14 minutes flat, her best time ever. Lindsey Sommer jumped her best of the year in the triple jump with a distance of 38-11.75 (11.88m) and Kamila Rywelska took first with a jump of 42-01.00 (12.83m).
Runners Anne Heiner, Kristy Barrus, Sarah Ingebretsen and Taylor Teerlink tore up the track as they set new personal records. Barrus won the women's 1500-meter in 4:33.10
"All and all as far as our first outdoor outing," Poole said, "I am pretty satisfied. This shows we have a very good start and I am just looking forward to the next meet. We have got all our kinks worked out from competing indoors and so now we can be serious about the outdoor season."
This same sentiment was shared by the men's head coach, Mark Robison who said he too was pleased with the team's first meet.
"We really competed very well for where we have been," Robison said. "We are starting really well, and that it is the exciting part. I thought we performed better than I thought we would. I have always said we have a better team outdoor than indoor."
Already the men are off to an excellent start with several men who earned regional qualifying marks.
Included in that group is Josh McAdams who earned first place and regional marks in the Steeplechase, running about 15 seconds under the required time, James Oman who won the high jump with a height of 6-07.50 (2.02m), Matt Anderson who won the triple jump in 49-06.25 (15.10m), David Chesser who took first in the 400m-dash in 47.96 seconds and the duo of Lars Kjerengtroen and Chad Simkins who took first and second in the 800-meters.
Both Arrhenius brothers, who took 1st and 2nd in the discus with throws of 193-00.00 (58.83) and 173-04.25 (52.84m) respectively and older brother Dan who took first place in the shot put with 55-01.25 (16.80m) earned regional qualifying marks, as did javelin thrower Matt Johnson who earned regional marks with his lifetime best throw of 206-11.75 (63.09m).
"I am very pleased with these guys," Robison said. "We have a few kids who are a little sore, but this opened us up. Overall the 800 guys looked good, Dustin Trail in the 1500-meter, Matt Hickman who just missed the regional qualifying mark with his throw of 214-10.50 (65.50) and Matt Johnson who just PRed out his head probably by a foot with 206-11.75 (63.09) to take fourth in the Javelin."
Several of the Cougars did not compete this weekend but instead are waiting until next weeks Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. to open up.
Please see the attached document for compelet meet results.