Track and Field Concludes Record-Breaking Day
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Saturday at the
Walkup Skydome proved to be a record-breaking day for the Northern
Arizona track and field team, as they hosted the Lumberjack
Invitational. It was the first meet of 2010 for the home team.
For the first meet back after the long winter break, Interim
Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Eric Heins was very
proud of how his athletes performed Saturday.
“I think this was one of the best first meets of January
that we have ever had,” Heins said. “I was really
impressed with a lot of the field events. I think the running
events will take a little bit longer to get their fitness back, but
to see the jumps by Amber Anderson and Amanda Duarte, the throws by
Javier Villarreal, Curtis Durocher and Karl Gehrke was just
fantastic to watch.”
Although Heins saw a lot of improvement from the first meet of the
season back in December to now, he knows there is still a ways to
go before the Big Sky Indoor Championships at the end of
February.
“With each meet we want to build moment into the next
one,” Heins said. “The throwers had a great meet, so
hopefully we can take that momentum from them and spread it around
to everyone else for next weekend’s meet.
Senior thrower Javier Villarreal put on a show for the fans in
attendance when he broke the school record for the indoor shot put
on his third attempt of the day. The Eloy, Ariz., native’s
throw of 18.55m (60-10.5) broke the 20-year-old record by former
Lumberjack, Kent Larson (60-6.5). Villarreal’s previous
indoor personal record in the shot put was 17.91m (58-9), which he
recorded at the 2008 Big Sky Indoor Championships.
Villarreal’s record-breaking throw also gave the senior an
NCAA provisional mark, which means he is now on the NCAA
“B” list for the indoor championships.
The Lumberjacks had four more athletes qualify for the Big Sky
Championships, giving the team a total of 17 on the season. Senior
thrower Arshiya Hoseyni came up with a qualifying mark in the shot
put on her second attempt of the day (14.31m, 46-11.5).
In his first meet as a Lumberjack, Mesa Community College
transfer, Josh DeKonty, recorded a qualifying mark in the high jump
at 6-6.75.
NAU also had two sprinters qualify in the 60m dash. Seniors Annie
Skordas (7.77) and Derrick Jackson (6.98) will both race at the Big
Sky Championships. Skordas has already qualified for the 200m dash
due to her time in the Blue, Gold and Red Meet.
Next up for the Lumberjacks is the Friday Night Challenge which
takes place in the Walkup Skydome next Friday. The event will begin
at 3:45 p.m. MST.
