Lumberjacks Head West for Busy Weekend
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona track and field team will make its way out west to compete in various meets in the Los Angeles, Calif., area this weekend. It will be the first time the Lumberjacks will leave the state of Arizona to compete this outdoor season.
Interim Director of Track and Field & Cross Country Eric Heins is excited to head west and see how his team does against top-notch competition.
"This weekend is the top of our pre-championship season," Heins said. "Not only will we get great competition in these meets, but we will also get a lot of good team bonding. It will prepare us for the team atmosphere at the upcoming Big Sky Outdoor Championships."
Five distance runners will take to the track on Thursday at the Mt. Sac Relays, including senior Nell Rojas who will be competing in her first 3,000-meter steeplechase since she finished 18th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last June. Thursday also marks the first 10,000-meter run of the season for sophomores Kortnee Burton, Andrew Belus and Ahmed Osman and freshman Tim Freriks.
The rest of the Lumberjacks making the trek to California will compete Friday and Saturday at the Brian Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., and the Beach Invitational in Cerritos, Calif.
Senior Veronica Pohl and sophomore Diego Estrada, two members of the NAU squad who went to the outdoor national championships last season, will be making there season debuts for the Lumberjacks this weekend.
Pohl will open up in the 1,500-meter invitational run at the Mt. Sac Relays. This will be the first time the senior has competed since she captured her second All-American honor at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
The 5,000-meter invitational will feature Estrada in his first race since he finished fourth at the Indiana State Pre-National meet last October. Returning from injury, Estrada will look to improve upon his freshman campaign that saw him reach the preliminary heats in the 5K at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
