Prestigious Meets up Next for Gonzaga Track
4/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. - With only three weeks left in their regular seasons, the Gonzaga women's and men's track programs enter a pivotal weekend in terms of qualifying for the NCAA West Regional Championships.
The Zags will once again split their squads Thursday through Saturday. Seven student-athletes travel to Walnut, Calif., for the Mount Sac Relays, while a large contingent heads to historic Hayward Field for the Oregon Relays.
"This is a big week for us," Gonzaga Director of Track Pat Tyson said. "Patty (Ley) and I decided to really focus on getting athletes down to L.A. at this magical venue to run a fast 10,000 meters. A major percentage of those qualifying for the NCAA's will be in one of several races that make for fast times. Stanford Invite had a similar venue, but very hard to get into. Mount Sac is a little friendlier about getting athletes in. We are so pumped," Tyson said.
The Mt. Sac Relays is the largest track and field competition in the world with over 13,500 competitors competing over 3 weekends and 6 days.
The 57th annual Mt. Sac Relays will be the final one under the current configuration at the famous Hilmer Lodge Stadium. The stadium will undergo a $62-million dollar renovation with intent to bid for the 2020 US Olympic Track and Field Trials. The stadium, built in 1959, has been a host to 20 world records, and three U.S. Olympic Trials.
Last year at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Jessica Mildes broke a national junior college 10,000-meter record (34:29.36), and Colin O'Neil broke the Gonzaga 10,000-meter school record (30:09.86). It's also where Willie Milam ran a personal best (14:00.19) in the 5,000 meters and qualified for the NCAA West Regionals.
"I expect Willie Milam, Troy Fraley, Conor McCandless, and Matthew Crichlow to all go under 30 minutes, and chase sub 29:30, which should add more names to the posse going to Austin in late May," Tyson said. "I know Patty (Ley) has Amelia Evans attempting to run sub 35:50 pace that should qualify. Shelby Mills would like to take another crack at her specialty, the 3,000-meter steeplechase and knock her time down into the sub 10:20's. Nick Roche will take a break from the steeple and hopes to get a major personal best in the 5,000, and see how deep he can get under 14:10," Tyson said.
Gonzaga will have 29 student-athletes competing Friday in Eugene at the Oregon Relays. Hayward Field stakes a claim as a place on the historic track stadiums list as well. Mildes will be one of seven Bulldogs to test the women's 5,000-meter field.
In her last race, Mildes broke a school record running to a 33:40.82 in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational. Mildes qualified for the NCAA West prelims with a first place finish in her section of the 10K.
Live coverage for both meets will be available on GoZags.com. Mills will start the weekend for the Bulldogs on Thursday. Her heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase begins at 6:48 p.m.
Gonzaga weekend schedule| THURSDAY | ||
| 6:48 p.m. | Women's steeplechase | Mills |
8:27 | Women's 10,000 | A. Evans |
9:46 | Men's 10,000 | Milam |
10:16 | Men's 10,000 | Fraley, McCandless |
10:44 | Men's 10,000 | Crichlow |
FRIDAY | ||
1:50 p.m. | Women's 800 | Anderson, Stroosma, Riley Saunders |
1:55 | Men's 800 | Smith |
2:00 | Men's 5,000 | Pearce, Kaderabek |
2:19 | Women's 1,500 | C. Fraher, Henling, Culver, Urcadez |
2:33 | Men's 1,500 | Wendle, Amann, Beard, Sicalo, Fischer |
2:55 | Men's steeplechase | Manley |
7:38 | Men's 1,500 | Phillips, Pollard, Goldizen |
8:17 | Women's 5,000 | Jones, Mildes, O. Evans, A. Fraher, Thurston |
8:37 | Men's 5,000 | Branch, Lunder, O'Neil, Quintana, VanDeynze |
10:43 | Men's 5,000 | N. Roche |
SATURDAY | ||
2:40 p.m. | Men's 800 | Phillips |
