LONG BEACH, Calif. (March 3, 2023) – The UC Santa Barbara Men's and Women's Track and Field teams are ready for a new season as they compete at the Long Beach Opener hosted by Long Beach State University.
These teams are ready to hit the track after numerous Gauchos hit new PR's and broke school records in numerous events. In this first meet of the season, the men's and women's programs will compete against the Beach along with other Big West schools UC San Diego, UC Irvine and Cal State Bakersfield as well as Army, Cal Poly Pomona, Biola and Azusa Pacific.
There are key contributors returning to this year's squad on both the men's and women's side. The women's team had the chance to compete in indoor competition before the outdoor season began, giving them time to compete against tough competition. Emma Barthel is one Gaucho who took time to improve her skills from last season, hoping to bring home the gold in the long jump at the Big West Championships after finishing in second last season. Amanda Spear is another classman to watch out for as she returns stronger than ever for in the throws, earning a new personal-best in the weight throw during the indoor season.
There will be plenty of new faces making appearances this season on the women's side, including combo jumper Kennedy Johnson, who finished in first in the final indoor meet of the season at Northern Arizona in the triple jump. Also making impacts throughout the season have been Madeleine Conte and Chika Nwachukwu, who are expected to pick up where they left off from indoor during their first collegiate outdoor meet. The Gauchos can also expect some key performances from Malia Benson, who will make her debut in the javelin, and Melody Quiroz, who is expected to help the Gauchos in the pole vault.
On the men's side, they return thrower Jared Freeman. He added himself to the Gaucho record book in multiple events after last season as he looks to make an even bigger impact in his second year competing for the program. Nick Momaney is also returning for the Gauchos after redshirting last season. Prior to that, he placed fifth in the javelin at The Big West Championships, setting a new PR in the process. Tyler Holl is expected to contribute greatly on the track for the Gauchos after medaling in two hurdle events last season. Freshman Leon Gillis is coming off a second-place finish in states for the high jump and will make his collegiate debut in Long Beach.
The meet begins tomorrow with the javelin and hammer while all other events will take place on Saturday. For more information, visit longbeachstate.com.
