Long Beach State track and field team heads to Kansas for NCAA prelims

Wednesday afteoon, the Long Beach State track and field team dodged a pair of toadoes in Kansas en route to this week’s NCAA West Prelims, which will be held Thursday through Saturday at the University of Kansas’ Rock Chalk Park. The team’s flight made it into Kansas unharmed, but the turbulence was just the latest in a long season of twists and tus for the 49ers.

“We are writing our story chapter by chapter,” 49ers coach Andy Sythe said. “We are aiming for the ultimate conclusion with athletes advancing this week and standing on the podium in Eugene, (Ore.) for the NCAA finals.”

The group Sythe and his coaches traveled with had 16 athletes, combining for 18 entries in the meet, including multiple-event qualifiers Willie Alexander (long and triple jumps), James Hubbard (discus and hammer) and Courtne’ Davis (100 and 200 meters).

The goal for each of the 49ers is to finish in the top 12 in their event. That would ea them a ticket to Eugene for the championships.

“This is a process and the road to success has many moving parts,” Sythe said. “We have freshman that have not had experience at this level and veterans that understand the pressures and varying conditions we will encounter.”

Sythe’s allusion to conditions is apt, since thunderstorms and 15 to 20 mph winds over the three days are expected.

One 49er has already punched her ticket to the NCAA finals. Riley Cooks already has a qualifying mark in the heptathlon. Long Beach State fans are used to seeing the 49ers excel in the throwing events, but this weekend they may see something special in the sands of the jump pits as well.

Senior Alexander eaed a ruer-up finish in the long jump last year and freshman Kemonie Briggs (a Wilson product) is also a potential big impact athlete in the long jump.

For the LBSU coaches, the fact that the team is stocked with local products makes this year’s success even sweeter. The 49ers had athletes from Poly, Wilson, Millikan and Lakewood.

“I’m so proud of the success our local athletes have achieved at Long Beach State,” Sythe said. “Having these special athletes coming directly from high school is a trend we are aiming for and we feel we could be tuing a coer.”

Also entered is Ryan Colebrook (400 hurdles), Xander Cooper (pole vault), Robert Marlow (hammer), Michael Montgomery (pole vault), Kody Robison (hammer), Daniel York-Mouton (400), the men’s 4x400 relay, Cooks (100 hurdles), Marina Shelton (hammer), Fatima Vergara (hammer) and Briaa Viltz (discus).

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“The size of the group matters to us, but so does the content,” Sythe said. “We are enjoying the high number of qualifiers, but can also reflect on several that just missed getting in the NCAA first round.”