ARCATA — Top-end talent should compliment balance in most events to help Humboldt State post a strong track and field season on both the women's and men's sides this spring.
The Lumberjacks get their season underway Saturday at the Wildcat Relays in Chico. Coach Sandy Moran begins her sixth season guiding the programs.
"We're starting off by focusing on the individuals, and that will prepare us best for the long season," Moran said. "If everyone gets motivated to the best they can in their events, the team aspect will come."
Following is an event-by-event preview of the Jacks' season.
Throws
Returning sophomore Heather Snyder gives the Lumberjacks a legitimate threat to place at the conference and national levels in her second season of competition. As a freshman, she placed second in the discus at the CCAA Championships last spring with a throw of 135 feet, 10 inches, and her best shot put effort of the year was a squad-best 43-7 1/4.
Coming off a redshirt season, senior Helena Silva has clear potential in the javelin, one of her best events as the Jacks' primary heptathlete.
On the men's side, junior Brad Wright leads the way after a 2009 season that saw him post a best hammer toss of 160-4. Wright is also a solid discus performer, and he'll be supported in that event by freshman Nich Lohse, who had strong marks at Sehome High School in Bellingham, Wash.
Jumps
Melissa Murillo leads the way in the long and triple jumps. The senior from Emmet, Idaho, extended to a season-best 17-5 1/4 in the former last year, and achieved a top mark of 35-0 1/4 in the latter.
Murillo will have company training and competing from freshman Brittainy Chown, who dominated the Humboldt-Del Norte League as a long and triple jumper at McKinleyville High School. Two more freshmen – Laura Tesch and Margaret Cobb – will give the Jacks hopes in the high jump with projected marks in the 5-6 range.
Perhaps the strongest contender for a national qualifier among the HSU jumps squad is senior Brittany Peterson, who redshirted a year ago following an injury. Her clearance of 12-0 in the spring of 2009 was an NCAA provisional qualifier, and she narrowly missed the cut for the advancing to the national meet.
Aaron Fulford and decathlete Tyler Simmons are the top returning jumpers for the HSU men's team.
Sprints
Senior Olivia Juarez is the Jacks' leader in the sprints, having posted best times of 12.58 seconds in the 100 meters last year and 25.59 in the 200. She'll combine with Murillo, Chown and another exciting freshman, Corie Schattauer, to help the Jacks field a top CCAA contender in the 4x100 relay.
Juarez will also give the Jacks a threat in the 400 meters, an event she raced in 59.08 seconds last spring.
Humboldt State's men likewise have the depth to field competitive squads in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Junior Nick Uden, who posted a best of 22.92 seconds in the 200, and senior Ryan Walsh, who led HSU with a 11.13 in the 100 meters, are the top returners. Simmons will also contribute in the individual events and relays.
Individual talent will be also be showcased in the hurdles, where returning senior Tim Bishop leads the way. Bishop posted a season-best time of 55.68 seconds in the 400 hurdles in 2010, and has been showing more improvement in early workouts with HSU assistant coach Dan Noel. His teammate in the 110-meter hurdles, sophomore William Burgess was fifth in the men’s competition at the CCAA meet last year as a freshman.
Middle Distances
Humboldt State's men boast impressive depth in the middle distances, combining returners and newcomers in a competitive mix. Junior transfer Nicolas Arguelles looks like the squad's best bet for a national qualifier, having previously raced times in the low 1:50s in the 800 meters and sub 3:50 in the 1,500 meters.
Junior Eric Malain looks for further improvement on his team-leading time of 3:53.72 in the 1,500 meters. Sophomore Michael Radenbaugh, who topped the Jacks with a 1:59.57 in the 800 meters in 2009, and freshman Luis Galicia, will both contribute at both distances.
Long Distances
Senior Megan Rolland, the Lumberjacks' school record-holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, will finish her storied career as a Lumberjack by focusing on that event again this spring. She broke and re-broke her record in 2009, posting a best time of 10 minutes, 46.91 seconds, but came up short of All-America honors at nationals.
Rolland will likely have another shot at NCAA hardware this spring in both the steeple, and the 5,000 meters, which she raced in a team-best time of 17:33.92 last spring.
An emerging talent that was on display during the fall cross country campaign is redshirt freshman Bridget Berg. Having overcome some chronic injuries that plagued her last year, Berg has been able to train consistently, which should pay dividends in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters.
The men’s distance crew will feature Austin Huff primarily in the 5,000 meters, and Drew Sylvester, in both the 5,000 and 10,000. Sylvester, a sophomore, surged to the front of the Jacks’ pack during cross country season, earning all-region honors.
Multi-Events
With the graduation of 2009 All-American Brian Belue, the Lumberjacks’ decathlon strength now lies with Tyler Simmons and Pat Fox. Silva, HSU’s primary heptathlete in 2008, carries the women’s multi-event hopes.