The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Track

  • Hum-built; Track is back at Green and Gold Invitational

    Hum-built; Track is back at Green and Gold Invitational

    By Alex Anderson

    The heavy rain that poured on the Redwood Bowl exposed the gritty nature of Cal Poly Humboldt’s track & field athletes at the Green and Gold Invitational, a celebration of competition, recognition, and tradition. 

    “We get used to doing things the hard way and having a good attitude about it,” said Sarah Ingram, head track coach. “I think that that’s something that’s been really sort of contagious throughout our program and forever, you know, our alumni are sturdy. It’s the same with our freshmen … they learn it pretty quickly. It’s a gritty bunch.” 

    The event on Feb. 17 represented the start of the track & field outdoor season and allowed the athletes to come together, share some fun and break into the competition mindset. Track & field alumni were recognized for their achievements and contributions to the program as part of the day’s festivities. 

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s CCAA champion Joy Hano mid hurdle at Green & Gold Invitational.
    Cal Poly Humboldt’s Walker Dorris hurdling down the track at the Green & Gold Invitational on Feb. 17.

    Coach Ingram saw the Invitational as a “rust-buster” for her athletes, a re-entry into the race season. Ingram’s main goal for the event was for the athletes to enjoy themselves and stay healthy. 

    “Biggest goal of today, especially with the weather that we have, is having some fun getting exposure to the sport again,” Ingram said. “Being outside, getting exposed to that and dealing with it and staying healthy.”  

    In typical Humboldt fashion, poor weather conditions set the tone for the event, as HSU track & field alumnus and current assistant coach Kate Eilers explained what makes Humboldt’s program special. Serving as the event’s main alumni honoree after her recent induction into Cal Poly Humboldt’s Hall of Fame, Eilers believes that the program is set apart from the rest. 

    “There’s a lot of schools that will just recruit runners, and they’re either good or they’re not good, and they’re just seen as points on the board,” Eilers said. “Our Jack’s family builds athletes. We’re ‘Hum-built’ across the board in every sport, and I don’t think that’s typical in the college environment. We bring in athletes, we give people chances, we bring them into the family and we encourage their growth as a human being not, just as an athlete. You have to be the person capable of achieving your goals before you can achieve those goals. That takes a lot of character development beyond just the physical aspect of competing… Humboldt cares.”

    Humboldt is indeed a special place for athletes, including pole vaulter Justin Vigna, who attributes Humboldt’s beauty and tight knit community to the program’s uniqueness.  

    “It’s a little bit smaller of a team, so everybody can talk to each other,” Vigna said. “I see these people all the time, every day. We get to know each other and it’s really like a family.” 

    The meet ended with a fun tradition, the infamous redwood log relay, where teams of about 5 athletes grab logs from the surrounding forest and race with them in hand. This year, one team brought up the rear, slowly making their way around the track with one of the biggest stumps out of all the teams. Dead last, the entire track & field team went back and ran alongside the last straggler, cheering him on all the way to the finish line, shirtless in the pouring rain. That’s Humboldt track & field. 

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s Daniel Gober digging deep to carry the log across the finish line during track & fields famous redwood log relay.
  • From DMs to DII National Championship: Isabel Perez-Zoghbi

    From DMs to DII National Championship: Isabel Perez-Zoghbi

    by Vanessa Saltos

    Isabel Perez-Zoghbi is a 2nd year student from Merced, California. Perez-Zoghbi was a long distance runner throughout her whole life, running cross country and track. She thought her career would be done after highschool and was planning on attending Cal Poly Humboldt in Fall 2022. While scrolling through social media, she came across a video of Cal Poly Humboldt’s very own Joy Hano running the 60-meter hurdles. 

    “I saw Joy and I thought she was amazing, and I was just like clearly they must have some good hurdles coaches there because Joy’s doing fantastic,” Perez-Zoghbi said. 

    Once realizing there was a track program, she took it upon herself to direct message Hano. According to Hano, Perez-Zoghbi asked about the program, what Hano’s favorite part about running in college was, and how she wanted to get better at hurdles. Perez-Zoghbi had only started running hurdles her junior year of high school, so she saw this as a learning opportunity. This direct message on Instagram led to a recruitment visit with the track coaches, and Hano was able to meet her in person for the first time. 

    “Meeting her for that first time, it got me excited about hurdles again cause I could just feel her pure love for the sport, and at that point in my season I was, not going throughout, but it was just a low part of season,” Hano said. “Having her energy around, even just on her recruit visit, brought up my energy, brought up [my] team’s energy, and I just had a great feeling about her.” 

    Hano was right about that feeling, because during Perez-Zoghbi’s first year at Cal Poly Humboldt she made huge waves in the program. She qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships after running a personal record of 1:00.54 in the 400-meter hurdles. At Nationals in Colorado, she finished nineteenth overall. 

    During her 2023 campaign, she did face some setbacks. Dealing with a hamstring injury, she was kept from competing in a couple of races. Hano recalls a moment at the 2023 Stanford Invitational where Perez-Zoghbi was scratched from the weekend last minute due to her hamstring. Hano and Perez-Zoghbi took walks around Stanford’s facilities and reminded each other about the amazing opportunities they both have. 

    “Isa’s really good about remaining grateful, and it was just during that weekend that I just had to remind her we are in an amazing opportunity to do the thing we love and if anything, missing this right now is just going to make you want it more,” Hano said. “Sure enough after that point in season she continued to rehab her hamstring, she continued to play smarter not harder with her hamstring and made the most out of every day she could.”

    The knowledge that her coaches bring has helped grow her obsession with the sport. Her teammates contribute to this as well. They inspire her daily with their dedication to training and work ethic. She sees how happy people are just to be given the opportunity to participate. What keeps Perez-Zoghbi motivated through it all is her love for pushing herself to her limits.

    “I am always trying to improve and get a better time, and push myself to where I am like dying at the end of practice and I’m like on the floor, can’t breathe,” Perez-Zoghbi said. “Just like that physical challenge and mental challenge of pushing yourself to your limit that’s why I do it.”

    Her teammates feed off of this mindset as well. Hano views her as a role model, despite Perez-Zoghbi being younger. Hano knows that whenever they train together, there will be no slacking of any kind. This has only pushed Hano mentally and physically. Her coaches see this determination as well. Cal Poly Humboldt Assistant Sprint and Hurdles coach Kate Eilers expressed Perez-Zoghbi’s tenacity on the track and compared her competitive drive to that of a veteran. 

    “I love coaching Isabel. She recognizes the value of the time she has here as an athlete and uses every second of it. She is always looking to improve, asking questions and diligently implementing feedback,” Eilers said. “She’s a joy to coach, a supportive teammate and an all around incredible person who knows how to pursue success.”

    Perez-Zoghbi expressed her goals for this upcoming season, which are becoming an All-American and breaking the school record. The current record holder is Alyssabeth DeJerez with a time of 58.68 in 2017. The main goal this season though is winning the conference. Currently Perez-Zoghbi is training for the 2024 season which is set to start on Feb. 18.

  • Too small for football but on the track to attack

    by Dezmond Remington

    The track is vicious and painful, and Aris Valerio was ready because he has dealt with vicious pain. He ran a half mile in less time than it takes to get out of bed, a minute and 49 seconds to secure a spot at the National Championships back in May of 2023; the only man sent from Cal Poly Humboldt to race in Pueblo, Colorado. The evening shadows were long on the track as the 800m final was due to start, and Valerio lined up in the pole position on the inside lane. 

    It was already a long shot to get there. One of the fastest Division II 800m runners in the nation couldn’t compete because of a family emergency, allowing Valerio to take the final qualifying spot after the prelim races. The next 110 seconds were going to hurt, even without the added stress of a fast prelim the day before and the knowledge that a victory was unlikely. Valerio felt dead tired and scared. But there was no room to think about any of that when the gun boomed and the race started. A journey that started with failure and random chance went a little further. 

    Valerio picked up distance running his freshman year of high school, only after his mom wouldn’t let him play football because he weighed about a hundred pounds. He had always been fast as a kid, so he figured he’d give it a shot after a neighbor told him exactly what cross country was. It wasn’t love at first sight. Valerio still isn’t sure why he stuck with it. Training is boring to him – racing is what makes it worth it. 

    “I just love the anxiety of the races,” Valerio said. “I think it’s fun. It makes it more exciting because that’s what everyone’s feeling. Makes you show that you’re just more locked in than everyone else when you win. I think that’s exciting.”

    His legs churn, eating up ground at a pace of over 18 miles an hour. The first 200 meters are gone in less than 26 seconds, and he’s still at the back of the seething pack. The screams of the crowd are loud, but it’s lost in the rhythm of pounding feet and gasping breath. His mind is blank. It always is at moments like these.

    Valerio’s first brush with greatness came his senior year at Murrieta High School in 2019, when he ran 1:53 in the 800m and ended up being ranked in the top 20 high schoolers in the nation that year. He didn’t even really understand that it was a big deal right when he crossed the finish line. Someone had beaten him. 

    It was a huge margin of improvement from even a month before that, over six seconds in an event that separates a talented collegian from the world’s best. He spent a year training at California Baptist University before transferring to Humboldt in 2020. One of his high school teammates had gone to Humboldt and recommended him to head distance coach Jamey Harris, who gladly accepted him on the strengths of his past races. 

    Valerio’s career has had its ebbs and flows in his time in Humboldt. He’s one of the fastest 800 runners to ever compete for Humboldt, but he’s also suffered from hamstring injuries that left him unable to train and compete for far longer than he would’ve liked. Harris doesn’t regret recruiting him. 

    “With any injury, anybody’s going to have a setback in their enthusiasm, and he was not immune to that,” Harris said. “But whenever he would have a little bit of a setback, he would climb out of it. He’s persistent in that way…on race day, he always brings everything he’s got. I never doubt that we’re going to get a full effort…he may not always be at 100% confidence, but we always know we’re going to get 100% effort.”

    It’s hot, and the guy in front crushed the first half of the race in 50 seconds. Valerio is a few seconds back. Shoes thin as ballet slippers slam on hard rubber, the metal spikes grabbing the track. Reverberation swims up his legs. It hurts, but he’s had worse.

    It wasn’t easy getting to Nationals. Setbacks weren’t solely those of muscle, bone and sinew. Some came from the brain. 

    For a while, a bout with depression during the track season made Valerio consider not racing at Nationals at all, but after running 1:50.3 at the conference meet he reconsidered. He is open about his struggles with mental health. He said his depression comes from the death of his little brother, who passed away when he was in high school. Running, and the team surrounding him, has been one of the things that helped him get through it.

    “I’ll go through spurts of being super unmotivated,” Valerio said. “And it’s super hard to catch myself and get back on my feet. [Coach] Jamey [Harris] and [the team] know all that. They’ve been super supportive about it.”

    Valerio is a lot more than just an athlete to Harris.

    “He’s a complicated beast,” Harris said. “It could be easy to see his consistent success on the track and think that things have come easy for him, but they definitely haven’t. He’s had a lot of difficulties that he’s had to work through and challenges that he’s had to overcome. I think that’s probably the greater accomplishment than being an All American and All-Conference a couple of times and being the second fastest 800m runner in school history. What’s more impressive is what he’s gone through and what he’s overcome to get there.” 

    600 meters have come and gone, and the time has come for a last, desperate drive to the finish. There is no more sun in these last moments, the light blocked by the stadium seating full of screaming spectators. Way ahead, the front runner is run down like a deer in the dying moments of the race. Valerio is still in the back, driving for a First Team All-American spot. A thousand miles away, people watch.

    Valerio’s role on the team goes far beyond simple competition and point scoring. One of his closest teammates and a roommate during the track season when Valerio went to nationals, Sebastian Vaisset-Fauvel considers Valerio a crucial part of the team, although not necessarily always beloved.

    “He’s just really down to the point,” Vaisset-Fauvel said. “He’ll tell you what’s up. He’ll tell you the truth, and sometimes people can’t take the truth… I think that’s what helps him stay true to himself.”

    Although Valerio does sometimes take the abrasive role, Vaisset-Fauvel stresses that that’s not nearly the entirety of Valerio. 

    “Aris can seem like an intimidating guy, but once you get to know him, he’s like a little baby,” Vaisset-Fauvel said. “He’s like my little child, even though I call him my dad sometimes. He’s a really good guy. Really good athlete. 1:49? That fits him, you know? That just fits him.”

    Despite the incredible accomplishments on the track, Harris and Vaisset-Fauvel make it clear that Valerio is a human just like everyone else on the team, and that makes his appeal to his teammates that much more potent. 

    “This is a regular guy,” Harris said. “I’ve seen this guy spill milk. This is a fallible human that I’ve ran with, that is running really fast, and that makes those accomplishments seem more attainable to me.”

    Valerio crosses the finish line, his hands going to his knees as he bends over the track. Last place, but still Second Team All-American. Next year will be better, he thought later. Next season will be the last, the best. It wasn’t just for him.

    “I’m trying to go to Nationals to represent our team, our school in the middle of nowhere,” Valerio said. “‘Who is this Humboldt guy? This is crazy.’ I think you should want to run for everyone, not just yourself. You’re not going to get that far, only running for yourself.”

  • Records broken and lists rewritten as track team enters post-season competition

    Records broken and lists rewritten as track team enters post-season competition

    by Jake Knoeller

    Originally printed April 26, 2023

    The Cal Poly Humboldt track team is having an impressive season this year, with their accomplishments ranging from broken records to nationally ranked squads.

    “This season has been a breakthrough year for our program with several national provisional marks and national event squad rankings across multiple disciplines,” said junior 800 meter runner Julian Jensen.

    The most recent example of success for Humboldt was their last regular season meet this year, the Raider Invite at Southern Oregon University up in Ashland, Oregon. 

    Joy Hano broke a school record for the women that had been held for 33 years during one of the Southern California meets from the weekend before. Hano ran the 100m hurdles in 13.96 seconds. The record was previously a 14.06 run by Clara Trigg.

    Another notable trend for the Lumberjacks recently has been the success of their men’s 800 meter squad, which is currently nationally ranked. 800 meters is almost half of a mile, which means the runners need to have endurance and speed to stand out.

    “We have four runners who specialize in the 800 and we have had a successful season so far,” said Jensen. “After the Humboldt Invitational, we were ranked third in the nation out of about 200 Division II schools with a four main average of 1:53.10.”

    One of these runners is Aris Valerio, a junior who has mainly been focusing on the 800 and is currently sixth on the top ten all time list for Humboldt.

    “Personally, I feel like I need to lead the middle distance guys,” said Valerio. “They are basically my sons at this point, and I’m holding their hands to continuing greatness in the 800.”

    Valerio is two seconds away from breaking the 800 school record and is confident about what the future holds. 

    This squad has received praise from runners that take part in other events, including Carson Smith, a junior who is the fastest current 1500 meter and 5k runner at Humboldt.

    “Our 1500 squad, along with our 800 squad, is really strong and really deep, so we have enough people that can focus on that event at our conference championships to secure us some points,” said Smith. 

    With great speed comes great responsibility and Humboldt runners take this in stride. 

    “When you’re fast, everyone kinda has to look at you, so to use that position and do my best to set a good example is something I really strive for,” said Smith. “It’s something I didn’t really have my first couple years.”

    The Jacks will now carry their focus into CCAA conference championships and look for more success.

    “This team has taken big steps into becoming a good team in the future,” said Valerio. “Last season we started something that is only getting better.”

  • Behind the many medals

    Behind the many medals

    Accomplished track star, Romel Robinson, is a triple-threat

    As a starting sprinter for HSU’s track team, and recipient to over a hundred awarded medals, Romel Robinson, is familiar with identifying himself as a runner. However, beyond the many medals, is a self-taught gymnast and break-dancer.

    “I taught myself [to tumble] in middle school,” Robinson said. “My friend knew how to back flip and tried to teach me, we were just messing around.”

    Finding a new interest in the gymnastics world, Robinson continued to teach himself new tumbling tricks.

    “My favorite is a double back flip,” Robinson said. “It’s a work in progress, I don’t have the right equipment to perform it without hurting myself.”

    IMG_0528.jpg
    The right side of the Dream Athletics gym is painted with bright, neon colors and lines of championship banners. Feb. 18. | Photo by Grace Caswell

    Robinson is extremely careful when practicing tumbling, as he’s already out for the season with two pulled hamstrings.

    “It’s a lot of strain, very similar to running,” Robinson said. “You tumble until your body can’t, which is about an hour, to an hour and a half in. After that, you’re sloppy and too weak.”

    While finding a commonality between the physical excursions of tumbling and track, Robinson views the two sports very differently.

    “Tumbling is just for fun,” Robinson said. “I got pushed into track, it’s more competitive, and I take it seriously. It’s a lifestyle.”

    Fellow teammate, roommate, and competitor, Stefan John, supports Robinson both on and off the track.

    “We’re straight up family, we gel,” John said. “We have a lot in common, and run the same events. He wants my stride and I want his quickness! We’re great friends and competitors.”

    IMG_0545.jpg
    Stefan John, HSU track athlete poses in the library post interview. Feb. 19. | Photo by Grace Caswell

    With athletic support, Robinson pursues an environmental engineering major as a first generation college student. Idolizing his first engineering professor, Sintana Vergara, Robinson refers to her as his “Humboldt Mom”.

    “She’s always been there to help,” Robinson said. “She helped me through starvation freshman year, buying me groceries. She’s constantly encouraging me in and out of the classroom.”

    Sintana Vergara shares a very similar attitude toward Robinson. Vergara said that Robinson was the first student she met at HSU.

    “It was a very friendly start,” Vergara said. “I remember he casually mentioned eating one meal a day, it broke my heart, I wanted to advocate for him. It was crazy and exceptionally frustrating. He’s such an amazing athlete and student, full of potential.”

    Robinson pursues a masters and doctorate degree, with a goal of becoming the first doctor in his family. Vergara fully supports and believes in Robinson’s dream.

    [perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”Romel Robinson” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”17″]“I grew up in a difficult area. I remember we didn’t always have food and my mom was working multiple jobs. She’s my biggest inspiration and is totally killing it now…”[/perfectpullquote]

    “There’s no doubt he can do it,” Vergara said. “Everyone struggles regardless, no matter who you are. It’s a tough major, but, he will be successful.”

    Focused on following a strict plan for the next ten years of his life, Robinson has an interesting goal for his more distant future.

    “After getting my masters and doctorate degree, I want to change my name,” Robinson said. “Romel Fresh Robinson, so when I’m a professor, I can be called Dr. Fresh or Professor Fresh.”

    Coming from the tough area of Visalia, California Robinson emphasizes opportunity and dedication.

    “I grew up in a difficult area,” Robinson said. “I remember we didn’t always have food and my mom was working multiple jobs. She’s my biggest inspiration and is totally killing it now, doing accounting at a firm.”

    Watching a powerful and successful transition in his family, encourages Robinson to achieve and accomplish more.

    “My mom taught me everything I know,” Robison said. “She helps me with whatever I need, even if she doesn’t know how, she’s my favorite.”

    With serious goals and aspirations for the future, track becomes nearly invisible on the long list of objectives. However, it gave Robinson an opportunity in the first place, and will remain his life indefinitely.

    “I like running, it’s something I will always do, until I die!” Robinson said. “I mean, it got me here.”

  • Jacks spring break round-up

    Jacks spring break round-up

    Jacks Softball

    The Jacks softball team had its seven-game win streak come to an end on March 18 after dropping a doubleheader versus Cal State East Bay. East Bay dominated the third game of the series 15-1 in five innings and took game four of the series 4-3 in extra innings.

    Jacks senior pitcher Jasmine Hill took the loss in the second game of the afternoon. She logged 8.2 innings and allowed 12 hits and four runs, three of which were earned runs.

    The day prior, the Jacks won both games of the doubleheader and head coach Shelli Sarchett notched her 200th career win. Sarchett has guided the Jacks to the NCAA National Championships in each of the last two seasons and finished one win shy of the program’s third title in 2016. She is one of the NCAA West Region’s most decorated coaches and has led the National Fast-pitch Coaches Association Regional Staff of the Year in 2016 and 2017.

    Jacks softball head coach Shelli Sarchett collected her 200th career victory on March 17 against Cal State East Bay. Photo by Stephen Ellis.

    HSU moved to 14-11 overall and 10-8 in conference play with the losses. Their next home game is scheduled for April 20 against Chico State.

    Jacks Track and Field

    Jacks long distance runners had a successful day at the Hornet Invite in Sacramento on March 17. Three different runners from HSU achieved provisional qualifying marks in their events.

    Jacks senior Annie Roberts finished first in the women’s 5k with a time of 17:13.75. Her time marks the third best all-time for HSU. Roberts finished a full 11 seconds ahead of the next runner to cross the finish line.

    “[Roberts] took the bull by the horns and went for it,” head distance coach Jamey Harris said. “It was a tough effort and a very mentally strong performance.”

    Jacks senior distance runner Annie Roberts (3) finished first in the Women’s 5k with a time of 17:13.75 at the Hornet Invite in Sacramento on March 17. Her time is the third best in HSU history. Photo by Josh McKinney.

    Jacks freshman Brayden Leach crossed the finish line in the men’s 800m at 1:51.13, which is just under the provisional qualifying mark of 1:52.16.

    The Jacks third runner to qualify with a provisional time was senior Dustyn Salomon. Salomon ran the steeplechase in 9:05.23 and finished fourth place overall.

    “He ran a solid race and he can definitely run faster,” coach Harris said. “This is his first steeplechase of the season and the result is very encouraging.”

    The Jacks look to build on their success in the next meet. They play at home for the Humboldt Invite on March 24 at the Redwood Bowl.

     

  • LumberJack Elite

    LumberJack Elite

    By Andre Hascall

    There are many noteworthy student athletes at Humboldt State University. This week we highlight track star and future graduate student, Alyssabeth DeJerez. A fourth year Psychology Major on her way to graduate from Humboldt State, and continue her education in Human Development at Sacramento State.

    DeJerez went to Bonita Vista High School, in San Diego. “In High School I wasn’t really good at track,” DeJerez said. “It quickly became my passion.” Unable to go to a Division 1 school for track, she decided to come to Division 2 HSU. In 2014, DeJerez’s second year at Humboldt, she ended the season being eighth overall in the 400 meter hurdles. Accomplishing this just a year after her promise to Humboldt coaches.

    “I had the opportunity to transfer my sophomore year,” DeJerez said. “Now way. I’m not going to leave the school that believed in me.” Paying back the school and the team that put faith into her by going back to back First overall in the 400 meter and 400 meter hurdles in 2015 and 2016. Alongside being first place two years in a row, DeJerez broke records for the Humboldt State Women’s Track. In the the 400 meter hurdles she is, All-Time Top #1 with a time of  59.23 seconds, All-Time Top #1 in the 400 meter at 54.5 seconds, and All-Time Top #2 in the 200 meter with 34.94 seconds.

     

    Juggling between sports and studies will always be a difficult task. DeJerez even considered taking a year off from school at one point. But the professors in the Psychology department wanted her to stay on her path. “ They said i had the potential to go to grad school, and walked me through every step of the way,” DeJerez said. “I wouldn’t be leaving in the Fall if it weren’t for them.”
    DeJerez works multiple jobs as well, helping with students in Eureka who have behavioral issues, and in the Research Labs in the Psychology Department. Having a full schedule not only would make you tired, but it doesn’t leave much room for social life other than at practice. “I pretty much don’t sleep very much,” DeJerez said. “But if I didn’t have my team it’d be worse.

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By Keaundrey Clark

    No.1 HSU Softball Splits  first 2 games of 4 game Series with No.13 Chico State

     

    No.1 Humboldt State Softball returned home for a four game series against No.13 Chico State. Postponed earlier in the season due bad weather conditions. They played this game in McKinleyville. HSU split its first day doubleheader against No.13 Chico State Monday afternoon. Chico State took game one 2-0, while HSU bounced back claiming game two 10-4. The Wildcats have a two game lead in conference play over the Jcks.

    In the loss Madison Williams was very solid in the circle for the Jacks as she only allowed 4 hits while striking out ten batters on her way to her 15th complete game of the season.

    In Game two Kalyn Paque improved to 13-2 on the season, completing her 8th complete game of the year.

    The second back to back games of the doubleheader were cancelled because of rain.

    HSU finished the homestand  29-8 overall with a conference record of 17-7.  

    For both HSU, pitching has been a strong point this season. HSU leads the conference in strikeouts with 214 while allowing the second least amount of earned runs, giving up 67 in 35 games. The Jacks also rank third in the conference with a team ERA of 2.03

     

    Rowing Ranked No. 2 First West Region Poll

     

    Humboldt State Women’s Rowing debuted at No. 2 across the board in the first Division II West Regional ranking on Tuesday. HSU sits behind Western Washington who captured the number one across the board.

    The Lumberjacks are back in action at the Covered Bridge Regatta in Eugene, Ore. April 15.

     

    HSU Track and Field dominates Chico Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational

     

    Humboldt State’s Track and Field team had strong showing at the Chico Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational on both the men and women’s side Saturday.

    Ariel Oliver had a strong performance in shot put and discus. HSU dominated  shot put as Oliver placed first with a distance of 13.83m and teammates Lily Bankas and Marissa McCay came in second and third with throws of 12.28m and 12.16m.

    HSU also had four of the top six spots in the discus as Oliver placed first again. Eliana Campos finished second, Ashley Ross fifth and Lily Bankas sixth. Alyssabeth DeJerez, Marissa McKay, and Ellie Earle-Rouse all matched National provisional marks in the 200, long jump, and high jump respectively.

    On the men’s side Tiegan Eilers had a PR in the discus with a throw of 36.89m. Dustyn Salomon looked strong winning his heat in the 800m, while Daniel Tull placed 3rd in the Invitational Mile. Calvin Herman placed second in the 400m Hurdles, and Mario Kaluhiokalani ran a fast 110m hurdle race earning himself a spot in finals.

    Track and Field travels to Long Beach, Calif. 4/13-4/15 for its next meet.

     

  • 13 Jacks qualify to two prestigious Division I track meets

    13 Jacks qualify to two prestigious Division I track meets

    By Erin Chessin

    Track and field coaches Sarah Ingram and Scott Pesch were frustrated to find that very few of the athletes they entered into two Division I track meets made it.

    They entered  a total of 13 HSU athletes into two prestigious Division I track meets; the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and the Stanford Invitational.

    “The ones we entered who didn’t make it had very strong marks,” Ingram said. “It’s really surprising.”

    Four women, Ariel Oliver, Alyssabeth DeJerez, Marisa McCay and Kori Gilley, qualified for Texas Relays, hosted by University of Texas in Austin. No men qualified for Texas Relays.

    Ingram and Pesch entered in the same four women they had entered into Texas Relays into Stanford Invitational as a backup in case their entries were rejected. Three more women were entered into Stanford Invitational. Two high jumpers, Ellie Earl-Rouse and Brailee VandenBoom, qualified.

    Ingram said distance events at Division I tournaments, such as the 800, the 1500, the 5k and the 3000 meter steeplechase, are highly competitive and are tougher to get into. When junior Tatiana Gillick did not qualify in the 1500 meters with her impressive 4:31, Ingram and Pesch were shocked.

    “That was like a slap in the face,” Ingram said. “If you have a better mark than somebody, you deserve to be there.”

    Both coaches expressed that division 1 track and field meets often favor division 1 over division 2 athletes when they receive the entries.

    Luckily, six males and four females made it into the entries for Stanford Invitational.

    Mario Kaluhiokalani, a sprinter on HSU’s track team, will be racing for the second year in a row at Stanford Invitational this weekend.

    “Last year I only made it for the 110 meter hurdles,” Kaluhiokalani said. “I’m hoping to get a provisional mark in both my events this weekend.”

    Kaluhiokalani will be running the 110 meter hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles at Stanford Invitational.

    While ten athletes will be competing in Palo Alto and three in Austin, Texas the rest of the track and field squad will be competing in San Francisco at the 2017 San Francisco Distance Carnival.

    The meet will be hosted by San Francisco State on Friday, March 31 through Saturday, April 1, 2017.

    One athlete is actually competing at both Stanford Invitational and San Francisco Distance Carnival. Junior transfer Corey Berner said he is looking forward to running the 100 and the 200 meters at Stanford and the 4 by 100 meter relay at San Francisco.

    “It’s definitely going to be a busy weekend. There’s going to be good competition at both meets,” Berner said.

    The sprinter is aiming to get pulled to fast times in his events since he will be running up against Division I athletes.

    “Stanford will definitely be my main focus,” Berner said. “The competition is there at Division I tournaments.”

     

    Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays

    1. Alyssabeth DeJerez led the way with another strong performance in the 400m hurdles. She finished 10th against top level division one competition. DeJerez finished in a time of 58.96.
    2. Ariel Oliver placed tenth in the Shotput throwing 44-00.00.
    3. Marissa McKay ran a 14.59 in the 100m hurdles
    4. McKay Placed 14th in the High Jump clearing 5-05.00.
    5. Kori Gilley saw her outing cut short when she was injured in the 300m steeplechase trying to avoid a fallen runner.

    Stanford Invite

    1. Teigan Eilers placed 5th in the Javelin throw with a toss of 56.05m.
    2. Also placed 13th in the High Jump, clearing 1.91m.
    3. Calvin Herman placed 13th in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.26.
    4. Mario Kaluhiokalani placed 24th in the same event coming in at 56.29.
    5. Corey Berner placed 24th in the 100m dash with a time of 11.22.
    6. Ellie Earle-Rouse placed 6th in High Jump clearing 1.60m.
    7. Bailee VandenBoom finished 9th.

     

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Softball – After five consecutive weeks in the number one spot, Humboldt State softball dropped to No. 4 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

    The Lumberjacks are 21-4 overall and 14-4 in CCCAA play after dropping three out of four games at Cal State San Bernardino this past weekend.

    HSU has a bye this week before it resumes play at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif., March 31 when they take on Hawaii Pacific. The Jacks have yet to play a home game at their softball field due to bad conditions.

    Rowing – Humboldt State rowing had a very successful showing in Saturday’s Blue Heron Regatta. The Blue Heron Regatta featured HSU, Cal Maritime, Chico State and Mills College.

    The Lumberjacks got off to a great start, when their A and B teams took home first and second place in the Women’s Varsity Eight. HSU’s A team finished with a time of 7:05, while the B team completed the race right behind them with a time of 07:11.7.

    HSU saw the same results in the Novice Four when its A and B teams took home first and second place, respectively, with times of 7:39.5 and 7:58.8.

    The Jacks are back in action next weekend when they travel south to participate in the San Diego Crew Classic.

    Track and Field – Humboldt State senior Alyssabeth DeJerez was named the California Collegiate Athletic Association Female Track Athlete of the Week two weeks in a row after record-breaking performances the last 3 weeks.

    The senior earned an automatic qualifying mark when she finished first in the 400m hurdles on Saturday. Her performance resulted in a career best time of 58.84, strengthening her number one ranking in the all-time program record book.

    DeJerez was named Athlete of the Week for the first time this season on March 7 after earning a provisional qualifying mark with a 54.96 finish in 400m dash at the Kim Duyst Invitational.

    Earlier this season teammate  Ariel Oliver was named Athlete of the Week Oliver snagged victories in the shot put and discus at the Chico State-hosted Wildcat Invitational earlier in the year.

    Her distances of 14.17m (shot put) and 46.33m (discus) were both provisional qualifiers for the 2017 NCAA Track and Field Championships.

    Oliver leads the nation in the shot put and ranks third in the discus.

  • HSU Student Athletes on How Budget Cuts Can Effect Them

    HSU Student Athletes on How Budget Cuts Can Effect Them

    By | Keaundrey Clark

  • Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    By Curran Daly

    While school stopped for students over the past week, not everyone was given a break. A few of HSU women’s sports teams had a busy week.

    Women’s track and field competed at the Hornet Invite in Sacramento. With multiple standout performances.

    Most notable was track athlete, Alyssabeth DeJerez. DeJerez ran the 400m hurdles in 58.84 seconds. Her time automatically qualified her for nationals and improved on the Humboldt State record that she already held in the event. DeJerez was named CCAA student athlete of the week.

    This was not Dejerez’s first great performance of the season. Earlier in the season DeJerez was also named the CCAA Female Track Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Kim Duyst Invitational at Stanislaus State.

    “I got to Humboldt with this determination to make a name for myself,” DeJerez said. “I kinda sacrificed a lot. I don’t go out on the weekends, I build my diet around how I want to perform, I have to prep my body and roll out.”

    Humboldt State Women’s track and field team is ranked number two in the country. Coach Scott Pesch believes it is his runner’s hard work and his fellow coaches that have helped the women’s program reach its number two ranking.

    “I gotta thank my coaches,” Pesch said. “I can’t do this alone that’s for sure.”

    Women’s track is not the only nationally ranked women’s team on Humboldt’s campus. The Humboldt women’s softball team has been ranked number one in the nation in recent weeks and the Humboldt Women’s Rowing team opened the season ranked fourth in their pre-season poll.

    Women’s rowing had a very busy spring break competing in Sacramento, Davis, and then spending the rest of the break in Newport Beach training before racing in the Berg Cup this past Saturday. Overall, the women’s team spent nine days on the road a busier spring break then they are used too.

    “We’ve never trained the entire week of spring break, so this was kinda a new adventure,” Coach Robin Meiggs said. “We raced some of our big division one rivals.”

    Those rivals include UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Long Beach State and Sacramento state.

    The break was an opportunity to get away from cold early morning practices. The team was able to enjoy practices that started at 9 a.m. and enjoyed weather about 15 degrees warmer than their used to.

    On March 25. the women’s rowing team will be participating in the Blue Heron Redwood Sprints Regatta in Eureka. The meet will start at 7:45 a.m. and will end around 10:30 a.m.