Full results of Johnny Mathis Invite
Clear skies and warm weather greeted the SCU track team at SF State April 2. The Broncos continue to progress throughout the season improving each weekend and there were a number of personal and seasonal bests set on the day. The Broncos return to action April 8 and 9 when they make the trip north for the Chico State Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational.
In her first race in two years, senior Amanda "Kaz" Brown had a successful return to competition. The track team's lone sprinter, Kaz ran a 12.55 in the 100m to qualify for the final in which she ran 12.62.
The men's and women's 1500m also provided quality results. Junior Jenny Light ran a personal best of 4:50.68. Redshirt freshman Mary Reynolds turned in a great performance after dealing with a series of injuries all winter. Reynolds ran 4:55.85. Melissa Conlin ran a seasonal best of 4:57.55. Carey Parker stepped down from the 5k to run a 4:58.67. Freshman Kayla Germany ran a personal best of 4:59.29 and Megan Murnane ran a seasonal best of 5:01.01. Rebecca Murillo also ran a personal best finishing in 5:04.78.
In the men's 1500m, junior Richard Zhu led the Broncos with a big personal best, finishing in 3:57.78, a four-second improvement on his previous PR and good for third all-time at SCU. Sophomore Guadalupe Gonzalez, running in his first 1500m of the season, also set a personal best at 3:59.84. Freshman Ben Demaree ran a seasonal best of 4:02.18. Fellow freshman Moises Venegas won his heat with a personal best of 4:04.56. He was closely followed by Chris Sampson (4:06.37, PR), Matt Mosier (4:07.76, PR) and Matt Wagner (4:08.47).
Competing well in the 800m was senior Josh Hernandez who ran a seasonal best of 1:55.35, good for fifth all time at SCU. Zhu, Matt Mosier and Sampson had nice doubles, coming back from the 1500m. Zhu ran 1:56.49, Mosier ran 1:59.65 and Sampson ran 2:00.20.
Sara Aliotti dipped under 2:30 for the first time this season running 2:29.99 in the 800m.
In the 5000m, middle distance runners Allie Sibole, Hayley Ney and Erin Hartwig all ran personal bests. After a very conservative start, they gradually increased their pace over the last six laps of the 12.5 lap race. Sibole finished second overall in 18:16.19, Ney was third in 18:26.96 and Hartwig was third in 18:39.75. Also running well was freshman Jamie Anderson who ran a personal best of 18:57.34.
The men's 5000m provided an opportunity for a low-key return to competition for Kevin Oliver and Marcos Hinojosa, returning from injury. Also competing were Nhunguyen Le and Peter Stephens. Oliver ran 15:31.58, Le ran 15:45.57 (PR), Hinojosa ran 15:49.09 and Stephens dipped under 16:00 for the first time in his young career running a 15:57.59.
