Heading into this weekend’s Sun Angel Track Classic in Tempe, the UA track and field teams’ main goal was to right the ship as far as their men’s relay teams were concerned. Despite facing some of the top competition in the country, the men proved they will be competitors in the NCAA West Regional Championships.
The 4×100-meter relay team of Marcus Tyus, Bobby McCoy, Kyle Alston and Xiong Xuehan took third place in the event Saturday, and their time of 39.91 seconds was the 12th fastest time in the nation.
The team struggled in its first two meets of the outdoor season, dropping the baton on the final leg of each race. At last weekend’s Jim Click Shootout, the mishap cost the team a qualifying time, which prompted UA head coach Fred Harvey to put a lot of focus on the event heading to the Sun Angel Track Classic.
“”Everything we set out to achieve this weekend – I think we did that,”” Harvey said. “”We have the personnel to be very, very competitive in the West Region.””
The men’s 4×400-meter relay team also stepped up on Saturday, with a time of 3:09.64, which earned the team a second-place finish and another regional-qualifying mark. The team is made up of Jeremie Brower, Robert Chozet, Chris Titsworth and McCoy.
McCoy was also busy with his first 200-meter dash of the outdoor season Saturday. While the 400-meter dash is McCoy’s feature event, Harvey hopes to earn more points at the Pacific 10 Championships next month by utilizing McCoy however he can.
McCoy responded with a first-place finish in a regional qualifying time of 20.82. The mark also gives McCoy one of the top-15 fastest times in the country in the 200m dash to go along with his current top-five 400m mark.
“”Bobby was definitely on top of things on Saturday,”” Harvey said. “”That was his opening 200-meter of the year and for him to have to ability to run a personal best and also one of the top times in the country shows a lot about him and
his preparation.””
The men’s field team also continued its successful outdoor season to date. Long jumper Jordan Powell took fourth among collegiate athletes in the invitational section of the event, reserved for only the top jumpers competing. His mark of 7.42 meters was good for a regional-qualifying distance. Teammate Daniel Marshall took first place in the non-invitational section with a jump of 7.44 meters.
The men’s shot put team continued to make a case for being the best in the nation as Zack Lloyd finished first among collegiate athletes with a throw of 19.69 meters, making it his fourth regional qualifying mark in as many weeks. He was followed by teammate Shawn Best, whose throw of 19.02 meters also qualified him, along with fourth-place finisher and teammate Jarred Sola’s throw of 17.74 meters.
The women’s side saw strong performances wherever junior multi-event athlete Shevell Quinley was involved. Her time of 13.71 seconds in the hurdles was a personal best – good for eighth place and a qualifying time. She also joined Deanna Sullivan, Echos Blevins and Ashley Gadson to help lead the 4×400-meter relay team to its second regional-qualifying time in four weeks. They finished in 3:40.42 and in fifth place overall.
Jackie Perryman added her name to a steadily growing list of athletes headed to the NCAA West Regional Championships with a jump of 3.85 meters in the pole vault event, just meeting the required qualifying height.
The team will head to Walnut, Calif., Thursday through Saturday for the Mt. Sac Relays, a track that is known for producing fast times.
“”We are going to go in with the same goals as this past weekend,”” Harvey said. “”We are looking to continue to build momentum and fortifying qualifying performances in individual events.””
