Two difficult meets took place this weekend for the UCSD track and field team, and from the two meets came two track standouts. Although the team performed well, it was the individual standouts who were important at the two competitions, which were crowded with the best track and field talent from across the country; the Tritons’ Audrey Sung and Julie Pope distinguished themselves with memorable performances that broke seemingly solid records.
Guardian file
“”They are staying composed and competing well in the face of elite competition,”” said UCSD head coach Tony Salerno.
Senior All-American Sung continued to demonstrate her consistency and determination when she broke yet another UCSD record in the 5,000-meter race at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. Sung’s time of 17:00.25 broke Michelle Conlay’s record of 17:14.70 from 1992. Sung’s 20th-place achievement was not only a National Collegiate Athletic Association championship-qualifying performance, but also follows a long line of accomplishments in the past.
Sung had been named the California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week for the week of April 7 to April 13. Sung, a distance runner out of Phoenix, won the 3,000 meters at the California-Nevada State Championships at SDSU on April 12, running 9:53.59 to finish ahead of 27 other competitors.
That mark was an NCAA provisional qualifying time, as well as the third-fastest Division II mark this season. The performance was also Sung’s season-best in the event, ranking second on the UCSD all-time list. Sung earned both All-American and All-CCAA distinction in the 3,000-meter race a year ago.
Pope, a junior, also capitalized on her strengths and established a new school record in the steeplechase, which left her comfortably positioned at eighth place at the Pomona Pitzer Invitational on April 18.
Pope’s performance of 11:23.02 broke the existing record last set by Meghan Scott of 11:24.14 in 2001. In addition, Pope’s mark was an NCAA championship-qualifying performance.
Despite the powerful performances exerted by Sung and Pope, many others on the women’s side excelled, contributing valuable points to the final UCSD score.
“”The performances have to be put in context of having 150-plus athletes competing in each event,”” Salerno said.
Shot-putter Michelle Vavra tossed a throw of 40’0.5”, capturing both the 32nd position at Pomona-Pitzer and the fourth best all-time performance in the event at UCSD.
Tritons’ Shelby Deis catapulted to 10th place in the meet and a No. 7 all-time standing in school records with a triple jump of 37’5.25”.
Another No. 7 all-time UCSD performance was taken by Lindsay Stalker, who breezed past the competition in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 4:44.71, which safely posted her into 17th place at the meet.
Lillian Gardiner finished the 5,000-meter race with a time of 18:25.75 that placed her 31st in the meet and 10th in the school record books.
“”Gardiner ran the race in complete darkness,”” Salerno said.
Meanwhile, the men’s squad was just as strong with a trio of noteworthy performances that increased the prominence of UCSD at the meets, though many of the field events were bogged down by delays.
“”There were many good things on the track, but the field events were delayed for hours, which didn’t help matters,”” Salerno said.
C.J. Lawrence timed in at a 22.08 in the 200-meter race that left him at 26th place at Pomona-Pitzer, but in the record book at fourth place all-time for the Tritons.
Lawrence’s teammate in the 200, Jon Patton, also outran several comers with a time of 22.26 that put him in 36th place and at the sixth best all-time performance for UCSD.
Carl Lostrom swept through the 5,000-meter race while night fell on the track and emerged the winner of his heat, securing third place with a time of 14:49.77, which became the 10th best all-time performance at UCSD.
“”The long- and middle-distance runners were expected to step up at this time and they are,”” Salerno said.
Practices have been therapeutic for most of the team recently, saving the NCAA qualifying athletes.
“”We are having generally our shortest practices of the year — mainly mentally and visually based — and we take quite a bit of rest to prepare,”” Salerno said.
The 17th annual Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Strehle Track was perhaps the largest single-day track and field meet in the United States this year. Nearly 2,000 athletes from all across the nation came together on Pomona College’s blue oval.
“”The meet was massive and went well overall,”” Salerno said.
Strong results are also expected in next week’s meet, the April 25 and April 26 UCSD Triton Invitational that will take place at Triton Track and Field Stadium.
