The UCSD men’s and women’s track and field teams didn’t bring just a team to the NCAA Division-II championships this year — they brought an army.
Senior sprinter Mimi Hodgins was the national runner-up in the 800-meter race last year, but this year could only muster a seventh place finish with her time of 2 minutes, 16.63 seconds.
With a school record of 16 athletes qualifying to participate in the final meet of the year, the Tritons had high hopes that this would be one of their most successful meets ever, and to head coach Tony Salerno’s delight, they didn’t disappoint.
The women could not improve on their best finish in school history from last year, but this year’s 18th place finish on the women’s side and 33rd place for the men did not faze Salerno.
“To have 16 athletes qualify and to compete the way we did was amazing,” Salerno said.
There were several bright spots in the event but none were brighter than senior javelin thrower Briana Hinga, who beat her own school record with a throw of 159 feet, 1 inch.
That distance was good enough to land her in third place and secure her All-American status.
Salerno said he was extremely pleased with Hinga’s composure and performance.
“To have Briana set a school record during her first trip to nationals is an outstanding accomplishment,” Salerno said
Hinga may have been the most exceptional Triton athlete at the meet, but four other women also received All-American status. Sophomore hurdler Laiah Blue was able to secure her award by finishing fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.88 seconds.
Salerno said he was proud of Blue’s time considering the high-quality competition in the race.
“The race was an extremely competitive one with the winner running at a world-class time,” he said.
Senior Mimi Hodgins may have been the most anticipated Triton runner at the event, as she looked to improve last year’s national runner-up status in the 800. Hodgins ran well but was only able to place seventh with a time of 2 minutes, 16.63 seconds.
Hodgins may have been disappointed, but Salerno was not.
“Mimi ran a great race under tough conditions and earned her All-American status for the second year in a row,” he said.
A pair of standout Triton youngsters made quite an impression in the women’s discus.
Freshman Sarah Hendy earned All-American honors by finishing eighth with a throw of 147 feet, 1 inch. She was joined by her freshman teammate Jillian Sola, who finished in 17th place.
Both Hendy’s and Sola’s performances impressed Salerno, who expects the throwing pair to be dominant for the Tritons over the next three years.
“There were only four freshmen in the women’s discus and we featured two of the strongest,” Salerno said. “They are two of our future stars.”
The women may have been the standouts at this year’s event, but the men held their own with two athletes earning All-American honors in the same event.
Speedy seniors Mike Cunningham and Jon Patton finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the 400 hurdles. Cunningham ran a time of 51.52 seconds, narrowly beating out Patton, who finished with a time of 51.99 seconds.
Although they did not qualify for All-American honors, the women’s 4×4 relay team put on quite a show in their race.
The team of senior Sandy Schaefer, freshman Katie Skorupa, junior Elisa Holiday and sophomore Amber Green ran a new school record time of 3:48.22, but that mark only earned the team fifth place in its heat. Salerno expects his team to improve in the event next year.
“We produced a new school record and we have three of the athletes returning next year, with the exception of Sandy, who finished up a great career,” he said.
When all was said and done at the championships, the Tritons were proud to have six All-Americans, a fact that Salerno says sums up this year’s success.
“We had six All-Americans this year; that is more than most other schools even qualify,” he said.
