Sophomore Sabrina Pimentel and freshman Kristin Sato both took first place in their respective events last week in the Triton Invitational, hosted by UCSD at the Triton Track & Field Stadium. Pimentel — last season’s California Collegiate Athletics Association Freshman of the Year — took first in the 800 meters, finishing with a time of 2:11.51, while Sato took first in the triple jump (39’4.5”). The Tritons came away with some good results in its last meet of the regular season before the CCAA conference championships.
Currently, UCSD has 16 provisional qualifiers, nine women and seven men. In the 800 meters, Pimentel and junior Lorato Anderson both have provisional qualifiers, and in the triple jump, Sato and sophomore Chantia Justice have both made the cut. On the men’s side, UCSD keeps with its tradition of strong throwers. Sophomore Nash Howe and redshirt senior Kiley Libuit both have provisionals in the javelin and seniors Zach Nagengast and A.B. Shaheen both qualify for the hammer throw.
“The team did great,” Assistant Coach and Triton Invitational participant Nick Howe said. “They were all getting pretty good marks. The Triton Invite is good for tuning up for the most important meet of the year, and we looked really good this past weekend.”
All of the aforementioned performed well at their home track. Nagengast threw a career best 169’4”, to move into 16th in the nation in discus, while Nash Howe finished fourth with a throw of 208’. On the women’s side, Anderson recorded a personal best in the 800 meters.
But it was the Triton alumni who stole the show over the course of the three-day weekend. Kelly Fogarty — 2011 alumna, representing Movin Shoes, a local athletic footwear company — won first place in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Jacqueline Rose — ranked 51st in the world and also a UCSD alumna and Movin Shoes representative — won the 400-meter dash, two seconds in front of second place, and Stephanie LeFever — 2011 alumnus — won the long jump. On the men’s side Nick Howe — 2012 alumnus — and older brother to Nash Howe, took first in the javelin.
“[Movin Shoes] is a team where athletes can compete and train and try and make that jump from being a good college athlete and an elite athlete,” Howe said.
The Tritons will now take part in the CCAA Championships in Turlock, Calif. at the Al Brenda Track at Warrior Stadium this Thursday through Saturday, May 2 to May 4. Chico State has won the conference on both the men’s and women’s sides for the past three seasons.
“The men’s team is really strong this year,” Howe said. “I think we’re gonna be up there, and we’re gonna be looking to win. We’ll be happy with second place, but this year we have a lot more coverage in the throws and in the distance, so this could be the first year that we win.”
Howe said the women also have a good shot at finishing strong at conference.
“The women are really young this year, but have a couple of outstanding athletes, particularly in [Pimentel] and shotputter Eva Isaacs,” Howe said.
