2017 Big West Track & Field
Assistant Commissioner/Communications: Mike Villamor • [email protected]
2 Corporate Park, Suite 206 • Irvine, CA 92606 • Phone: (949) 261-2525 x115 • (949) 261-2528
Release No. 1 - Friday, March 3, 2016
Track And Field Kicks Off The 2017 Season: Big West schools open up the 2017 track and field season at
four different meets around California. Cal Poly and UC Davis compete at the Cal Opener, while UC Irvine and
UC Santa Barbara travel to the All-UC Challenge in La Jolla. Long Beach State hosts UCLA in a dual, and Cal
State Fullerton joins UC Riverside at the Riverside Community College Quad Meet, an event that also features
Pepperdine.
Long Beach State Competes In First Dual Meet Under Sythe: In the 29-year coaching career of Long Beach
State’s Andy Sythe, his program has never competed in a dual meet. Until now. The Beach hosts UCLA in a
dual at Jack Rose Track. In conjunction with the Dual meet, Long Beach State will recognize the 1967 National
Championship men’s track and field team which earned the school’s first-ever NCAA title. That team competed
in the NCAA College Division Championships and more than doubled the point total of the second place finisher
for the national title.
Cal Poly, UC Davis Test Mettle: The Cal Poly and UC Davis squads begin their outdoor seasons in Berkeley,
battling against the hosting Golden Bears and Nevada. The Mustangs feature three former Big West champions in
the meet, including sophomore Megan Mooney (javelin), junior Molly Haar (5,000 meters - 2015) and sophomore
Peyton Bilo (10,000 meters), who will race in the 1,5000 and 3,000 meters. The Aggie women are the defending
Big West champions.
UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara Face Off Against UC San Diego: UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara will send a
handful of athletes to La Jolla for the season-opening All-UC Challenge at UC San Diego’s Triton Track & Field
Stadium. The Anteaters will look to senior Lloyd Sicard to impress in the 110-meter hurdles. Sicard is the school
record holder with a time of 13.60, and a two-time Big West champion and NCAA Championship qualifier. He was
the co-Big West Track Athlete of the Year last season and earned a spot in the 110H at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
On the women’s side, UCI also has defending Big West champion Megan George in the 100-meter hurdles, and
junior Persis WIlliam-Mensah. William-Mensah participated in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio as a member of
Ghana’s 4x100 relay team.
UC Santa Barbara’s men, which finished second at the Big West Championship last year, features senior Adam
Avila in his 3000m steeplechase season debut. He qualified for NCAA regionals as a junior with a sub-9 minute
time. The Gaucho women look to junior Jenna Hinkle in the distance events and sophomore Hope Bender in the
100 hurdles.
Titans, Highlanders Begin Season In Inland Empire: Riverside City College hosts a Quad Meet that also
includes UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton and Pepperdine. The Titans experienced great success last year and
seek continued improvement in 2017. Junior Eli Penick obliterated the school record in the 100-meters at the Big
West Championship with a winning time of 10.33, the fastest performance by a conference meet champion since
2003.
Big West Track & Field Championship Comes To Cal State Fullerton: Cal State Fullerton will host the Big
West Track and Field Championships for the first time since 1999. The Titan Track Complex will be home to the
multi-events portion of the meet (May 5-6) and the full portion (May 12-13).
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, March 2
UC Davis at Chico Multis (Chico, Calif.)
Friday, March 3
UC Davis at Chico Multis (Chico, Calif.)
Saturday, March 4
Cal Poly at Cal Opener (Berkeley, Calif.)
Cal State Fullerton at RCC Quad Meet (Riverside, Calif.)
Long Beach State vs. UCLA Dual (Long Beach, Calif.)
UC Davis at Cal Opener (Berkeley, Calif.)
UC Irvine at All-UC Challenge (La Jolla, Calif.)
UC Riverside at RCC Quad Meet (Riverside, Calif.)
UC Santa Barbara at All-UC Challenge (Santa Barbara, Calif.)