The Wildcats opened the track & field season with the 41st Annual Chico State Multi on Thursday and Friday at University Stadium, before finishing the weekend at the Butte County NorCal Preview with both the men and women impressing in the first meet of the season.
In the Chico State Multi Women’s Heptathlon, senior Natalie Muse placed first with 4,312 points, taking first in the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles.
In a strong showing across a plethora of events, the women’s team had many standouts and strong performances. Junior Madi Monroe took first place in the Women’s 200-meter finishing with a time of 25.94 seconds, while Freshman Breah Bell took the 100-meter with a time of 12.67 seconds.
Two Relay teams finished in first and second place in 4×100. Monroe, Tianna Thompson, Kaitlyn Gonzales and Madison Kalberer finished in first place with a time of 48.96 seconds. The other Wildcat group, consisting of Sativa Younge, Teresa Vasconellos, Bella Morales and Morgan Greene, finished right behind them with a time of 49.12 seconds.
They also placed first in the women’s high jump as Freshman Allie Goetz finished .5m above the second-place finisher with a height of 1.65m.
In pole vaulting, first through third place all belonged to the Wildcats as Sophomore Janey Rubio came in first with a 3.35m mark, and Freshmen Miranda Seitz and Kali Dickinson came in second and third place with a 3.20m and 3.05m mark.
The women’s team also placed first in javelin, hammer and the 4×400 relay.
The men’s team had an impressive showing in their first outing of the season. Seniors Jordan Ausbie and Justin Craven secured Chico State’s first NCAA provisional qualifying marks of the season, with Ausbie taking first place with 6,535 points and Craven second with 6,509.
Three newcomers, Jeffrey O’Brien, Travis Allen and Ronin Tidd, distinguished themselves in their first competition for Chico State, each securing a place in the top five. O’Brien’s score of 6,094 points earned him third place, with Allen and Tidd scoring 5,481 and 5,376 points, respectively.
O’Brien and Craven each won two events: O’Brien the 400-meter dash and discus throw, and Craven the 110-meter hurdles and pole vault. Ausbie (long jump), Collin Totman (shot put), and Tidd (high jump) also secured event wins.
The Wildcats are set to compete in the Kim Duyst Invitational hosted by Stanislaus State in Turlock on Friday and Saturday.
The next home event for the Chico State Wildcats Track and field team will be March 7th and 8th in the Wildcat Invitational. For more results on the team visit Chico State athletics.
J.J. Fain and Trevor Lee can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com.
