Published 2008-02-27T00:00:00Z”/>

Jay Hite

As the track and field season begins, both the men’s and women’s coaches seem ready to conquer the California Collegiate Athletic Association and expect their teams to be contenders in the CCAA and NCAA championships in May.

“We hope to compete for a team title,” women’s head coach Oliver Hanf said. “We’ll go down to Los Angeles for the CCAA championships, and our goal this year is to bring home both the men and women’s titles.”

Hanf, who sported a yellow raincoat with a fluorescent green and black cowboy hat at the Cardinal and White intersquad tournament Saturday, is pleased with the new crop of female recruits this season, he said.

“We have a great recruiting class, maybe our best ever,” he said. “We’ve covered our bases pretty good with recruiting, and now we have a nice blend of youth with a very good returning group of seniors.”

Both Hanf and men’s head coach Kirk Freitas recognize the importance of the regular season, but the bulk of their focus is on preparing for the championships, they said.

“We train all season for two weekends in May,” Freitas said, referring to the CCAA and NCAA championships. “We have had a lot of national champions, and people don’t realize there has been a lot of talent here for a very long time.”

Track and field does not record a win-loss record throughout the season like other sports, so team success depends on how the team is judged by its performance at the conference championship and nationals, Hanf said.

“In terms of team scoring, it all points toward the postseason,” Hanf said. “You have a collection of individuals who work all year toward a common goal of unifying at the conference meet.”

Several key distance runners are returning to the ‘Cats this season, including All-American Sarah Montez.

This season is Montez’s last as a Wildcat as she tries to build on a successful 2007 campaign. Senior Lindsay Nelson was the conference champion in the 10-kilometer race and competed at the national meet last season. Kayla Silva, who graduated from Chico High School four years ago, became an All-American in her first season of cross country last fall.

Hanf anticipates improvement from last season in the sprints and hurdles, he said.

“We had a few holes last year that we think we’ve covered,” he said. “Certainly the addition of Katie Prucha in the 400-meter hurdles will help.”

Prucha and teammate Elizabeth Kain were Sonoma State athletes last year and chose to come to Chico State after Sonoma State terminated its track and field program.

The men’s team had a successful recruiting period, signing De La Salle High School graduates, and twin brothers, Gary and Clayton Francis to letters of intent.

Gary Francis was the first high school athlete to clear 7 feet high jumping last season when he accomplished the mark on March 28. He was the only California jumper to reach the impressive mark.

Gary Francis has some pain in his foot when he plants down and is nursing a bad shoulder, he said, but is able to handle conditioning so should see action later this season.

Redshirting freshman is an important process and must be done as a way to prolong a runner’s career, Freitas said.

“Freshmen redshirt to get some training under their belts and to create an opportunity to become All-Americans,” Freitas said.

The ‘Cats are competing in the Chico Multi Invitational Thursday and Friday and will continue running Saturday in a home meet against San Jose State, Sacramento Community College and Butte College.

Jay Hite can be reached at<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>