The 2010 Big West track & field season gets underway this weekend as all eight of the league's programs embark on their first step towards the Big West title and coveted NCAA Championship spots.
UCR's Martinez Lands on Bowerman List: UC Riverside's Brenda Martinez landed on the watch list for The Bowerman, the award handed out by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association recognizing the track athlete of the year on both the men’s and women’s side. Martinez finds herself on the also receiving mention portion of the preseason list, meaning she can move up to the primary watch list at any point in the season. Martinez is the Big West record holder in the 800 and 1500 and just completed a whirlwind summer circuit which saw her compete in six races across Europe.
Conover Takes over at Poly: Cal Poly will have a new, but familiar, face at the helm of its track program as Mark Conover takes the lead position after Terry Crawford resigned last summer after 18 years at Cal Poly in order to accept a position with USA Track and Field as Director of Coaching. Conover is currently in his 14th season at Cal Poly and has led the Mustangs to 11 consecutive appearances at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, six of those as a team.
CSUN Set to Host Track Championships: After a one year hiatus, the Big West Track & Field Championships will return to Matador Track for the 2010 edition. The meet will kick off May 7-8 with the multi championships, then the rest of the events will be contested on May 14-15.
CSUN Aims to Defend Track Titles: Cal State Northridge swept the Big West Track & Field crowns a year ago are poised to do it again in 2010. The men will be looking for their fifth championship in conference history, while the women are aiming for title #6 in Big West lore.
CSF Track Records Posted: After literally years of exhausting research, Cal State Fullerton head coach John Elders’ project of Titan track and cross country records has been completed. The rich history of the CSF track & field and cross country programs is now online on the Cal State Fullerton athletics website.
Ben Brown Invitational in the Crosshairs: Five of the eight Big West schools will be in Fullerton over the first outdoor weekened of the season as Cal State Fullerton welcomes visitors for the Ben Brown Invitational. A year ago at the meet, athletes from a host of schools posted NCAA Regional standards in their first outdoor meets including CSF's Laron Brown and Garrett Myers.