Fresno State Athletics
2000 Men's Track and Field Outlook
2/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
Feb. 18, 2000
The greatest part of Fresno State track and field is the tradition. The `Dogs always field a solid group of athletes when track and field season rolls around. This year the tradition will continue as usual. With the squad returning several outstanding veteran athletes and a solid crop of newcomers, the `Dogs are primed for the indoor and outdoor seasons to begin.
The following is a breakdown of the Fresno State men's team by event:
Sprints/Relays: Senior E.J. Jackson, an All-American in 1998, will return as the top sprinter. He will lead the way in the 55 meters (indoor) and the 100 meters (outdoor). Last season Jackson posted a season best 6.23 seconds in the 55 meters and 10.42 seconds in the 100 meters. His personal bests are 6.15 and 10.35 (No. 4 on Fresno State's all-time list), respectively. Sophomore Tierre Sams will also be a major contributor to the sprint and relay teams. Sams' season bests last year in the 55 meters was 6.45 and his top 100 meter mark was 10.55. Sams and Jackson both return as the strength of the 4 x 100 meter relay team. Junior C.J. Nakayama will return as one of the top athletes in the 400 meters. Last year his season best indoor mark was 48.27 and 50.69 in the outdoor event.
Middle Distance: In the middle distance events many experienced athletes return. In the 800 meters, junior Armando Negrete and sophomore Gabe Orosco will head the team. Orosco led all 800 meter runners with a 1:51.59 mark in the outdoor meets and Negrete led in the indoor event with a 1:55.45 mark. Sophomore Phillip Ogilvie returns as the top 1,500 meter participant. His season best mark a year ago was 3:59.49. He will be challenged by a number of incoming freshmen, including Josh Roddy, Alex Mason and Sean Moody.
Distance: Senior Tim Padilla will lead the way in the distance events. His season best in the 3,000 meters in `99 was 9:21.57. He was also the top athlete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase where he posted a personal best 9:16.14 last year. Ogilvie will also be a solid competitor in that event.
Hurdles: Senior Jacob Woolf returns as the strength of the hurdle team. In the outdoor events last year, Woolf's season best in the 110-meter hurdles was 14.98 and 53.93 in the 400-meter hurdles. His indoor bests are 7.97 in the 55-meter hurdles and 8.39 in the 60-meter event. Sophomore Cameron McClure will also be a solid athlete in the hurdle events. As a freshman he posted marks of 15.15 (110-meter hurdles) and 55.51 (400-meter hurdles).
Jumps: The group of jumpers is one of the most talented teams on the men's squad. Veterans Duran Archie, Brandon Taylor, Nakayama, Scott Wenholz and Josh Alfaro are the nucleus. Some of the newcomers include twins Kevin and Kyle Carano whose specialty in high school was the triple jump. Alfaro was the top high jumper last season, posting best marks of 6-5.5 in the outdoor event and 6-5 in the indoor event. Archie and Taylor were the top two long and triple jumpers. Archie led the team in the outdoor long jump with a mark of 24-0 and 49-1.5 in the triple jump. Taylor led the long jumpers in the indoor event with a 22-7.5 mark.
Pole Vault: The pole vaulters are outstanding this season. Senior All-American Jim Davis will return as the top pole vaulter. Davis earned All-American status in both the indoor and outdoor events. He cleared a height of 17-4.5 for a sixth place finish last year at the NCAA meet in Boise, Idaho. In Indianapolis, he cleared a height of 17-10.5 at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Seniors Nick Paramo and Wenholz will also return as challengers. Paramo outdoor best is 17-0.75 and indoor best is 16-7.5.
Throws: Two seniors will lead the throws team. Luke Woydziak and Shylo Eaton are both fierce competitors in the throwing events. Woydziak personal best of 212-11 in the hammer event is No. 3 on Fresno State's all-time list. Woydziak's best in the outdoor shot put is 48-7 and his weight best is 61-2.5. Eaton is also a reliable athlete in many of the throwing events. He posted a personal best in the Discus last year with a mark of 149-9. His personal best in the hammer is 167-3.
Decathlon: Wenholz was the top decathlon participant last season. He posted 6,727 points at the WAC Championships last season. Nakayama didn't compete in the Decathlon last year due to injury, but was the conference champion as a freshman in `98.
