Fresno State Athletics
Taking on Mt. SAC
4/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 16, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - This weekend the `Dogs will compete against the best in show at the 51st Mt. Sac Relays, a meet that bills itself as the place "where the world's best athletes compete."
Fresno State returns to the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif., a perennial favorite for the Bulldogs, to face the elite athletes from around the country. The `Dogs will use the mass quantity of competitors to their advantage, as they look to prepare for the postseason.
The meet includes non-collegiate athletes, both professionals and Olympians, in competition with the college competitors. Teams will travel from all over to compete at this classic event. Big name schools entered include USC, UCLA, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin, to name a few.
Sharon Ayala, Val-Pierre Dai'Re, Frank Sanders, Vanessa Sautebin, Oscar Rodriguez and the women's 4x400 relay team all met NCAA Regional qualification marks at the meet last season. Former Bulldog coach Bob Fraley was also inducted into the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame.
Last weekend Val-Pierre Dai'Rai dealt with stormy conditions in the 100-meter hurdles while tying his season-best mark of 14.38. While still .08 seconds off of double-qualification, marking such a strong time while battling such conditions should prove to be an asset this weekend which looks to be sunny and clear.
Also in the hunt for a postseason bid is Erik Fossen. Fossen, the team's lone all-around jumper, leapt for 48-11 (14.91m) in the triple jump two weekends ago, just 3.5 inches shy of a regional-qualification.
Last weekend, Roxanne Sellick, the defending WAC Champion in the 1,500, set a personal-best of 4:29.27. The mark is less than two seconds over a regional qualifying mark in the race. With the stiff competition at the meet, this could be the weekend that she breaks through for a postseason bid.
Kayla Xavier has already punched her ticket to the NCAA Regional in Eugene, Ore., in the shot put. However, Xavier is striving for another qualification. The sophomore is just 13 inches from qualifying the discus. At the Sun Angel Classic last weekend, Xavier heaved the discus a career-best 154-1 (46.97m).
Another athlete to watch for is Latrisha Jordan. Last weekend the freshman continued to perform tremendously setting a third NCAA Regional qualifying mark and earning her second WAC Track Athlete of the Week honor this season.
Paul Zwama will open the meet for Fresno State as the only Bulldog competing on the first day. Zwama will take the track for the 10,000 Thursday evening.
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