After an impressive showing at the Washington vs. Oregon track meet in Spokane, Wash., last weekend, it’s clear that the Portland State squad has worked hard at improving their standing in the Big Sky Conference.
Competing in their first year under new head coach Ronnye Harrison, the Vikings have turned a few heads at recent meets despite not even having a full year to work with their new coaches.
The Big Sky Conference—long known for its history of producing strong distance runners out of programs like Northern Arizona, Weber State and Montana State—is one of the most difficult conferences in the nation but Harrison and his staff have been able to field a strong team that with time, should compete with the conference’s elite.
Harrison, who works primarily with the sprinters, is himself working at recruiting top athletes to come to Portland State and compete for the track team. This despite the fact that the Vikings do not have a true track and field facility and will never host a track meet.
After finishing the indoor season in February, Harrison and his staff have been working with their athletes preparing for the outdoor meets. Harrison, the Portland native, said that, “the season is going very well,” and added that it seems like his veterans are leading the team by example.
The head coach noted that a few athletes seem to be peaking at the right time as the team heads into their final meets before the Big Sky Championships in mid-May.
Senior distance runner Adriane Wai has qualified for two events, as has senior thrower Tiffany Bigham. Jernise Saunders will defend her sprinting titles from the indoor season as well.
On the men’s side, Nick Trubachik looks poised to repeat as the conference’s top performer in the decathlon and should compete in the javelin as well. Deshawn Shead, who performed well as a cornerback on the football team last fall, has already qualified in the javelin as well.
But the rigors of the season have not been without some cost as Saunders and several other members of the team are currently hampered by injuries. According to Harrison, Saunders, who is undoubtedly the top female sprinter in the conference and one of the best in the region, will be back for the Big Sky Championships in Missoula, Mont.
The hard work put forth by the team already this season is not without an example as many nights, Harrison is at his office in the Stott Center way past the early evening hours.
The dedication is certainly a good sign for fans of the track and field team.