Track season comes to a close

After nearly nine months of grueling practices and dozens of intense competitions, the Portland State track and field season will finally come to a close following next week’s NCAA Outdoor Championships. During the final stretch of the season the Vikings have faced their toughest competition, proving to be up to the challenge at the Big Sky Conference Championships but enjoying considerably less satisfying results at the NCAA Regional Championships last weekend.

A total of 29 Portland State athletes, 11 men and 18 women, were recognized for their exemplary performance this season by earning an opportunity to compete with the conference elite at the Big Sky Conference Championships. Coming into the event both the men’s and women’s squads had high expectations, primarily because they were expected to trump last year’s totals and score the most points in school history.

Last season both squads set school records for points, with the men accumulating 45 points and the women earning an astounding 119 points.

At this season’s Big Sky Conference Championships the Viks fulfilled their lofty expectations by collecting the most points in school history. The men claimed eighth place at the event by earning a total of 65 points, which was just half a point behind seventh-place Northern Arizona. The men made a significant improvement on last season’s school record by earning an additional 20 points.

Prior to the competition the women were considered to be a legitimate contender for the conference title. They didn’t claim the conference title but they were extremely impressive, tallying 156 points and earning second place to Northern Arizona. Like the men, the Viking women made a considerable improvement over last year’s school record. This season the women scored 37 more points than they ever had before.

“Big Sky went really well for us because we had our highest point totals ever for our men and women,” head coach Kebba Tolbert said. “On the women’s side we scored 156 points and had a shot to win, but it just wasn’t enough. So, I was very happy with everyone’s performance and I think that shows just how good we can be. Everyone competed really hard, we set about 10 school records that weekend and got lots of personal bests. We did what we had to do and I was very happy with that.”

While the Viks performed at their highest caliber at the Big Sky Conference Championship, last weekend’s NCAA Regional Championships was just the opposite. Nine athletes traveled to Provo, Utah to represent the Vikings at this competition, which showcased the finest track and field athletes in the region.

Coming into the contest Portland State was thought to have a reasonable chance to send four or five athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships; however, unlike the conference tournament the Viks were unable to reach their expectations.

Even with the disappointing outcome, a few Vikings enjoyed success at the event. Junior distance runner Brandon Lopez finished seventh in the 800-meter finals field with a time of 1:50.39. Senior sprinter and jumper Gayle Imran-Sideris supplied the Viks with another superb performance, finishing seventh in the triple jump event by recording a best mark of 41 feet and 9.75 inches. With this mark Imran-Sideris nearly matched the school record of 42 feet and 4.75 inches.

Lopez and Imran-Sideris had notable performances at the NCAA Regional Championships, but one Viking in particular stood out from the crowd. Ashley Quay, junior multi-event athlete, tied for second place in the high jump with a best jump of 5 feet 7.25 inches. With her second-place finish in the high jump, Quay qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

“Last weekend went OK, not quite as well as we had hoped,” Tolbert said. “I thought that we would get three kids to the NCAA Championships but we only got one, which is still a great accomplishment. But, it just wasn’t quite what we were hoping for last weekend.”

Quay may have finished the event with a second-place finish, but just like numerous athletes she fell victim to an underachieving performance. Her mark at the NCAA Regional Championships was four inches lower than the Portland State record height of 5 feet 11.25 inches, which she established earlier this season.

“I didn’t have the greatest performance at regionals, so I feel like I got lucky to get in based off of that mark,” Quay said. “I felt like after Big Sky and competing in multiple events my body was beat up. So, we had to take it easy and when we have to take it easy I usually don’t perform at my best. Also, the entire field at regionals didn’t perform well, but I am not really sure why.”

After her second-place finish in the high jump, Quay will be the lone Viking traveling to Sacramento, Calif. to compete with the best track and field athletes in the nation at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

“Qualifying took a while to sink in, but I am really excited and hope to work hard over the next week to get any fine-tuning done that needs to be done,” Quay said. “I am pretty confident in my training regimen, so most of my preparation will be mental preparation at this point. I like performing on big stages, so I am pretty excited about it.”

Portland State has enjoyed an impressive and groundbreaking season, breaking numerous school records and earning the most points in school history at the Big Sky Championships. However, this special track and field season will conclude after their lone representative, Ashley Quay, participates in the high jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The NCAA Outdoor Championships will be held in Sacramento, Calif., beginning Wednesday, June 7, and concluding Saturday, June 10.