College track and field: Lions racing to improve

Amara Aguilar

Talking about picking up the pace is one thing. Doing it is

another.

Vanguard University track and field Coach Bryan Wilkins hopes his

men’s and women’s squads will do the latter this season.

His goal is to improve on last year’s eighth-place Golden State

Athletic Conference finish for both squads and maybe even break into the

top five.

On the women’s side, only eight points separated fifth and eighth

place in the conference championships last season. A lot has changed for

the Lions since then.

“We’re going to be pretty balanced this year (as far as the women’s

team goes),” Wilkins said. “We have some good sprinters, jumpers and good

distance people. We’ve got a lot of new kids this year and a lot of

talent.”

Key returners are junior distance runner Sarah Hall, senior high

jumper Beth Weidler and junior Melody Strauss.

Hall took ninth in the 10,000-meter race at the conference

championships last season.

Weidler, an all-conference selection last year, took fourth in the

high jump at the conference championships and broke Vanguard’s school

record in the triple jump (34 feet, 5 inches). She also came close to

breaking the school record for the high jump with a 5-foot-3 mark, an

inch shy of the record.

Also with a long list of accomplishments is Strauss, an all-conference

pick last season for the second straight time.

She broke her own school record in the heptathlon with 3,669 points

last season.

“She could have a chance of qualifying for the outdoor nationals if

she can get up in the 4,000 points range,” Wilkins said.

Slightly more than half of the Lions’ squad are newcomers, bringing a

fresh look to a team that was riddled with injuries last year.

“We’re pretty healthy this year,” Wilkins said. “We’re hoping for a

lot better results than last year. We have a lot more bodies. Our numbers

doubled from last year.”

At the top of the list of newcomers is freshman Jenny Thune, a product

of Brea Olinda High School. Thune ran the 800-meter race in 2:15 and the

mile in 5:09.

“She is going to have an immediate impact in middle distance events

for us,” Wilkins said. “She should be one of the top 800-meter runners in

the conference.”

Also competing for the Lions for the first time is sprinter Debby

Baeder, a freshman who was a redshirt last season because of an injury.

She will compete in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races along with the

long jump and relay events.

Junior transfer Olivia Fick will also look to add some depth for the

Lions. She previously attended Houghton College in New York and played

soccer for Vanguard last season.

“She’s a very versatile athlete and she’ll primarily compete in the

400-meter hurdles and high jump,” Wilkins said.

With so many new faces, Wilkins not only hopes to improve on last

season, but is also focusing on the Lions’ long term goals.

“Looking at a couple years down the road, we will be strong,” he said.

“We just have to be patient and make progress with the young kids we have

in the program.”

Like the women’s squad, the men’s team also finished at the bottom of

the conference standings last season and is looking to improve. The Lions

lost a few key team members, including senior Josh Schultz, who qualified

for the indoor nationals in the 600-meter competition last year, and

sophomore Garrett Bridgens, a national qualifier in hurdles. Bridgens

transfered to the University of Oregon.

The Lions do have a few critical returners. Junior Steve Lalim will be

a top distance runner. He took fourth in the 10,000-meter race last year

in the conference championships.

Sophomore David Johnson also returns and will run compete in 800-meter

races for the Lions.

The top newcomer for Vanguard is freshman long jumper Devario Johnson

from the Bahamas.

“He jumped 24 feet, three inches in the long jump and is a very high

calibur athlete,” Wilkins said. “He should be a national qualifier and is

a potential All-American.”

Devario Johnson was originally set to attend the University of Iowa on

a full scholarship, but was not eligible by NCAA standards academically

because of SAT scores, Wilkins said. He did qualify to compete in the

NAIA.

Iowa women’s track and field Coach Joan Hansen, a former Concordia

coach, referred Devario Johnson to Vanguard.

“They were looking for a place for Devario to go for one year, so

we’ve got him for one track season and then it’s back to Iowa,” Wilkins

said. “We hope to make the most of it.”

The Lions also have some experienced distance runners in juniors

Robbie Jones and Tony Magana. Both are transfers from Orange Coast

College. Jones will run the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races. Magana will

also compete in those two events, in adition to the 3,000-meter

steeplechase.

“Both of those guys are potential national qualifiers,” Wilkins said.

“They are very good runners.”

Rounding out the Lions squad is freshman Justin Vagle, who sat out

last year because of an injury. He will contribute in the high jump, long

jump and triple jump events.

Vanguard track and field

Women’s squad

Debby Baeder, Fr. Sprints/jumps

Dori Duffy, So. Middle distance

Olivia Fick, Jr. Hurdles/jumps/javelin

Bryanna Gonzales, Fr. Middle distance

Sarah Hall, Jr. Distance

Elizabeth Huipe, Fr. Distance

Courtney McKinney, Jr. Throws

Livia Peace, Fr. Sprints

Becky Radspinner, Fr. Sprints

Kristina Rojo, So. Sprints/hurdles

Melody Strauss, Jr. Multi events

Jenny Thune, Fr. Middle distance

Beth Weidler, Sr. Jumps

Hollie Wright, So. Sprints/hurdles

Men’s squad

John Bensen, Fr. Middle distance

David Bongiorno, Fr. Middle distance

Robert Galvan, Fr. Sprints/jumps

David Johnson, So. Middle distance

Devario Johnson, Fr. Sprints/jumps

Robbie Jones, Jr. Distance

Steve Lalim, Jr. Distance

Tony Magana, Jr. Distance

John Nelson, Fr. Middle distance

Mike Sacco, Fr. Multi events

Justin Vagle, Fr. Sprints/jumps

Coach: Bryan Wilkins