College track and field: Anteaters pace themselves

Amara Aguilar

The UC Irvine women’s track and field team has an infusion of young

talent that could help the team go the distance this season, while the

young men’s squad has a few hurdles to overcome.

The women are hoping to improve on a sixth-place finish at the Big

West championships last season.

A key returner in helping the team reach that goal is senior Kareen

Nilsson, last year’s conference champion in the 5,000 meters.

“She’s probably farther ahead than a year ago at the same time,” said

Vince O’Boyle, UCI’s director of track and field. “She didn’t lose one

collegiate race last year. She is a senior, one of very few on the team.”

UCI has three seniors out of 38 athletes on the roster. Other crucial

returners include sophomore Lauren Adams, junior Tynisia Edwards and

junior Tessa Cendejas.

Adams took seventh in the 400 at the conference championships while

Edwards won the triple jump (38-4 1/4) at the Pomona College Preseason

meet Saturday to open the outdoor season for the Anteaters.

Cendejas will contribute in distance events. She was third in the 800

at the conference championships and fifth in the 1,500.

Newcomers also will play a key role in the Anteaters’ success,

according to O’Boyle.

“The freshmen we have, they are very talented.” O’Boyle said. “They

are going to step up and do some things.”

Topping the list of newcomers is Erin Curtis, a freshman out of

Archbishop Mitty High who already holds the UCI school record in the pole

vault.

Junior transfer Camellia Carroll from the College of San Mateo will

add depth to the squad in throwing events. She won a state championship

in the hammer throw last season and took second in the discus throw. In

her first meet this season at Pomona, she set a school mark by winning

the hammer throw (156-10).

“She is one of the more talented athletes you’ll ever see,” O’Boyle

said. “She can do a number of things besides throws. She is a pretty

talented human being. If we run her, it will be rare, but she can do it.”

Freshman Amber Nefas will also be a big contributer, O’Boyle said.

She’ll probably compete in the 200 and 400.

“The freshmen and sophomores are going to make some noise and be

heard,” O’Boyle said. “For the first time we have more depth. We’ve got

two solid throwers (in Carroll and senior Carmen Schmidt). We have

sprinters who give us a solid sprint core. We’ve got people in areas that

we haven’t had much depth before. In middle distance, we’ve always had

depth, but we’re getting over some humps now in other areas now and have

a full team.”

Things are a little bit different for the men’s squad, which took

seventh at the Big West championships last season. Funding was sliced in

1992 due to budget cuts, but the program has received some help this

season from the same student referendum that resurrected baseball at UCI.

“This is finally getting going,” O’Boyle said. “Historically, the

men’s program has been down in the dumps for many years. I see some very

bright spots because of scholarships we are now able to offer.”

Looking to play a large role in the Anteaters’ run this season is

freshman hurdler Chris Johnson out of Arlington High in Riverside.

“His senior year he pulled his hamstring, but made it to the state

meet his junior year and was in the top four,” O’Boyle said. “This guy

has got all the talent and all the things that make up an outstanding

track athlete for us.”

Freshman Mike Beerer, a thrower out of Crescenta Valley High, is also

a top prospect.

“He’s already had some outstanding practices,” O’Boyle said. “I think

he’ll score in the conference meet in the hammer throw.”

Curtis Lehmann will compete in the 400 while freshman Scott Jarvis of

Covina High will contribute as a hurdler.

“The guy has got the tools to be a very good 400 hurdler,” O’Boyle

said. “We’ll use him in the high hurdles as a backup to Chris. We’ve

finally got a one-two punch in the highs. That’s going to help us a lot.”

Jules Castano, a senior out of West Valley Junior College who

redshirted last year, will look to contribute in the 800 and1,500.

“For the first time in years, we can be more competitive than the past

10 years,” O’Boyle said. “We will not be in the mix this year, but we’ll

be a lot better than ever. That’s going to take time. The word is

patience with the men’s team. Patience in developing and getting the word

out about our program that will be good again.”

Both teams kicked off the season at the Pomona College Preseason meet

Saturday. Up next is the Claremont College Relays Saturday.