Hornet track and field sets new standards

The Sac State indoor track team has two meets left before the NCAA Championships. The Hornets started qualifying athletes over the weekend.

The Hornet team finished 1-2 (men) and 1-3 (women) at the MacDonald's Scoring Invitational in Moscow, Idaho, over the weekend.

Coach Joe Neff said the Hornets broke five school records for indoor competition.

“It was outstanding,” Neff said. “This was the best indoor meet that we have had in three years.”

Included in the record-breaking weekend was Sac State's first qualifier for the NCAA Championships this season by junior Tracy Dahl. Her vault of 11 feet 4 inches set a new school record for the pole vault.

Neff also said the team set indoor school records in the men's distance medley at 10 minutes, 14.12 seconds, women's 4x400 relay at 3:46:74 with both squads finishing in second place, behind the University of Washington in both events.

Other records set by the Hornets were Dustin Diaz with a time of 1:54:24 in the men's 800-meter and junior Jimmithee Banks in the men's long jump for a distance of 23.4 meters.

Neff said he is still looking for his team to improve in Saturday's meet in Reno, Nevada for the Holiday Inn Classic.

“I would like to see our conference qualifiers go up from 13 and 16 (athletes) into the 20s,” Neff said. “I'm very proud of our teams and our coaching staff because we are very supportive of each other and we are having fun.”