Thursday, May 9
Orem, Utah
California Baptist University
vs
Western Athletic Conference Championships
Photo by: chuckutashphotography.com
Lancers Ready for First WAC Championships
5/8/2019 10:05:00 AM | Men's Track, Women's Track, Cross Country & Track
OREM, Utah – California Baptist University is gearing up for the Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend. Utah Valley will host the conference meet Thursday through Saturday at Hal Wing Track and Field.
A total of 17 runners (nine men, eight women) will compete in Orem this week. Both Lancer squads will have runners in the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000-meter races, with the women additionally being represented in the steeplechase.
Despite not fielding a full track and field team, CBU is projected to finish fifth out of eight on the men's side and sixth of nine for the women in the WAC Coaches Polls. The meet begins on Thursday and goes through Saturday, fans can access the WAC Championship Central HERE. Live video will be provided on the WAC Digital Network.
On the men's side, Simon Bedard has been one of the most impressive runners in the WAC this season. The Frenchman boasts the conference's fastest time in the 5,000 meter at 14 minutes, 11.28 seconds, the second-best mark in the 10K (29:57.86) and the third-fastest time in the 1,500 (3:52.10) this season, and he will run all three events this weekend.
Midseason addition Zlatko Kozuhar has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, as he holds a top-four WAC time in the 10,000 meter (30:35.98) and a No. 5 standard in the 5K (14:43.89).
CBU will also be represented by Timothy Legemet, McMarshall Hartzenberg, Dennis Messmer, Hector Peralta, Koby Ghadery, Mike Alukunyang and Cody Beeson at the conference meet.
The 5,000 meter looks to be the Lancers' strongest event, with seven of the WAC's 12 fastest times this season coming from CBU, including Legemet (second, 14:30.39); Hartzenberg (sixth, 14:44.33); Messmer (seventh, (14:44.34); Peralta (10th, 15:02.66) and Ghadery (12th, 15:06.73).
On the women's side, Anett Somogyi has developed quite the reputation in the WAC. She won the individual cross country title in the fall and holds conference bests on the track in both the 5,000 (16:26.78) and 10,000 meters (34:06.91). She will look to add to her growing list of accolades when she competes next weekend in the 10K meter on Thursday and the 5,000 on Saturday.
Anna Mate has kicked off her collegiate career by establishing herself as one of the top runners in the WAC. The true freshman earned All-WAC second-team accolades when she finished eighth at the WAC Cross Country Championships in October.
This spring, Mate posted a top-two time in the 5,000 meter (16:56.91) and the third-best time in the 10K (35:02.21). Mate will join Somogyi in both races this weekend.
Emilie Renaud is in the middle of a successful season of her own, particularly in 1,500 and steeplechase. Renaud, another true freshman, posted the fastest steeplechase time (10:24.16) in the WAC this year on her first collegiate attempt, and also holds the fifth-fastest time in the 1,500 meter (4:33.75).
Just like with the men, the 5,000 meter looks to be CBU's strongest event, with four Lancers scheduled to run the event: Somogyi, Mate and Karolina Iznerowicz.
Fruzsina Ladanyi and Linda Palumbo round out a CBU squad that will look to further solidify its reputation as one of the best in the WAC.
WAC Championship Central
WAC Schedule of Events
CBU Only Schedule
2019 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Performance List
A total of 17 runners (nine men, eight women) will compete in Orem this week. Both Lancer squads will have runners in the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000-meter races, with the women additionally being represented in the steeplechase.
Despite not fielding a full track and field team, CBU is projected to finish fifth out of eight on the men's side and sixth of nine for the women in the WAC Coaches Polls. The meet begins on Thursday and goes through Saturday, fans can access the WAC Championship Central HERE. Live video will be provided on the WAC Digital Network.
On the men's side, Simon Bedard has been one of the most impressive runners in the WAC this season. The Frenchman boasts the conference's fastest time in the 5,000 meter at 14 minutes, 11.28 seconds, the second-best mark in the 10K (29:57.86) and the third-fastest time in the 1,500 (3:52.10) this season, and he will run all three events this weekend.
Midseason addition Zlatko Kozuhar has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, as he holds a top-four WAC time in the 10,000 meter (30:35.98) and a No. 5 standard in the 5K (14:43.89).
CBU will also be represented by Timothy Legemet, McMarshall Hartzenberg, Dennis Messmer, Hector Peralta, Koby Ghadery, Mike Alukunyang and Cody Beeson at the conference meet.
The 5,000 meter looks to be the Lancers' strongest event, with seven of the WAC's 12 fastest times this season coming from CBU, including Legemet (second, 14:30.39); Hartzenberg (sixth, 14:44.33); Messmer (seventh, (14:44.34); Peralta (10th, 15:02.66) and Ghadery (12th, 15:06.73).
On the women's side, Anett Somogyi has developed quite the reputation in the WAC. She won the individual cross country title in the fall and holds conference bests on the track in both the 5,000 (16:26.78) and 10,000 meters (34:06.91). She will look to add to her growing list of accolades when she competes next weekend in the 10K meter on Thursday and the 5,000 on Saturday.
Anna Mate has kicked off her collegiate career by establishing herself as one of the top runners in the WAC. The true freshman earned All-WAC second-team accolades when she finished eighth at the WAC Cross Country Championships in October.
This spring, Mate posted a top-two time in the 5,000 meter (16:56.91) and the third-best time in the 10K (35:02.21). Mate will join Somogyi in both races this weekend.
Emilie Renaud is in the middle of a successful season of her own, particularly in 1,500 and steeplechase. Renaud, another true freshman, posted the fastest steeplechase time (10:24.16) in the WAC this year on her first collegiate attempt, and also holds the fifth-fastest time in the 1,500 meter (4:33.75).
Just like with the men, the 5,000 meter looks to be CBU's strongest event, with four Lancers scheduled to run the event: Somogyi, Mate and Karolina Iznerowicz.
Fruzsina Ladanyi and Linda Palumbo round out a CBU squad that will look to further solidify its reputation as one of the best in the WAC.
WAC Championship Central
WAC Schedule of Events
CBU Only Schedule
2019 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Performance List
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Women's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Women's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Women's Track
/ Men's Track
/ Women's Track
/ Women's Track
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