Hancock Sending Seven Track and Field Athletes to SoCal Regionals

Six Allan Hancock College track and field athletes will head to the Southern California Regional Championships at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 6. Competition in the field events will begin at 9 a.m., while track events will begin at 11 a.m. During the trials, athletes are trying to qualify for next week's SoCal Regional Finals.

Sophomore Rachel Naugle (Graceway Private) qualified in two events: the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 10,000-meter run. Naugle finished third in the steeplechase final with a time of 12:04.80 during the Western State Conference Finals. The top four finishers in each heat, and the next four fastest times qualify for the final. Naugle will run in the 10K final next week after finishing third at conference in the 10K with a time of 40:11.53.

Taylor Nevitt (Nipomo HS) qualified for Regional in three throwing events. The sophomore came in third in the women's shot put final at conference with a mark of 36 feet, 9.5 inches; fourth in the discus throw with a toss of 110 feet, 8 inches; and sixth in the hammer throw with a mark of 112 feet, 4 inches. The sophomore qualified for the State Meet last year in the shot put and discus throw.

Sophomore Steven Youngblood (Pioneer Valley HS) finished fourth in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase conference final with a time of 10:09.13 to qualify for the SoCal Regional. 

Brent Dionisio (Pioneer Valley HS) punched his ticket to Regional when he cleared a personal-best 6 feet, 10.25 inches to win the conference's men's high jump title. He competed at regionals his freshman year in 2015. Freshman Ben Wulfestieg (Cabrillo HS) finished sixth in the men's shot put final at conference to punch a ticket to Regional. He set a personal best during the conference final with a toss of 41 feet, 1.75 inches. Freshman Jose Rodriguez (Cabrillo HS) finished sixth in the men's pole vault to advance to Regional. The Cabrillo High School graduate was one of three jumpers to tie for fourth place with a top clearance of 13 feet, 7.25 inches, but finished sixth overall by virtue of number of attempts. His personal-best clearance is 14 feet, 5.25 inches.

Laron Gilchrist will compete in the discus throw event. He finished seventh in the discus throw conference final with a mark of 127 feet, nine inches.

Victor Osalde (Pioneer Valley HS) was selected as an alternate in the men's javelin after he finished tenth in the men's javelin Friday with a top mark of 127 feet, 9 inches.

In order to advance to the SoCal Regional Finals, competitors in throwing events must finish in the top 12. Dionisio and Rodriguez must finish in the top nine at the trials to advance to the finals. The top four in each steeplechase heat, as well as the next four-fastest times will advance to the final. The SoCal Finals will be at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 13.