Written by Staff Writers
FRESNO, CA - Coming into this season the FPU’s track and field teams had some high expectations. The strong core of returning athletes combined with a talented freshman class would give any coach a reason to expect good things.
As the season got underway, coach JT Thiesen’s mindset for the team was same as any other year for the athletes; compete to the best of your ability and strive to be the best that you can be on and off the track
Earlier this season, when asked about his thoughts on the team, Thiesen said, “I feel great about it. I have never had a team work so hard on and off the track and I can’t believe how much we have improved as a team this year.”
If coach Thiesen was feeling good at the beginning of this season, he must be feeling great by now with the phenomenal year that both the men’s and women’s track teams have been having.
According to the athletes and coaches, it seems there is something special happening at FPU’s Olympic-size track nestled back behind the baseball field and tennis courts. Some of the members of the team have credited the team’s camaraderie for all that they have been able to accomplish thus far, while others look at it as a result of all the hard work and dedication they have put in throughout the year.
The familiarity and closeness of the team has also been prevalent this season. “I think that’s because we’ve been running and competing against each other all year long,” top ten-ranked junior Jessica Suddaby said about the team’s cohesiveness.
When people talked about FPU's women’s track and field team last season, veterans and All-American names like Dia Mathews, Karley Kalinich and Natalie Friesen were often mentioned.
There are now new faces on our women’s track and field team this year who have decided from day one that they wouldn’t fall short of their team motto, “Do Work”. Under the leadership of junior Amanda Straw, the young Sunbird squad has been rewriting the record books and doing work, literally.
When asked about her mindset coming into her first year of college track, freshman Bridney Reese said, “Just being focused and winning nationals.”
As simple as that, Reese and teammate Suddaby, alongside freshmen Brandy Hurd and Tori Alvarez, set a new school record this year in the women’s 4X400 relay with a time of 3:54.27 and are currently ranked fourth in the nation.
Hurd and Reese are also part of the 4X100 team alongside juniors Misty Ramsey and Brittanie Cooksey. The four now hold that record with a time of 48.92 seconds. With multiple automatic qualifiers and the GSAC Championship in San Diego in a little less than two weeks, the young Sunbird squad looks forward to continuing to show what they are made of.
Below are additional school records set this season.
Jessica Suddaby in 400 hurdles with a time of 63.15 seconds.
Amanda Johnson in the 800 (2:16.44), 1500 (4:42.11), and 3000 steeplechase (11:17.05).
Brandy Hurd in the 200 meters with a time of 25.24.
Men’s 4x400 composed of Andrew Clark, Anthony Clark, Ben Reckas, and Ethan Dejongh with a time of 3:17.44.
There are eight more school records that are being threatened by this young group of Sunbirds.
Below are the automatic qualifiers for the 2009 NAIA Track and Field Outdoor Championships.
Milika Tuivanuavou – shot put, javelin, heptathlon (ranked top ten nationally in all three)
Amanda Straw – heptathlon (currently ranked 4th in the nation)
Women’s 4x4 (Brandy Hurd, Bridney Reese, Jessica Suddaby, Tori Alvarez) with the current 4th ranked time in the nation.
Wes Wells in the high jump (top 10 ranking)
Jessica Suddaby in the 400 hurdles (top 10 ranking)
Jessie Madrigal in the 400 hurdles
Ethan Dejongh in the long jump, triple jump, and 110 hurdles (ranked top 10 in each event)
Amanda Johnson in the steeplechase and 1500 (ranked top 10 in each event)
Kaili Zink in the 10,000 and Marathon
Tiffany Morinos in the javelin throw