Track running through record books
By Matthew Cucuzza
The women's and men's outdoor track teams continued this season's assault on the school record books last weekend at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at UC Berkeley.
Santa Clara had four runners in the same race finish the 5,000m in less that 18 minutes for the first time in Bronco history.
Seniors Whitney Porter and Noelle Lopez as well as junior Stephanie Wilson and freshman Nicole Giove were the foursome that accomplished the feat.
Sophomore Kazimir Brown's 12.19 time in the 100m broke her own school and personal record. Fellow sophomore Robbie Reid's 1:54.29 finish in the 800m was a personal best and also took the school record from teammate John Laughlin.
"It's one of the highest honors you can have as a runner," Reid said of owning a school record.
The 800m men's mark has fallen three times, twice broken by Reid.
Altogether, the Broncos have set 10 new school records in the program's fifth year of existence, eight on the women's side and two on the men's.
The women set school records this season in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and 4x4 1,600m relay.
Brown has broken the women's 100m record twice this year and also holds the 200m record. Porter set the 1,500m, 3,000m and 10,000m marks. Senior Anna Wheatley owns the 400m record and Wilson holds the new mark in the 5,000m.
"It's been a dream season," said Porter. "Everything has come together."
Porter said the 10,000m record was more achievable, but she was prouder of her record in the 1,500 m because the popularity of that race makes the record more difficult to set she said.
Brown and Wheatley were also part of the record-setting 4x4 1,600m relay team with freshman Jenny Light and sophomore Jennifer Hinds.
Head coach Tom Service said his four senior women -- Lopez, Porter, Wheatley and Veronica Vasquez -- have provided leadership and enjoyed a successful season.
Lopez, Porter and Wheatley have set all-time top-5 records in the 800m and 1,500m in 2009. Porter and Lopez also set top-5 times in the 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m.
Though Vasquez has spent much of the season injured, she still posted the second-best time in the 5,000m.
Porter said her teammates are hungry to break some of her records, but that's just fine with her.
"Because we're so new, I think we have so much more potential," said Porter. "I'm really excited to see what we can do."
In addition to the 800m, Reid also set the Santa Clara men's record for the 1,500m at the Woody Wilson Invitational on April 11.
Assistant coach Felipe Montoro said Reid was a bit undertrained coming out of high school, but has stayed healthy and benefitted greatly from improved conditioning.
"Robbie has been very consistent and has steadily improved," said Montoro. "He's also an extremely tough competitor."
Service and Montoro said the re-vamped workout program instituted this year by new strength and conditioning coach Greg Marshall has propelled the Broncos' sprinters to record-setting times.
"He's just outstanding," Service said of Marshall. "He's very scientific in his sprint coaching."
Brown said Marshall has changed how the sprinters eat, think and compete.
"It was a rough year last year, but he's totally changed it around for us," said Brown. "He has developed every single one of us, both on and off the track."
Marshall's conditioning regimen cut nearly a full second off Brown's 100m time in one year.
"(Marshall) has pushed me far beyond where I ever thought I could be," said Brown.
Added Service, "that much time off in the 100m is amazing."
Marshall also works with the San Francisco 49ers and the Santa Clara women's soccer team.
The Broncos have two more meets remaining before the NCAA West Regionals on May 29 at the University of Oregon.
Santa Clara will compete at Sacramento State on Saturday, May 2.
The final meet of the season for the Bronco track team is the Occidental Invitational on Saturday, May 9 at Occidental College.
Contact Matthew Cucuzza at (408) 551-1918 or mcucuzza@scu.edu.