Last weekend was a wild success for the UCSB men’s and women’s track and field teams. Now all they have got to show for it are a bunch of broken records.

Eleven different Gauchos broke school, personal, team, or season records at the Stanford Invitational and the Cal-Nevada Championships last weekend. The program’s achievements indicate improvement from years past.

“Right now, we’re feeling really good and focused,” junior J.T. Service said. “Everybody is being really supportive and taking an interest in each other’s events. We’re all on the same page and it’s helped us all do better.”

Service ran a lifetime best 14 minutes, 40.94 seconds in the 5,000-meters at the Stanford Invite. Senior Eric Gans paced UCSB with a career-best time of 14:12.43 in the 5,000. Junior Brandon von Guenthner broke his personal record in the 5,000 at the Invite as well with a time of 14:52.15. Sophomore David Monico notched a season-high time in the 5,000 at 14:59.63.

The women’s team was equally impressive. Junior Katie Appenrodt broke the UCSB school record for the women’s fastest 5,000-meters with a time of 16:35.46 which is also the best time in the Big West this season, 30 seconds faster than her closest competitor.

“I was excited,” Appenrodt said. “It was nice to pull through and run as well as I did.”

Gauchos were not just breaking records at the Stanford Invitational though. Junior Jasmine Washington shattered her own Santa Barbara record in the women’s 400-meters with a time of 54.05. Washington’s previous time was 54.82.

“This year I feel a lot closer to achieving my goals,” Washington said. “I’ve worked much harder.”

Sophomore Gilleon Smith recorded a season-best distance in the long jump at 18’5 1/4″. The women’s four by 100-meter team of redshirt freshman Roshawn Perkins, Washington, Smith, and freshman Emily Griffin notched a season-best time of 46.88.

Junior Adrian Dilley registered a personal best distance of 23’8″ in the long jump for the men’s team at the Cal-Nevada Championships. The men’s four by 400 meter squad of senior Ron DiMaggio, freshman Joey Tosta, and sophomores Nohel Corral and Ben Armel notched a season-best time of 3:15.75.

A trip to the Big West Challenge Cups in Long Beach this weekend is next for the Gauchos. The women won the event last year and remain confident that they can defend their title. The men are equally optimistic.

“We need a strong team effort,” Smith said. “I think we’re solid. If we concentrate, get a team effort, and focus, we can win [The Big West Challenge Cups].”