This weekend, the UCSB track and field team will compete in two invitational meets. On Friday, part of the team will travel to Pomona College for the Pomona Invitational while another portion of the team will travel to Walnut, Calif. for the Mount San Antonio College Relays. UCSB will take part in the distance carnival on Friday, the field events on Saturday and the middle distance carnival on Sunday at Mount San Antonio College.

The women are pumped up for both meets, coming off of their first place finish April 10 at the Big West Challenge Cup. The field events look strong for the Gaucho women with sophomore Amy Haapanen set to compete in both the hammer throw and the shot put. Five Gaucho ladies are slated for the high jump, with freshman Misty Brewster and junior Rachel Elbinger leading and setting the bar.

The men also anticipate solid performances in the field events from junior Hunter Orahood and his ever-improving high jump, while sophomore Issac Herrera will compete for the long jump title. The men’s team has a posse of Gauchos competing in the 1500-meter: including strong freshmen runners Mike Chavez, Chris Ashley, Stew Harwell, Mike Powers and Micah Tyhurst. Sophomores Loren Bland, Carter Phelps, Ben Berkowitz and juniors Alex Cardiasmenos and Jason Boyce will join the young Gauchos in the race.

Many of UCSB’s top athletes will compete in the three-day event at Mount San Antonio College. The outstanding Gaucho distance runners will battle with top runners from all over the nation. For the men, seniors Chris White, Pablo Gallegos and David Monico along with junior Jeff Gardina have been invited to race. White was named Big West Track Athlete of the Week for his first-place finish April 10 in the Big West Challenge Cup. The women will enter senior Tiffany Armel and juniors Desiree Leek and Cosette Smith. On Saturday, Haapanen will do what she does best in her field events.

In Sunday’s middle distance carnival, UCSB looks forward to an exceptional performance from senior Jasmine Washington in the 400-meter dash. Washington has also received recent acclaim. The heart of the Gauchos was named Big West Female Track Athlete of the Week. At the Challenge Cup, she broke the 200 record, tied her own 400 record and set a new record for the second leg of the 4×100 relay. Freshman Lauren Christman will be a driving force for the Gauchos in the 800 and sophomore Roseann Peters should compete well in the 1500. For the men, junior Ben Armel and sophomore Tetlo Emmen will run the 800, leaving sophomore Scott McConville as the lone Gaucho running the 1500.