Event: Husky Classic
Where: Dempsey Indoor – Seattle, Wash.
When: Saturday at 8 a.m.
Who to watch: Records generally elicit a lot of pride and excitement, but for sophomore Jonathan Peterson, setting the school record for the indoor 3,000m is just another step in the right direction.
“I went out there and tried to run fast,” Peterson said, “and I guess that’s what you get when you accomplish what you intend to do. It’s nice to know that you’ve got it, I guess.“
This time out, he’s shooting for a time close to 8:00 flat, which is right around what it will take to qualify for the national championships.
“It’s going to be about a sub-64 for each 400m,” Peterson said, “and with the right race, hopefully I can hang on and go out there and do what I intend to do.“
Did you know? Though originally a jumper, sophomore Ray Green is starting to impress on the track.
“You should see him roll,” coach Jon Vochatzer said. “He’s just learning how to run the 200. He will probably go mid-21 and mid-to-low-48. I think right now his forte is the triple jump, but with the talent he has he can be a very, very good sprinter.“
Preview: Two weeks ago the Aggies brought four 400m runners to Seattle, but they ended up not running the 4x400m relay. But this time the quartet of Green, Nolan Frazier, Micah Grant and Thomas Philips are going to put together what could be one of UC Davis‘ finest long relays to date.
“They are so anxious to run the 4×4,” Vochatzer said. “My hope is 3:13 or better. I think if they have good exchanges where they are really rolling they are going to have a good meet.”
Though UC Davis is only in its second year of Division I indoor track and field – and isn’t even in an indoor conference – coaches around the country are beginning to notice the Aggies.
“What’s kind of fun is watching the other coaches going, ‘Man, you got a great team this year. They look good, they look tough, you’re going to have a great year this year,‘” Vochatzer said. “It’s nice seeing that, you know?”
-Alex Wolf-Root
