Some exceptional performances took place by Long Beach State and UC Davis representatives en route to Big West Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors.
UC Davis freshman
Anthony Easter (Eastvale, Calif./East Roosevelt HS) garnered his first career Big West Men’s Track Athlete of the Year award on the strength of three solid efforts at the Trojan Invitational. Easter dominated the 400-meter hurdles, coming away with a first place finish in a personal-best time of 51.96. His time is No. 1 in the Big West by 1.4 seconds. Easter replaced his previous best mark of 52.37 set at the Cal Opener earlier in March. That mark also places Easter at No. 5 on the UC Davis best marks list. In addition, Easter posted a fourth place finish in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.62 seconds, and was a runner-up in the 4x400 meter relay (3:15.86).
Long Beach State junior
Courtne’ Davis (Riverside, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt HS) took on top competition at the Arizona State Baldy Castillo Invitational, and impressed en route to Big West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week accolades. Taking on marquee talent from Texas A&M, Arizona State, Louisville, UNLV and Northern Arizona, Davis posted a wind legal time of 23.31 in the 200-meter dash, which crushed her personal best of 23.68. It elevated Davis into the circle of the top 200m sprinters in Big West history, in the neighborhood of conference 200m record holder Inger Peterson (UNLV), who set the mark of 23.20 in 1984. Davis moved up to No. 2 in the LBSU record book with that performance, trailing by .05 seconds the school record holder Andrea Lynch (1978), an Olympian from Canada. Davis also placed second with a time of 11.54 in the 100-meters and in the 4x100 meter relay (45.15). In both the 100m and 200m, Davis beat out Candice Hill of ASICS, the 2016 IAAF World U20 champion and World Junior record holder.
A first place finish from UC Davis junior
Steven Childs (Canyon Country, Calif./Canyon HS) propelled him to Big West Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. Childs won the long jump at the Trojan Invitational with a leap of 24-9.00 (7.54m) – the top jump in the Big West this season – and the fifth-best in Aggie history. Childs leads the Big West long jump list by 3 and 1/2 feet.
Long Beach State junior
Bria Palmer (Moreno Valley, Calif./Cerritos College) won her event at the Arizona State Baldy Castillo Invitational to capture Big West Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. Palmer cleared 5-08.75 (1.75m) to claim first place in the high jump, as she defeated the top jumpers from Texas A&M, Arizona State, Louisville, South Dakota and North Dakota. It was the second victory for Palmer in two competitions this season. Her mark also put her at No. 2 in the Big West, No. 4 in the NCAA West Region and No. 10 in the NCAA.
Others nominated (Men’s Track): Kent Harris (Long Beach State)
Others nominated (Women’s Track): Samantha Huerta (Cal State Fullerton); Haley Adel (UC Davis); Persis William-Mensah (UC Irvine)
Others nominated (Men’s Field): Josh Carr (Long Beach State); Seth Enochs (UC Irvine)
Others nominated (Women’s Field): Lily Lowe (Hawai‘i)