T-Birds add two qualifiers at Gaucho Invite

Glendale, Ariz. - The track & field team competed in the Gaucho Invitational on Saturday at Glendale CC, with two new national qualifying marks earned by the men's team. Other teams competing in the meet were host school GCC, Central Arizona College, Paradise Valley CC, Phoenix College, and Pima CC.

In the men's 800-meter run, Andrew McCumber (1:56.28), Geoffrey Grossthal (1:57.05), Youtel Garcia (1:58.07), and Caden Resendez (2:00.51) ran a composite 4x800 relay time of 7:52.11, which earns them a national qualifying mark for the event. Resendez also won the 1500-meter run with a personal-best of 4:05.35. In the men's pole vault, Lofton Thomas (15 feet, 7 inches) and Hyrum Broby (14 feet, 7.25 inches) placed 1-3, with Broby hitting the national qualifying mark for the first time this season and Thomas improving his mark. Other event winners on the men's team were Desmond Lott in the discus throw (152 feet), and Noah Miller in the shot put throw (48 feet, 2 inches).

Mary Siml (4:51.42) and Ellis Collins (4:57.33) placed 1-2 in the women's 1500-meter run and improved upon their national qualifying marks in the event. Siml also won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:25.63. Other event winners on the women's team include Kassidy Faraci in the javelin throw (111 feet, 6 inches), and Janie Tenney in the pole vault (11 feet, 0.25 inches).

This brings the season total to 14 individual athletes and one relay team who are now qualified for the 2021 NJCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships, which is scheduled to take place May 11th-13th at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.

The T-Birds wrap up their regular season next Friday, April 16th, when they host the Mesa Invitational. Field events start at 4:30 PM and track events start at 5:30 PM.

Complete Gaucho Invitational Results