SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Cal State Stanislaus will be well-represented next week in San Angelo, Texas, as five Warriors qualified for the NCAA Division II Men and Women's Track and Field National Championships, to be held May 21-23, hosted by Angelo State.
Pole vaulter
Rosemary Feikert, thrower
Jasimen Bailey and middle distance runner
April Montgomery will represent the women's team, and pole vaulter
Kasey Burlingham and hurdler
Halihl Guy will compete for the men's squad.
Feikert, a senior from Concord, is a returning All-American, having finished eighth with a jump of 11 feet, 10 1/2 inches in the 2008 national championship at Mt. San Antonio College. Her mark this season of 3.85 meters, or 12-7 1/2, has her entering the championship ranked 11th in the nation. The women's pole vault leader heading into next weekend's meet is Katelin Rains of Minnesota State-Mankato, who has cleared 4.10 meters, or 13-5, this season.
"(Feikert) is incredible how focused she could be academically and athletically. She's amazing," said Cal State Stanislaus head track and field coach Geoff Bradshaw. "She had a streak of four weeks where she PR'd every week. Usually athletes don't ascend like that."
Cal State Stanislaus will have another pole vaulter on the men's side in Burlingham, a junior from Alta, who set a new school record in the pole vault and automatically qualified for the championship with a vault of 17-6 1/2 just a week ago at the Sacramento State Invitational. Burlingham enters the meet ranked second in the nation behind Grand Valley State's Bryant Wilson, who has cleared 5.5 meters, or 18 feet, 1/2 inch, this season.
"He's been phenomenal," Bradshaw said of Burlingham. "He has stood up big time. The man has been (a) total team guy. Coach (Tom) Brenda has been very, very good at keeping (the pole vaulters) consistent.
Bailey's story is perhaps the most inspirational, as she qualified for the national meet on her last discus throw ever as a Warrior at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships last week, only to realize that she would get a chance to throw a few more after she hauled off a school-record toss of 155-10. Bailey, a senior from Tulare, has been with the Warriors since her freshman year, setting school records and earning CCAA Freshman of the Year accolades, but this will be her first trip to the national championship. This season's national leader in the women's discus throw is Ashley Stephens of Western State, who has thrown 176-10.
"That was so clutch," Bradshaw said of Bailey's throw. "Way to make it on her last throw. She had doubts whether she was going to compete this year," Bradshaw said of Bailey. "As quiet as she is, she does a lot outside of school. To take on as much as she does and still compete at a high level (is impressive)."
Montgomery, a senior from San Diego, came to Cal State Stanislaus a year ago as a transfer from CCAA rival Sonoma State and carrying a personal best of about 2 minutes, 16 seconds, in the 800-meter run. Working with Cal State Stanislaus' last great female 800 runner and now distance coach Diljeet Taylor has whittled Montgomery's time down to 2:12.30 this season, good enough for a No. 14 seed in the women's 800m championship next week. The women's 800 national leader is Ashley Puga of Northwest Nazarene, who has turned in a 2:05.23 this season.
"That was phenomenal," Bradshaw said of Montgomery's progression. "April has paced herself all year. She wants to be a front runner. For her, it's been all about confidence."
Guy, a junior from Oakland, held the No. 1 spot in the 400m hurdles for most of the outdoor season until finally being overcome by several athletes toward the end of the season, the time for most to peak and set personal records. Even so, Guy will still enter the championship as a top-five contender, sitting at No. 5 with a time of 52.45 in the event.
"Halihl was sitting at No. 1 and now the target is off his back, so now he can chase the big guys down," Bradshaw said. "He still has something to prove."
The event is scheduled to take place May 21-23 at the LeGrand Sports Complex in San Angelo, Texas.