Both of the Humboldt State University Outdoor Track & Field Team will return to the track after a year and half break due to the pandemic this Thursday and Friday, March 18 and 19 as the Lumberjacks will be in Ashland, Ore., when they participate in the Southern Oregon University #1 Meet.

“After a long time off from competition, and with intermittent training throughout the year, our athletes are hungry to hit the road and get back to doing what they love,” said Humboldt State head men’s and women’s track and field coach Sarah Ingram. “Despite the many COVID-19 changes to the season, having competitive opportunities will be really physically and mentally rewarding. Nine days on the road together, packed with 6 days of competition - it’s going to be a fun experience to build camaraderie within our different training pods, and I am sure will provide our team with memories for a lifetime.”

Besides competing against the hosts, Southern Oregon Raiders, HSU will face athletes from Bushnell University, Oregon Tech University and Umpqua Community College.

After Southern Oregon, the Lumberjacks will continue their seven-meet schedule with two tri meets against Western Oregon in Monmouth, Ore. The two teams will face each other on March 20 and 23, along with Oregon State women on the 20th and Pacific University men and women on the 23rd. HSU will return to Ashland for its final meet in March, before taking the two-week break, to participate in the Southern Oregon University Meet #2 on March 25-26, which also includes a heptathlon/ decathlon.

“On the road, we will be looking to continue building upon our technical skills in our events, and most importantly, we’ll get to feel that gritty competitive drive that motivates us to put in the work when we get back home again,” noted Ingram. “The competitive spirit is difficult to cultivate with so much uncertainty all of the time in all of our lives lately, yet it’s what really drives us to become great at whatever we choose to do. It’s also what makes us feel most alive and happy, and I am so grateful that our student-athletes are getting the chance to tap into that energy again.” 

 Humboldt State will return home for a month before returning to Oregon for its final meets of the season.  The Lumberjacks will participate in the two-day Raider Invitational on April 23-24 in Ashland, Ore.  Once again, they will travel north up Interstate 5 for their next meet this time in Salem, Ore., as the ‘Jacks will participate in the Willamette Dual.  HSU will finish up its regular season with on April 30-May 1 at the Oregon State University High Performance Meet in Corvallis, Ore.

 On both the men’s and women’s teams, the Lumberjacks look to combine their returners with a slew of newcomers.

 The Lumberjacks are a very young squad, with most of our returners only freshmen and sophomores, due to last season being canceled and everybody getting that eligibility back. So, HSU is really looking for experience, and figuring out as a team what kind of culture they want to set. Last week the track and field teams had their annual Green & Gold scrimmage, and this was the Lumberjacks’ first look at who stepped up to compete. Due to the county restrictions, the ‘Jacks weren’t able to contend the distance events, but in the power sprint/hurdle/jump & throw events, we had a few athletes really shine.

 In the throws, Kegan Richards took first in both the shot put and discus, and set a new personal best by roughly ten-feet in discus. Richards is graduating this spring, and the coaching staff is expecting some really big marks from him this year with all the time he’s dedicated to his strength training throughout the year. Freshman Chance Hefter, redshirted last year, and is also expecting to make a big impact in the throws this spring. Junior Terrence Allen only got one meet in for the Green & Gold before the season was cut short last year, but he is expected to provide some all-around throws points in the hammer, javelin, and shot put, also setting a new personal best last week in the hammer throw. Newcomer transfer Benjamin Lindsey is leading the team in javelin. Returner Beka Baur leads the women’s throws in the shot and disc this spring, but she’ll be sitting out this first road trip as she’s returning from injury. College of the Redwoods transfer, Savannah Henninger will make an impact in hammer.

 On the track and in the jumps, returning freshmen Joy Hano and Gracie Kasberger posted impressive performances at the Green & Gold and set some new personal bests, Joy winning the 100m, 200m, 60m hurdles, and Long Jump and Gracie winning the 400m. Despite being freshman themselves athletically, these returning ladies are taking on leadership roles within the program and taking our true freshmen under their wing. Newcomer freshman Christina Roberds is also looking fast and healthy, and is going to see big improvements in her hurdles race this season. On the men’s side, newcomer freshman Paul Domingue swept the 100m, 200m, triple jump, and high jump, also setting a couple personal bests. It is evident that Paul is motivated and has been putting in the work in the off-season.

 The coaching staff is excited to see what he’ll be able to accomplish in this short spring season, and they expect big things from him throughout his Lumberjack career. Additional newcomer transfers expected to make an immediate impact are decathletes, Henry Hagen and Travis Allen (older brother Terrence is a thrower), and all-around jumper Jackson Miller.         

Green & Gold rosters:

Green  - 80 points                   Gold – 89 points for the win!

Beka Baur                                Christina Roberds

Joy Hano                                 Gracie Kasberger

Lilyahna Engrebretsen            Savannah Henninger

Valerie Heywood                    Zoe Becker

Violeta Gutierrez                    Isaac Figueroa

Benjamin Lindsey                    Henry Hagen

Chance Hefter                        Jared Del Real

Jackson Miller                         Nolan Smith

Kegan Richards                       Paul Domingue

Rory Bourdage                        Shane Oliver

Ryan Castro                             Terrence Allen

Travis Allen