SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco State Director of Athletics Stephanie Shrieve-Hawkins announced today that San Francisco State will bring back men's track & field and that the team will begin competition immediately this season.
"We have such a rich history and tradition of track & field and cross country here at San Francisco State," said Shrieve-Hawkins, "It is exciting for the men's cross country student-athletes to have this opportunity to compete in the spring track meets in distance events. This not only adds to their training and success in their events, but contributes to attracting a diverse population to our campus. This step in the inclusion of the male runners under the Track and Field umbrella is an organic piece to the growth of the overall program."
The men's track & field team returns after boasting decades of success from 1931 to 2004. The Golden Gators won 10 conference championships, including the 1998 NCAC Championship in the conference's final year before SF State joined the CCAA. SF State made 21 NCAA Championship appearances, and finished 13th in 1963, which was the best team result in program history. Bob Parker won the individual NCAA National Championship in javelin in 1974 and Steve Koel followed in 1986 with another individual championship in javelin. Koel was inducted in to the San Francisco State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Gators will open up the season this Friday, February 22 at the East Bay Quad Meet at Chabot College. The CCAA Championships kick off on May 2 in La Jolla, California, and the NCAA National Championships will be from May 23-25 in Kingsville, Texas.
"I'd like to thank President Wong and Stephanie for recognizing the value of having a men's track team," said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Tom Lyons. "We will draw more student-athletes to the campus and it will enable our men's cross country student-athletes to have a spring season. I'm happy for the men to get this opportunity to represent SF State in track & field this year and beyond. Friday will be a big deal for both teams and all the men and women who have put on a track & field uniform here in the past."
The team will be represented by cross country members Atzin Cardiel, Jacob Garrissere, Kenith Gonzalez, Adrihel Ibarra, Michael Kilgariff, Austin Magin, Joey Manahan, Austin Sanchez, Alex Tait, and Isiah Tulio. Other student-athletes include Tony Margiotta, Jacob Mendoza, Erik Ornelas, Johnathan Orozco, Jackson Redhair, Elias Rosales, and Peter Swinkels.
