June 7, 2008

SANTA CLARA, Calif.- The Santa Clara outdoor track team's fourth season came to a successful close with numerous personal and school records being broken along the way. It was also a historical season as well, with Santa Clara sending its first runner to the NCAA West Regionals in the history of the program.

Head coach Tom Service was very satisfied with the 2008 season, stating, "This season was a good step in a very positive direction for us this year. We become more competitive every year, and having a runner qualify for the NCAAs really opens the doors for everyone in the program."

Recap for 2008 Outdoor Track Season
The Santa Clara Broncos competed in a total of eleven events this season, including hosting their first track event in the history of the four-year program, the SF Dual. In total nine school records were set in 2008, and senior Michael Delaurenti became the first Bronco runner in Santa Clara history to move onto the post season at the NCAA West Regionals, finishing 25th overall.

Delaurenti Races into Post Season
For senior Michael Delaurenti, his last season as a Bronco will be a season to remember. Delaurenti made Santa Clara history by becoming the first Bronco to qualify for the NCAA West Regionals in the men's steeplechase, which he had been working for during the entire season. Delaurenti first qualified for the NCAAs after winning first place at the Brutus Invitational at Cal-Berkeley in late April with a time of 9.06.84, which is also an all-time school record. He placed 25th at the NCAA West Regionals with a final time of 9:15.42, his second best time of the year and marking the end of an incredible career as a Bronco.

Bronco Women Dominate Season
The Bronco women were a force to be reckoned with this season, combining to break six school records in all. In the short distances, freshman Jacqueline Lynch recorded 27.46 in the 200 M and junior Anna Wheatley broke the 400 M hurdle record with a time of 1:06.39. Lynch, sophomore Joanna Gistand, and freshman Jennifer Hinds and Kazimir Brown broke the school record for the 400 M relay in 50.32 seconds. For the long distances, sophomore Stephanie Wilson broke the 3000M record in 10:21.28. Junior Veronica Vazquez completed the 5000 M in a record time of 17:24.07, and senior Danielle Miller broke the women's steeplechase record in 11:18.39.

Men's Team Improves Their Times
The men's team made some contributions to the Santa Clara record books as well this season, mostly on the long distance side. Apart from Delaurenti's record in the men's steeplechase, sophomores John Laughlin and Alex Harkins, junior Ben Synder, and freshman Robert Reid broke the record for the 1600M relay. Freshman George Sanchez also broke the record for the 100 M with a recorded time of 11.51.

Young Team Looks towards the Future
With the largest incoming class for both the cross country and outdoor track teams coming onto the Mission Campus next fall, both teams are ready to move onto the next level in their upcoming fifth season. Sixteen new runners will join the Bronco family next fall and the coaching staff is excited to see what next year will have in store.