LONG BEACH, Calif. - Championship season begins tomorrow as the Big West Conference heptathlon and decathlon competition commences with Day One action at Long Beach State.
The ten-event test for the men begins with the 100 meters at noon, while the women open action thirty minutes later with the 100 hurdles.
In arguably the deepest decathlon field in conference history, five athletes have lifetime bests of over 7185 points.
Long Beach State junior Ryan Gregory logged a conference-leading 7557 points in late March at the Texas Relays, with UCSB senior Brad Thomas right behind him in the same competition at 7538.
UC Irvine Senior Max Daniels, who was third in this meet a year ago, has a lifetime best of 7435 points. Jeremiah Havens of UCSB (7282, 4th here a year ago) and Long Beach State stand out Milo Orona (7185, 5th) will battle for vital team points in the two-day decathlon.
On the women’s side, two time defending Champion Jolie Robinson of UC Irvine and defending Sunbelt conference Champion Claudine Raud-Gumiel of Long Beach State have the top lifetime best scores.
Robinson scored 5489 at the Bryan Clay combined events in April while Raud Gumiel, a transfer from Louisiana Monroe, has a best from 2024 of 5496.
– Matt Farmer
