Cougar Track & Field Makes Push for WSC Title
COC's mens team will enter the WSC Championships trailing West L.A. College by 13 event points.
By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director
SANTA BARBARA — The Cougars' men's track & field team finished the first day of the Western State Conference (WSC) Prelims & Championships second in the team standings with freshman Jordan Palmer having already claimed an individual title in the shot put.
Palmer's throw of 14.94m (49' 0.25") easily topped the field to give COC 10 early event points and Palmer a WSC championship. The freshman is also expected to contend for the regional and state shot put championship later this season. He later finished runner-up in the discus at 44.64m (146' 5"), good for eight more event points and the No. 11 ranked throw in the state so far this season.
Canyons scored points in the long jump with Delon Buncio (6.57m/21' 6.75") and Andrew Mercado (6.51m/21' 4.25") taking fifth and sixth, respectively. Both will join Palmer in moving on to compete at the CCCAA Southern California Regional Championships next month.
The long jump, shot put, and discus were among the five events that crowned a champion during last week's meet at Santa Barbara City College. All other events served as prelims for the WSC Finals to be held at Moorpark College on Friday.
The Cougars will have athletes competing in 17 spots across 13 events. COC (25) currently trails only West L.A. College (38) heading into the finals portion of the meet. Moorpark (24), Bakersfield (23), Cuesta (22), Glendale (20) and Ventura (19) follow closely in what Canyons head coach Lindie Kane predicted would be a very closely contested meet.
COC women's team scored four points with sophomore Amanda Finn's fifth-place run in the 10,000m (43:41.98). She will also move on to compete at the CCCAA Southern California Regionals. The Lady Cougars are currently eighth in the standings but have secured 12 qualifying spots in eight events at Friday's meet.
Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.