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COLLEGE TRACK AND FIELD For Raiders, a homecoming SOU track and field team set to host meet for first time in five years Comment By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 8:49 PM By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 8:49 PM » Social News Southern Oregon University track and field coach Grier Gatlin remembers the last time the Raiders hosted a meet because he was here, coaching another team. What does he remember about March 23, 2010? It was cold, as March tends to be in Ashland. And then there were the runways for the jumps and the pole vault. Those lanes were even worse than the weather. “They were coming up in chunks,” said Gatlin, who returned to his Alma mater in 2011 after spending two years at OIT as an assistant. “We could have had a couple track meets here two or three years ago, but the jumps were literally a hazard. It became a safety issue.” Not anymore. Southern Oregon will host a track and field meet for the first time in five years on Saturday, when it unveils its brand new facilities at Raider Stadium during the SOU Raider Open. Field events for the seven-school meet are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and running events start at 11 a.m. Southern Oregon will also host the Cascade Conference Championships for the first time since 2003, May 8-9. Corban University was originally slated to host the conference meet but couldn’t secure a facility in time. That was fine by Gatlin, who said the Raiders are excited about the opportunity to, for the first time at SOU, perform in front of family and friends locally. “The kids are really looking forward to it,” Gatlin said. “We’re the two-time defending Cascade Conference champions on the men’s side, so we have really good athletes and they’ve never competed in front of their friends.” Also, added Gatlin, the Raiders will finally be able to kick the tires, for real, at their newly-renovated home. “It’s rare to see a brand new track facility,” he said. “It was such a big project. Any time you get to run on something this new it’s really nice. Most of the facilities we go to are great, but they’re also 20 to 30 years old.” Most of the renovation was done months ago and the field has already been used for football and soccer games, but until Saturday the track and field team has only been able to practice at Raider Stadium. The first events of the day will be the men’s shot put, javelin, pole vault and high jump and the women’s hammer and long jump, which begin simultaneously. The running events begin with the men’s 4x100-meter relay followed by the women’s. The final event of the meet will be the men’s 4x800 at 4:15 p.m. The meet will give SOU fans to watch senior Amelia Maguin, who has won three CCC women’s track athlete of the week awards and owns the 25th fastest 400 hurdle mark in the country (59.07 seconds) regardless of classification. Gatlin said both men’s hurdle races should also be entertaining, as well as all of the women’s distance races. “The 1,500 and the 5,000 are all going to be good,” he said. Besides Southern Oregon the meet will feature athletes from Oregon Tech, Humboldt State, Northwest Christian, Lane Community College, College of the Siskiyous and Southwestern Oregon Community College. The women’s 5,000 figures to be a barnburner so long as the top distance runners from each school line up. Northwest Christian’s Shea Vallaire is ranked 10th in the NAIA 10k, NWC’s Alyssa Harmon is ranked sixth in the 5k and Oregon Tech’s Mary Matchett is ranked 13th. In the 1,500, SOU record-holder Jessie Rozario will take on Oregon Tech’s Susie Garza, who’s ranked ninth in the NAIA. Seven SOU men’s distance runners have already qualified for the NAIA championships and all will be in action Saturday, as will Raider sprinters JJ Latu and Hayden Saparto — currently the top two 100 runners in the conference. Southern Oregon thrower Markus Sanders, who has qualified for nationals in both the discus and hammer, will also compete. “The kids are really excited,” Gatlin said, “and that’s really fun to see.” Joe Zavala can be reached at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 8:49 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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