Firestorm Win Their First GSAC Track Championship
Santa Barbara, Calif.- For the first time in program history, Arizona Christian Men’s Track & Field won the GSAC Championship hosted at Westmont on Friday and Saturday. The Firestorm claimed eight individual/relay GSAC Championships.
Senior Jullian Coronado earned the fastest man in the GSAC honors by winning both the 100 and 200 meter races. Freshman Justin Redmon won the 400 meter race. Senior Zak Kleppe continued his GSAC dominance in the 110 meter hurdles. Freshman Joshua Collier claimed the 400 meter hurdle championship. Sophomore Ben Ply was crowned the GSAC champ in the javelin. Sophomore Shaun Wahlstrom chucked his discus the furthest to become the GSAC Champ. Coronado and Kleppe teamed with Junior Charles Proby and Freshman Justin Frahm to win the 4×100 relay.
After finishing second to Westmont the last two completed seasons, the ACU program that started in 2013 completed the climb to the top of the GSAC track mountain. The Firestorm ended a reign of seven consecutive GSAC championships by the Westmont Warriors.
Event Details
- Competing teams (with team scores): Arizona Christian (282), Westmont (206), The Master’s (105), William Jessup (86), OUAZ (72), Vanguard (54), and Hope International (18)
- Location: Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA
Top Five Finishes/ NAIA Cuts/ Records
- 100m- Coronado- 10.65 (1st/GSAC Champ)
- 100m- Kleppe- 10.72 (2nd)
- 100m Greg Tremble– 11.15 (5th)
- 200m- Coronado- 21.81 (1st/GSAC Champ)
- 200m- Kleppe- 21.87 (2nd)
- 200m- Charles Proby– 22.89 (5th)
- 400m- Redmon- 50.07 (1st/ GSAC Champ)
- 400m- Jayson Rucker– 50.79 (3rd)
- 100m Hurdles- Kleppe- 14.66 (1st/ GSAC Champ)
- 110m Hurdles- Collier- 15.98 (3rd)
- 110m Hurdles- Nick Perez– 16.96 (5th)
- 400m Hurdles- Collier- 57.22 (1st/ GSAC Champ)
- 400m Hurdles- Daryl Moppins– 1:02.15 (4th)
- 400m Hurdles- Perez- 1:02.26 (5th)
- 4×100 Relay- Proby, Kleppe, Frahm, and Coronado- 41.64 (1st/GSAC Champ/School Record)
- 4×400 Relay- Proby, Jordan Clayton, Rucker, Redmon- 3:20.45 (2nd)
- 4×800 Relay- Donavan Joseph, Reggie Robinson, Tim Williams, Clayton- 8:26.20 (2nd)
- High Jump- Carlos Ordaz– 6-02.75 (2nd)
- Pole Vault- Ply- 13-07.25 feet (2nd)
- Pole Vault- Tyler Black– 11-07.75 feet (5th)
- Long Jump- De’Von King– 19-09 feet (4th)
- Triple Jump- King- 42-00.75 feet (2nd)
- Shot Put- Jamel Shaw– 43-01 feet (2nd)
- Shot Put- Shaun Wahlstrom– 37-07.75 feet (3rd)
- Shot Put- Lorenzo Cantoja– 34-02.75 feet (5th)
- Discus- Wahlstrom- 139-10 feet (1st/GSAC Champ)
- Discus- Shaw- 127-08 feet (2nd)
- Discus- Cantoja- 107-04 feet (5th)
- Hammer- Cantoja- 115-01 feet (2nd)
- Hammer- Matt Totah– 105-06 (3rd)
- Hammer- Shaw- 87-01 feet (5th)
- Javelin- Ply- 164-00 feet (1st/GSAC Champ)
- Javelin- Wahlstrom- 153-09 feet (3rd)
- Decathlon- Ply- 5266 points (2nd)
- Decathlon- Tommy Cruz– 4548 points (5th)
Thoughts from Coach Campbell
“This has been a long time coming, we have had athletes working for years for this day. So proud of the Firestorm men… how they acted… how they treated their competitors and the officials… and each other. They won the correct way. Could not be prouder.”
Next On The Schedule
The qualifying Firestorm will move on to the Men’s NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Gulf Shores, AL. The NAIA will host the championships at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium on May 26-28.
