[Schroeder71]

http://www.calbears.com/sports/c-tra...120712aae.html

Wow-this is potentially the best track & field recruit class in eons! Maybe this group will be the foundation for a turnaround in the fortunes of the T&F programs-both mens and womens-at Cal...GO BEARS!

[OBear073akaSMFan]

Originally Posted by Schroeder71

http://www.calbears.com/sports/c-tra...120712aae.html

Wow-this is potentially the best track & field recruit class in eons! Maybe this group will be the foundation for a turnaround in the fortunes of the T&F programs-both mens and womens-at Cal...GO BEARS!

yes, they have some pretty good recruits especially in the weights (w&m) and women's mid to long distance runners. Perhaps it has something to do with the new weight coach John Dagata. It remains to be seen how well the athletes develop under coach Sandoval's guidance.

I'm more excited on the return for the women Deb Maier, Sofia Oberg , Chioma Amaechi, and the continual improvement of Kelsey Santisteban who had a fantastic XC season. For the guys glad to see Ray Stewart, scott Esperaz and Monte Corley return from LY injured or RS'd year. Their big question, with the exception of the hurdles, can the guys finally get a sprinter/long dashes (100-800) into the finals of the Pac-12 championships. Sadly and UNBELIEVABLE it hasn't been done for the last 3 Pac-10/12 championships.

Some missing TF athletes from last year women: Aziza Baker LJ/HJ/TJ) ,Gia Trevisan (200-400, Ashley Smith (former HS wonder), and especially Angela Weaverr -??? (400h). Is this listing for the indoor season only and will they be added later for the outdoor season. Hopefully it is for the latter.

[barabbas]

I can hear it now, the excuses from Tony Sandoval regarding injuries that will doom this season. Cal T&F needs new leadership, if it is to be taken seriously.

[longseeker]

Some nice recruits---especially the weight women from Georgia. Also a move up on some California prospects. But the top Cal state performers still go elsewhere.

When I was at Cal (much too long ago) we would get a lot of cream-of-the-crop T&F athletes (Don Bowden, Forest Beatty, Leamon King et al. But that was then and this is now.

I would love to see us get some top sprinters with times like 10.4 20.7 46.0 in mens' sprints and women 11.1 22.9 50-51.0! Maybe some foreign elites.

The large contingent on our teams is great and would be helpful in dual meets, but we don't have a lot of dual meets.

USC, UCLA, Stanford and Oregon get elite athletes that can score points in the PAC12 and NCAA's. These athletes have the marks in events that our coaches have to work doubly hard to bring into competition.

I suppose we will never be the power in T&F the way our Swimming program excels. But overall Cal still has very strong strong athletic programs nationally.

[OBear073akaSMFan]

Originally Posted by barabbas

I can hear it now, the excuses from Tony Sandoval regarding injuries that will doom this season. Cal T&F needs new leadership, if it is to be taken seriously.

..but Sandy has re-signed Tony to another 3 or 4 years, so she must not care much about the program. Whoa..slap my wrist...I'm sounding like TrackLife (hahahaha).

[TrackLife]

Originally Posted by OBear073akaSMFan

yes, they have some pretty good recruits especially in the weights (w&m) and women's mid to long distance runners. Perhaps it has something to do with the new weight coach John Dagata. It remains to be seen how well the athletes develop under coach Sandoval's guidance.

I'm more excited on the return for the women Deb Maier, Sofia Oberg , Chioma Amaechi, and the continual improvement of Kelsey Santisteban who had a fantastic XC season. For the guys glad to see Ray Stewart, scott Esperaz and Monte Corley return from LY injured or RS'd year. Their big question, with the exception of the hurdles, can the guys finally get a sprinter/long dashes (100-800) into the finals of the Pac-12 championships. Sadly and UNBELIEVABLE it hasn't been done for the last 3 Pac-10/12 championships.

Some missing TF athletes from last year women: Aziza Baker LJ/HJ/TJ) ,Gia Trevisan (200-400, Ashley Smith (former HS wonder), and especially Angela Weaverr -??? (400h). Is this listing for the indoor season only and will they be added later for the outdoor season. Hopefully it is for the latter.

Agreed on ALL counts OBear.
It's up to Tony Sandoval and his staff to develop these young athletes.
They have a freshly resurfaced track, so they can't blame the track for any injury "bug" should one occur.

Aside from some of the top-ranked throwers, it seems to me that this is a fairly typical recruiting class for Cal.
Hopefully the kids can stay healthy, including jumper Malaina Payton and hurdler Ray Stewart.