The Chico State women's track & field team was all set to travel to Sacramento this weekend to participate in the Hornet Invitational, only to find out just days ago that the meet had been canceled. Now faced with a huge hole in the their schedule and little time to fill it, the Wildcats scrambled to find another event in which to compete. As it turns out, the 'Cats did secure a meet—while at the same time cutting their travel distance in half. Chico State will be in Marysville this Friday and Saturday as part of the Wildcat Cup Invitational, taking place at John Orognen Stadium on the campus of Yuba College.
The Wildcat Cup Invitational is based around schools whose track & field programs feature coaches that are Chico State alumni. It's that connection that allowed the Wildcats to be a last-minute addition to the meet, and as a result the women's track & field team will get to this compete this week instead of having to wait until late March for the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and Stanford Invitational.
Fans can keep up with the results online, with the leader board link available on the Wildcat Athletics website and on the women's track & field schedule page.
Wildcats head coach Veronica Graves will be sending 35 women's track & field athletes to Marysville. The women's pole vault kicks off the Wildcat Cup Invitational competition Friday at 3:30 p.m., with Elise Barnum, Samantha Brackett, Shelby Gill, Rebecca Graham, and Carissa Rodriguez representing Chico State. The women's hammer throw also begins at 3:30 p.m., with a quartet of 'Cats—Ava Cavallaro, Citlalli Fernandez, Sara Filter, and Josie Peterson—set to take part.
Saturday the Wildcats will compete throughout the day in 17 different events beginning at 12 noon. The first running event of the afternoon will be the 3,000-meter steeplechase, with the women's discus the initial field event of the day. The Chico State women's track & field team will conclude the Wildcat Cup Invitational Saturday at 3:20 p.m. by taking part in the 4x400-meter relay.
Here is the Wildcat Cup Invitational's schedule of events:
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
3:30 p.m. — Women's pole vault (men's pole vault to follow)
3:30 p.m. — Women's hammer throw (men's hammer throw to follow)
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
Running events
12:00 p.m. — 3,000-meter steeplechase
12:05 p.m. — Women's 4x100-meter relay (men's 4x100-meter relay to follow)
12:10 p.m. — Women's 1,500-meter run
12:20 p.m. — Men's 1,500-meter run
12:30 p.m. — Women's 100-meter hurdles
12:40 p.m. — Men's 110- meter hurdles
12:50 p.m. — Women's 100-meter dash
1:00 p.m. — Men's 100-meter dash
1:10 p.m. — Women's 400-meter dash
1:20 p.m. — Men's 400-meter dash
1:30 p.m. — Women's 800-meter run
1:40 p.m. — Men's 800-meter run
1:55 p.m. — Women's 400-meter hurdles
2:10 p.m. — Men's 400-meter hurdles
2:15 p.m. — Women's 400-meter hurdles
2:20 p.m. — Women's 200-meter dash
2:30 p.m. — Men's 200-meter dash
2:40 p.m. — Women's 5,000-meter run
3:00 p.m. — Men's 5,000-meter run
3:20 p.m. — Women's 4x400-meter relay
3:30 p.m. — Men's 4x400-meter relay
Throwing events
12:00 p.m. — Men's shot put (women's shot put to follow)
12:00 p.m. — Women's discus (women's javelin to follow; men's discus follows women's discus; men's javelin follows women's javelin)
Jumping events
12:00 p.m. — Men's long jump (women's long jump to follow)
12:00 p.m. — Men's triple jump (women's triple jump to follow)
12:00 p.m. — Women's high jump (men's high jump to follow)
The following is a complete listing of Wildcat women's track & field athletes competing in the various Wildcat Cup Invitational events:
Hammer (Friday) — Ava Cavallaro, Citlalli Fernandez, Sara Filter, and Josie Peterson
Pole vault (Friday) — Elise Barnum, Samantha Brackett, Shelby Gill, Rebecca Graham, and Carissa Rodriguez
100m dash — Mary Casserly, Alexis Hinojosa, Jessica James, and Teresa Vasconcellos
200m dash — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Annie Belter, Mary Casserly, Jessica James, Taylor Lee, Natalie Muse, Talyn Steffens, Chloe Taylor, and Teresa Casconcellos
400m dash — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Kaitlyn Gonzales, Taylor Lee, and Chloe Taylor
800m run — Natalie Dinin and Katie Hawley
1,500m run — Gracie Dupuis, Jasmine Fletcher, Katie Hawley, Avery Lambrite, and Jennifer Ruiz
5,000m run — Gracie Dupuis, Avery Lambrite, and Jennifer Ruiz
100m hurdles — Annie Belter and Alexis Hinojosa
400m hurdles — Alyssa Evans and Selina Schillig
3,000-meter steeplechase — Marissa D'Atri and Hannah Wirth
4x100m relay — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Jessica James, and Chloe Taylor
4x400m relay (Team A) — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Taylor Lee, and Chloe Taylor
4x400m relay (Team B) — Jessica James, Mary Casserly, Teresa Vasconcellos, and Annie Belter
4x400m relay (Team C) — Talyn Steffens, Selina Schillig, Alyssa Evans, and Alexis Hinojosa
High jump — Annie Belter, Hunter Casperson, Kendra Pearson, Talyn Steffens, and Victoria Celine Vally
Long jump — Samantha Brackett, Ashley Brown, Natalie Muse, and Talyn Steffens
Triple jump — Natalie Muse
Shot Put — Ava Cavallaro, Citlalli Fernandez, and Sara Filter
Discus — Ava Cavallaro, Citlalli Fernandez, and Sara Filter
Javelin — Annie Belter, Ashley Brown, Hunter Casperson, Josie Peterson, Selina Schillig, and Talyn Steffens
