Carroll, Lodge, Walker Knock Down School Marks
3/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Three members of the Pepperdine track team erased school records at this weekend’s Cal/Nevada Invitational hosted by UCLA. Bridgette Walker lowered her own 400-meter record by more than a second, Brieanna Carroll took down the 10,000-meter record and Lauren Lodge broke under the 4:40-mark (4:39.68) in setting a new standard in the 1,500-meter run.
“The race developed slowly as the top runners went out quick for the first 100-meters and that slowed down the pack badly,” head coach Robert Radnoti said of the women’s 1,500. “It looked like they wanted to turn the race into a kicker's race. So, after a first-lap split of 78 seconds, Lolo (Lodge) came back with a 72 second lap and that was a little fast. We had a good opportunity to discuss the race afterwards so that she can continue to learn from her experiences.”
Radnoti added that Lodge (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton HS) will debut in the steeplechase next week at Pomona. He believes she has a great chance at posting an NCAA qualifying time in this event.
The day prior, during Saturday night’s action, Carroll (Pusan, South Korean/Pusan American HS) placed seventh overall in the 10K with a time of 37:36.08. The old record of 38:05.07 belonged to Courtney Young, who set her mark at last year’s UCLA meet on April 11.
“We had a great plan for Brie to run consistent laps in the 6.2 mile race,” Radnoti said. “Brie was like a machine last night in the cool temperatures as she just kept clicking off 89-91 second laps and finished with a great kick to finish in 37:36, taking 27 seconds off this long race. This will probably be Brie’s first and last collegiate 10K as she wraps up an outstanding Pepperdine career. I am very proud of her.”
In the sprints, Walker (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS) recorded a 400-meter dash time of 58.12, which was more than a second faster than her previous school record of 59.37. She claimed this record for the first time just a few weeks ago at USC’s Trojan Invitational in becoming the only Wave in team history to slide under the one-minute mark.
Elsewhere on the track, sophomores Amanda Ajdari (Valencia, Calif./Hart HS) and Eric Magana (Whittier, Calif./La Serna HS) recorded season best times in the 100m and 800m, respectively, with times of 12.59 and 1:57.86. And in the 5K, sophomore Conrad Wozniak (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) finished the course with a lifetime best mark of 15:04.21.
Complete meet results can be found here.
