Story amended to reflect updated team scoring results.

SAN DIEGO – Freshmen jumpers Nick Samuels and Nick Heid came up big for the Cal State San Marcos men's track & field team, posting strong performances to lead the Cougars to a fourth-place finish at the Ross and Sharon Irwin Collegiate Scoring Meet at PLNU Track at Point Loma on Saturday.

The Cougars finished with 68 points, three points behind Concordia (Calif.). California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) rival UC San Diego totaled 199 points to pick up the victory.

Samuels posted personal bests in three events on the day, placing second in the triple jump (13.64m), seventh in the long jump (6.23m) and ninth in the high jump (1.71m). Samuels' mark in the triple jump is the fifth-best in the CCAA this year and the long jump leap hit the CCAA Championships qualifier. For Samuels, the long jump is his second conference qualifier, having previously hit the mark in the triple jump.

Heid finished third in the high jump, leaping a personal best 1.91m, a mark that is fifth-best in the CCAA this season.

The relays also performed well, with the 4x400m squad of senior Aaron Hickman and freshman Shea Vavra, sophomore Nathan Hale, Jr. and freshman Casey Cruz posting a time of 3:25.11 to finish second, while the 4x100m relay team of sophomore Bryce Johnson, sophomore Tyler Luis, freshman Antonio Riggins and freshman Brian Wright took third with a mark of 43.46.

Senior Josh Maffei bettered the school record he established in the shot out two weeks ago at the Cal State LA Invitational, throwing 13.63m to improve his previous mark by 0.18m. The throw was good for seventh overall.

Johnson finished fourth in the 110H with a personal best time of 14.91, the fifth-fastest time in the CCAA this year. Johnson also qualified for the CCAA Championships in the 200m (22.93), posting a personal best in the process. He is now qualified in three events, having previously hit the standard in the 100m and 110H.

Riggins qualified for the CCAA Championships in the long jump with a personal best mark of 6.24m that was good for a sixth-place result.

In the 1500m, four Cougars posted CCAA qualifiers, led by Vavra's personal best time of 3:59.22 that placed him eighth overall. Vavra was followed closely by Cruz, who finished ninth with a personal best of 3:59.42. Senior Ryan Maize (4:01.81) and sophomore Joe Gonzalez (4:03.76) closed out the qualifier run for CSUSM, finishing 11th and 13th, respectively. For Cruz (800m), Maize (3000m steeplechase) and Gonzalez (5000m), it is the second event they have qualified in.

Next week the Cougars will head across town to San Diego State to compete in the 39th Annual Aztec Invitational on Friday, March 24 at the AzTrack on the SDSU Sports Deck.

Men's Team Results
1. UC San Diego – 199
2. Navy – 190
3. Concordia (Calif.) – 71
4. CSUSM – 68
5. Bethel (Minn.) – 60
6. The Master's College – 40
7. Biola – 36
8. Westminster (Utah) – 20
 
Men's Individual Results
100m
1. Paul Doan (UC San Diego) – 10.60
15. Bryce Johnson (CSUSM) – 11.20 (PR)
17. Tyler Luis (CSUSM) – 11.23
26. Brian Wright (CSUSM) – 11.56 (PR)
28. Antonio Riggins (CSUSM) – 11.71 (PR)
 
200m
1. Demetrius Lanier (Navy) – 21.49
19. Bryce Johnson (CSUSM) – 22.93 (PR)
25. Caine Harder (CSUSM) – 23.26 (PR)
 
400m
1. Nathan Gainey (Navy) – 48.14
15. Aaron Hickman (CSUSM) – 52.00
18. Caine Harder (CSUSM) – 52.79 (PR)
19. Nathan Hale, Jr. (CSUSM) – 52.94 (PR)
 
800m
1. Jared Senese (UC San Diego) – 1:55.34
18. Joe Gonzalez (CSUSM) – 2:02.03 (PR)
22. Mark Werley (CSUSM) – 2:04.54 (PR)
 
1500m
1. Skyler Mikesell (The Master's College) – 3:55.43
8. Shea Vavra (CSUSM) – 3:59.22 (PR)
9. Casey Cruz (CSUSM) – 3:59.45 (PR)
11. Ryan Maize (CSUSM) – 4:01.81
13. Joe Gonzalez (CSUSM) – 4:03.76
28. Kevin Lehr (CSUSM) – 4:15.02
34. Jhair Torres (CSUSM) – 4:16.93 (PR)
35. Phillip Dorado (CSUSM) – 4:17.21 (PR)
36. Eric Constante (CSUSM) – 4:17.53
 
110H
1. Nicholas Rack (UC San Diego) – 14.59
4. Bryce Johnson (CSUSM) – 14.91 (PR)
 
4x100m Relay
1. Navy – 41.15
3. CSUSM (Bryce Johnson, Tyler Luis, Antonio Riggins, Brian Wright) – 43.46
 
4x400m Relay
1. Navy – 3:17.86
2. CSUSM (Aaron Hickman, Shea Vavra, Nathan Hale, Jr., Casey Cruz) – 3:25.11
 
Long Jump
1. Randy Copeman (UC San Diego) – 6.75m
6. Antonio Riggins (CSUSM) – 6.24m (PR)
7. Nick Samuels (CSUSM) – 6.23m (PR)
9. Tim Stalboerger (CSUSM) – 5.98m (PR)
12. Nick Heid (CSUSM) – 5.93m (PR)
 
Triple Jump
1. Khalil Flemister (UC San Diego) – 14.19m
2. Nick Samuels (CSUSM) – 13.64m (PR)
3. Antonio Riggins (CSUSM) – 13.34m
 
High Jump
1. Luis Carson (UC San Diego) – 1.96m
3. Nick Heid (CSUSM) – 1.91m (PR)
9. Nick Samuels (CSUSM) – 1.71m (PR)
 
Shot Put
1. Joseph Loy (Navy) – 16.99m
7. Josh Maffei (CSUSM) – 13.63m (SR/PR)