PCAA Track : Irvine Men in Second in PCAA Track

The UC Irvine men’s track and field team is in second place after the first day of the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. meet at Logan, Utah.

Irvine’s Gus Quinonez won the 10,000 meters in 31 minutes 34.11 seconds, and Pete Vicencio finished second in 31:36.35, helping the Anteaters score 42 points. It was the third time in three years that Quinonez has won the event in the PCAA championships. Fresno State, the five-time conference champion, leads after four final events with 55 points.

Sal Rodriguez, who won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:16.54, and Pat Alduenda, who took the pole vault with a jump of 15-9, also won events for Fresno State.

Irvine’s Erik Kenyon also vaulted 15-9 but was second because Alduenda had fewer misses.

Mike Morales broke a 10-year-old Irvine record by throwing the hammer 197-feet 5-inches, taking second place behind Fresno’s Mike Ostrom, who threw 212-6. Larry Shrader set the previous Irvine record of 196-3 in 1978.

In the women’s competition, Fresno, the defending champion, leads with 57 points. San Diego State is second with 36, followed by Irvine with 19.

The Irvine women’s team also went one-two in the 10,000. Beth McGrann won in 37:41.93, just ahead of Becki Van Zant in 37:59.97.

Lacy Branes of Fresno set a PCAA meet record in the discus with a throw of 204-1. Barnes held the old record of 190-7, set at last season’s meet.