After a strong weekend at the California Collegiate and Sam Adams Combined Events, both women's and men's USC Track & Field teams continue their climb in the USTFCCCA rankings. Led by Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Week Tera Novy, who broke her school record in the discus to win at the California Collegiate, and Amalie Iuel, who scored the third-most heptathlon points ever by a Trojan at the Sam Adams Combined Events, the Women of Troy are No. 2 in the country in the second official poll of the 2016 season.
Novy, who won the discus with a throw of 196-6, was one of four Trojan women to place first in an event at the California Collegiate. Junior Cameron Pettigrew won the 400m in 54.84, freshman Mikaela Smith won the 800m in 2:07.71 and sophomore Rebekah Ent won the women's 1500m race with a time of 4:33.44. At the Sam Adams Combined Events, Iuel finished first in 800m (the heptathlon's final event) to finish fifth overall with 5,799. Her total is the most by a collegiate athlete in the heptathlon this season.
The Women of Troy weren't the only one clinching first place finishes and PRs last weekend however. The Trojan men had three event champions at the California Collegiate, a performance which helped push the team to No. 13 in this week's national ranking. Sophomore Nick Ponzio won the men's discuss (179-5) and men's shot put (62-8.75) while the men's 4x100m relay quartet won in 3:15.57.
There is still a long way to go for the ranked and ready USC Track & Field team before championship season arrives, including competition in the Pepsi Invitational (Eugene, Ore.), Beach Invitational (Long Beach), Bryan Clay Invite (Azusa) and Mt. SAC Relays (Cerritos) all happening in the next two weeks.
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