Performing at an elite level is nothing new to Hart High and College of the Canyons alumnus Tim White.
The now-redshirt junior at Arizona State University has been competing at a high level in the triple jump since finishing second in state as an Indian, winning state as a Cougar and going on to compete on national and international stages.
Now, in between football duties where he will be the Sun Devils’ top returning wide receiver next season, White won the NCAA West Preliminary Round in the triple jump Saturday with a mark of 16.43 meters (53 feet, 11 inches).
With the prelim regional win, White joins the top-24 triple jumpers in the country in the NCAA Division I 2016 Track and Field Championships at the University of Oregon on June 8.
“He was already working towards this direction and taking it to another level,” said College of the Canyons track and field coach Lindie Kane, who will be making the trip to Eugene, Oregon, for the finals. “We’re just so excited. It’s a very special event. It’s a different type of event. It’s very demanding on the legs, especially for a dual-sport athlete.”
White ranks second overall among the DI triple jumpers. South Florida University’s Matthew O’Neal has the top-seed, jumping 17.01 meters in the NCAA East Preliminary Round. White defeated the third-overall jumper, Texas A&M’s Latario Collie, in the west prelims (16.37 meters).
White was the only Santa Clarita Valley track and field athlete to advance beyond the NCAA preliminaries.
Former Saugus thrower and Cal State Northridge junior Daniel Swarbrick missed the cut to the NCAA finals with a 16th place finish in the men’s discus throw. His mark of 55.36 meters (181-07) left him just outside of the top 12 finishers. He finished 34th in the men’s hammer throw with a 58.83 meter (193-0) mark.
West Ranch grad and University of Southern California freshman Nathan Bultman hit his top mark in the hammer. His 60.02 meter (196-11) throw was good for 27th. Bultman finished 43rd in the discus (45.04 meters, 147-09) and did not record a throw in the shot put after fouling out.
Valencia alumna and UCLA senior Faith Anumba’s 5.88-meter mark (19-03.5) in the long jump placed her 22nd in the West prelims.
Golden Valley grad Chelsey Totten completed the 5,000-meter run in 16:54.35 for a 25th regional finish for Arizona State University.
College of the Canyons
Eight athletes competed at the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships on May 21, including Canyon grad Jason Hillquist.
The sophomore earned a state title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:04.04.
Kaitlyn Matthews tied for third place in the high jump at the CCCAA State Championships. Her mark of 1.64 meters secured the freshman JC All-American honors.
Saugus grad and COC distance runner Jessica Ruiz also earned All-American honors with a 11:36.16 mark in the 3,000 steeple. Ruiz (18:35.30) finished seventh in the 5,000, followed by teammates Alexandra Whitman (10th, 19:11.18) and Amanda De Jesus (11th, 19:18.66).
Lizeth Flores, De Jesus and Chelsea Wells nabbed top-12 finishes in the steeple. Flores was seventh (11:54.19), De Jesus was 10th (12:16.67) and Wells clocked in at 12:22.47 for an 11th place finish.
Canyon grad Mari Kneisel placed fifth with a 5.39 meter-mark in the long jump.
