Track and Field: Big West Awards

Hot off the heels of LBSU Men's Track and Field program winning the Big West Championship, top honors have been awarded to the 49ers with Colin Dunbar taking home Field Athlete of the Year and head coach Andy Sythe taking home his third Big West Coach of the Year award.

Dunbar, a senior thrower, had an outstanding season, being named Big West Field Athlete of the Week on four separate occasions. Most recently, he won both the discus and hammer throw at the Big West Championships to propel Long Beach State to the conference title. He placed third in the shot put and seventh in the javelin, becoming only the second athlete in conference history to score in all four throwing events.

Throughout the season, Dunbar established lifetime bests of 223-06 in the hammer throw, 177-5 in the discuss, and 55-02.75 in the shot put.

After leading the men's track and field team to a Big West Championship Coach Sythe was awarded BW Coach of the Year for the third time, his first since 2008. LBSU claimed five individual titles at the league meet as well as the decathlon event, earning the most points by a club since the last time the 49ers won the BW title in 2008.

LBSU track and field now moves on to the NCAA West Preliminary rounds May 26-28 in Eugene, Ore.

Big West Athlete of the Week (4.11): Colin Dunbar

Colin Dunbar is selected as the Big West Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Big West Cup Challenge on 4.8.11. Dunbar's performance in the hammer at the event earns his spot in the LBSU history books as he is second only to Bill Green. Watch Colin talk about representing LBSU and how to throw shot put.

Student Athlete of the Week: Ceasar Puga (4.11.11)

Track and Field Discus and Shot Put extraordinaire Ceasar Puga is this weeks Long Beach State student athlete of the week. Puga's impressive performance helped lead LBSU set a meet record at the Big West Challenge Cup. Ceasar gave the Black and Gold Insider a few moments of his time to talk about his accomplishments on the track.

Cesar, you are Long Beach State's student athlete of the week for your performance at the Big West Challenge Cup, how does it feel to receive these honors?
It feels great, I was really happy when I found out that I was athlete of the week. I know that there were a lot of other athletes excelling in their sport and for me to get the award makes me feel good.

Not many people are familiar with your events, shot put and discus, how do you prepare for them?
One very important aspect of our training is our weight training. We spend almost as much time lifting weights as we do practicing our technique and throwing. We spend a few hours going over our technique, and a few hours throwing. It is important to be strong and explosive and it is also important to have technique.

Outside of track, what are your passions in life?
Well, one of my passions is exploring different restaurants from many different cultures. I enjoy trying all sorts of different food. I would have to say my favorite foods would have to be steak and seafood.

What is your major, what do you plan to do after graduation?
My major is Communication. What I plan on doing is working in the police force, but not as a regular patrol officer. I want to work for either the SWAT or the FBI or something along those lines.

What does it mean to bleed Black and Gold?
Bleeding Black and Gold means having pride and loyalty in my school and giving 100 percent effort in competitiveness.

Big West Track and Field Athletes of the week (3/21/2011)

For back to back weeks, Colin Dunbar and Tara Ross were named the men's and women's Big West Field Athletes of the Week the conference office announced Wednesday afternoon.

At the USC Invitational last Friday, Dunbar finished third overall in the hammer throw with a lifetime-best 213-06. That mark also ranks him third in school history. The following day, Dunbar competed in the shot put, discus and javelin at the Aztec Invitational. The Santa Barbara, Calif., native notched a runner-up performance in the shot put with a personal-record 54-05.50, while placing 12th in the javelin (159-00) and 13th in the discus (149-00).

Ross, meanwhile, was Long Beach State's top finisher in the women's javelin at the Aztec Invitational as she took second with a season-best 160-00. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native now ranks fourth on the 49er all-time charts.