AUSTIN, Texas – If everything is bigger in Texas, then CSU Bakersfield senior Thomas Judge (Bakersfield, Calif., Garces HS) has proven he is even better in Texas. For two seasons in a row, Judge has claimed Great West Conference Championships in the hammer throw by winning the event at the GWC Championships held in Humble, Texas.
Now, Judge is returning to Texas to compete again, this time at the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary Round May 23-25. While the stage is even bigger in the preliminary round, Judge will once again be aiming to do even better in Texas.
The meet, which will be hosted by the University of Texas and be held in Austin, Texas, will feature the top 48 athletes in the Western United States in each event. Judge hit the qualifying mark with a toss of 194 feet, 5 inches, which was his best toss of the year, occurring at the Ben Brown Invitational on March 9. Judge is seeded 47th entering the meet.
The first round of the men's hammer competition will begin at 2 p.m. CDT (or noon Pacific time) on Friday. The three-day competition will take place at Mike A. Myers Stadium. In the hammer, the 16 best marks, after tiebreakers, will qualify from the first round of three preliminary attempts to the final round of three tries. The top 12 scores advance to the 2013 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 5-8, 2013.
Judge has had an impressive career for CSUB that includes setting the Great West Conference men's hammer record of 184-02. Earlier this month, while defending his crown, he broke his own record with a throw of 190-09. Judge's career-best mark of 194-05 ranks 10th best in school history. CSUB legendary thrower and longtime former head coach Alan Collatz, who oversees throwers as Coach Emeritus, is traveling with Judge and will be coaching him in the preliminary round.
FOLLOW JUDGE AT THE NCAA PRELIMINARY ROUND
Live results of the competition are available and links with video streams are included below:
VIDEO STREAMING
Friday, May 24: http://ulive.cbssports.com/index-ncaa.html?media=388919
Saturday, May 25: http://ulive.cbssports.com/index-ncaa.html?media=388920
~www.GoRunners.com~
