TEMPE, Ariz. – As the weather warms and the flowers begin to blossom, the Arizona State track and field program begins to get antsy as it means the long-awaited outdoor season has arrived. Like every March, the Devils jump into the outdoor season at home, as they host the Baldy Castillo Invitational on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 at Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium.
Director of track and field Greg Kraft refers to this time of the year as the regular season, as the last two and a half months have been essentially a spring training for the squad.
"For us, the indoor season helps teach our athletes how to compete and get ready to compete," said Kraft. "Now that we're going to the outdoor season, all of them have at some point competed outdoors. They're a little bit more of in their comfort zone and little better prepared from the competitive standpoint from their experience. I really enjoy the outdoor season because I think it's really where our sport was meant to be."
The outdoor season brings rare events that only exist under the sun, and draws out athletes that compete in just those events – or are at least their primary field. For example, the outdoor season brings the hammer and discus throw, as well as the javelin in the field events.
On the track, the always-entertaining 3,000-meter steeplechase – which consists of runners leaping over barriers into a pool of water – features 2016 All-American CJ Albertson. The indoor season also trades in the 60-meter dash for the 100-meter dash – which was won by former Sun Devil Reggie Lewis at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
"Our sport is really built for outdoor track and field," said Kraft. "When you try to build your program, you really try to build it for the spring season. From indoors, you're trading in the distance medley for a 4x100 relay, so when you look at that event, we're the conference champions in the 4x1. You add points there, and you add events like the javelin, the hammer throw, the discus, the steeplechase. Any time you add events that are technical, we like to believe that plays to our strength. One, we have very good coaches that are technical – not that others in our conference aren't – and one of the reasons you see so many people here with golf clubs and to watch spring baseball is we have the ability to get more work in with our weather. So that's something we sell is that our athletes get quality repetition."
This year's Baldy Castillo Invite marks the 21st season of the event, and will feature Air Force, Iowa, Kentucky, Loyola (Ill.), Ohio State, Oklahoma, North Dakota State, South Dakota, Texas A&M, Minnesota (M) and Utah (W).
"A lot of credit needs to go to Jeremy Rasmussen for the tremendous job he's done with our outdoor home meets," said Kraft. "A lot of kudos needs to go to him for taking over our home events – they've never been better. We look forward to showcasing our sport to our local fans and treating them to some outstanding collegiate track and field."
Events begin on Friday at 1:40 p.m. (PT) with the field events while the track events begin at 7 p.m. (PT). Saturday starts at 10:30 a.m. (PT) with the discus throw, and the men's 110-meter hurdles kick-off at 2 p.m. (PT).
The live stream will feature the track events on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m., and live results can be found here.
Director of track and field Greg Kraft refers to this time of the year as the regular season, as the last two and a half months have been essentially a spring training for the squad.
"For us, the indoor season helps teach our athletes how to compete and get ready to compete," said Kraft. "Now that we're going to the outdoor season, all of them have at some point competed outdoors. They're a little bit more of in their comfort zone and little better prepared from the competitive standpoint from their experience. I really enjoy the outdoor season because I think it's really where our sport was meant to be."
The outdoor season brings rare events that only exist under the sun, and draws out athletes that compete in just those events – or are at least their primary field. For example, the outdoor season brings the hammer and discus throw, as well as the javelin in the field events.
On the track, the always-entertaining 3,000-meter steeplechase – which consists of runners leaping over barriers into a pool of water – features 2016 All-American CJ Albertson. The indoor season also trades in the 60-meter dash for the 100-meter dash – which was won by former Sun Devil Reggie Lewis at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
"Our sport is really built for outdoor track and field," said Kraft. "When you try to build your program, you really try to build it for the spring season. From indoors, you're trading in the distance medley for a 4x100 relay, so when you look at that event, we're the conference champions in the 4x1. You add points there, and you add events like the javelin, the hammer throw, the discus, the steeplechase. Any time you add events that are technical, we like to believe that plays to our strength. One, we have very good coaches that are technical – not that others in our conference aren't – and one of the reasons you see so many people here with golf clubs and to watch spring baseball is we have the ability to get more work in with our weather. So that's something we sell is that our athletes get quality repetition."
This year's Baldy Castillo Invite marks the 21st season of the event, and will feature Air Force, Iowa, Kentucky, Loyola (Ill.), Ohio State, Oklahoma, North Dakota State, South Dakota, Texas A&M, Minnesota (M) and Utah (W).
"A lot of credit needs to go to Jeremy Rasmussen for the tremendous job he's done with our outdoor home meets," said Kraft. "A lot of kudos needs to go to him for taking over our home events – they've never been better. We look forward to showcasing our sport to our local fans and treating them to some outstanding collegiate track and field."
Events begin on Friday at 1:40 p.m. (PT) with the field events while the track events begin at 7 p.m. (PT). Saturday starts at 10:30 a.m. (PT) with the discus throw, and the men's 110-meter hurdles kick-off at 2 p.m. (PT).
The live stream will feature the track events on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m., and live results can be found here.