TRACK : CSUN Places 2nd in Eventful Meet

Before last weekend’s California Collegiate Athletic Assn. track championships at CSUN, Northridge Coach Don Strametz said that defending men’s champion Cal State Los Angeles was the heavy favorite. He added, however, “that anything can happen.”

Just about anything did as CSUN placed second behind Cal State L.A. by only eight points, 175-167. While CSUN athletes were turning in one personal best after another, Cal State L.A. was self-destructing.

Cal State L.A. apparently had won the 400-meter relay (41.00), but the Golden Eagles were disqualified for passing the baton out of their zone, giving second-place CSUN (41.03) the victory. In the 1,500, Tony Young, Cal State L.A.’s two-time defending CCAA champion, was cruising to victory, but he tripped and fell with 15 meters left in the race, allowing a surprised Will James of CSUN to win with a personal best of 3:46.31.

Freshmen Chris Fisher, Tyrone Jeffries and Walt Stewart also qualified for the NCAA Division II championships.

Darcy Arreola led CSUN (146) to second place behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (256), which won its sixth straight conference title in the women’s meet.

CSUN’s Strametz was named CCAA men’s Coach of the Year on Sunday. He was named the women’s Coach of the Year in 1986.