Riverside Defeats Pepperdine (148-9) and UC Riverside (91-69), Loses to CSU Fullerton (77-83) Saturday

RIVERSIDE -- Defeating two of three NCAA Division I opponents, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's track and field team had a solid outing in a non-conference quadrangular meet Saturday (Mar. 5) at legendary Arthur N. Wheelock Stadium on the RCC campus.

Host Riverside downed Pepperdine, 148-9, and also defeated UC Riverside, 91-69, but RCC lost to Cal State Fullerton, 83-77.

Among the RCC highlights, sophomore distance runner Josh Silva (Corona / Corona HS '14) -- who is pictured (center, #2) -- won the 1,500 meters (4:01.75), sophomore Alberto Rodriguez (San Jacinto HS) and freshman Supervoid Mack (Moreno Valley / Citrus Hill HS '12) finished 1-2 in the 800 meters at 1:55.43 and 1:55.88, respectively.

Other RCC highlights included first-place finishes by sophomore Anthony John Soriano (Santa Ana / Eastvale - Eleanor Roosevelt HS '13) in the high jump (6' 5"), long jump (23' 8-1/4"), triple jump (46' 7"); and freshman James Jones (Bremerton, WA / Olympic [WA] HS '11) in the discus throw (151' 1").

"It was great to see the guys continue to step up and improve week to week," said fourth-year RCC throws coach Nick Robinson.

Complete results may be found at http://www.finishedresults.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/rcc4-way.htm

Riverside will next compete in the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Multi-Event Championships which will be hosted by Orange Coast College (OCC) in Costa Mesa on Wednesday-Thursday, Mar. 9-10, at 8 a.m.

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Riverside is the only community college in the nation to have such a meet against NCAA Division I competition this season, let alone against three teams. In the past, RCC has hosted a NCAA Division I team for a dual meet.

"This is a feat," said RCC ninth-year head men's track and field coach Jim McCarron. "We have had division 1 universities come over to our place to have a dual meet. Last year, the men won this meet against UCR (Pepperdine did not attend last year), but this year it will be much closer," concluded McCarron.

As a sidenote, former RCC tracksters Matt Vasel and Jacob Porter, who also competed as prepsters at Martin Luther King, Jr., High School in Riverside, are currently competing at UC Riverside and competed against RCC.

Both Vasel and Porter were on the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state championship teams for RCC in 2013 and 2014.

Additionally, Vasel is the most recent recipient of the scholar-athlete of the year award at UCR. Vasel also in contention for a similar award for the Big West Conference. 

While at RCC, Vasel was an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) champion in the 400 meters, 4x400-meter relay, the 4x100-meter relay and an All-America honoree in the 4x100M relay.

Vasel also is helping coach at his alma mater, King.

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