The Long Beach track and field world lost one of its most beloved and respected coaches two weeks ago with the passing of Chucky Hampton following an illness.

Hampton, a 1994 alum of Long Beach Poly, was a jumps coach who mentored and coached many of the city’s best and brightest athletes over the last two decades. No matter what school an athlete went to, Hampton loved working with Long Beach kids, whether as a club coach at the youth level, or with the city’s best high school leapers.

Poly coach Crystal Irving paid tribute to Hampton, who passed away shortly the Poly boys won a CIF-SS title, and Wilson won the girls’ title (with Poly in second).

“I went to visit him and took the CIF trophy to share the good news and pray and love on him,” she said. “Yesterday morning, God said it is time to go home with him. Your job here is done. I don’t know how we got through the season or even the day, just had to keep pushing for the kids.”

Irving remembered Hampton’s ability to look at an athlete and imagine a brilliant future for them based on their physical gifts.

“Just an amazing coach to youth and college athletes, he managed to bring out the best in each one he coached,” she said. 

Hampton competed for Poly in high school, then at LBCC where he was the MVP in 1997. A two-time Moore League long jump champ, he was the recipient of the Mark Carrier Award and Leon Foreman Award at Poly. An assistant coach with Poly, Wilson, Cabrillo and many other schools through the years, Hampton had been on the staff at Cerritos College for the last two decades, coaching eight individual state champions as well as 27 SoCal and conference champs.

Hampton’s coaching legacy was felt up in Clovis at last weekend’s CIF State Finals, where one of his many mentees, Loren Webster, brought home a long jump state title for Wilson just days after his passing. 

Known for a personality as bright as his coaching acumen, Hampton’s many athletes flooded social media with tributes to Hampton and his impact on their lives.

“Words can’t express the gratitude that I have for Coach Chucky, rest easy,” wrote Poly alum and UCLA long jumper Jade McDonald. 

Poly alum and Texas A&M All-American Zhane Smith is now a pro jumper. She wrote, “You made such an impact on so many lives, especially mine. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. Really the only person who still believed in me till this day. I promise to finish the job we started together.”

A strong testimony came from Poly alum Ariana Washington, a high school and college All-American, champion, and Olympian.

“My first coach–you always gave me everything you had and pushed me to do the same in everything I ever did. Your voice in my head got me through many workouts even in college. I’ll never forget any of our conversations and many moments when I needed a kick in the ass or a reminder of who I was. I felt so proud coming home after Rio to see you at the jumps pit…

“I’ll never understand what you and your mom saw in me as a little 8th grader at a middle school track meet that I ran in with not a lick of practice–you told my mom you’d guarantee I would go to college for free if I joined the Long Beach Sprinters. You were right, like you always were about many things. You were a genius.

“I will forever remember you for all that you are: unapologetic, loud, motivating, and selfless. LOVE YOU FOREVER + REST IN HEAVEN COACH CHUCKY.”

Service info is pending and will be posted when available.

EUGENE, OR – Coming off a stellar performance in the East Regionals in Jacksonville, hammer thrower Alex Kristeller competed in the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, OR on Wednesday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

·      The Graduate Student from Wilkes Barre, PA concludes his career donning the Green and White by competing in the Finals Round of the Men’s Hammer and threw 61.07m.

·      Last week in the Southeast, Kristeller performed exceptionally well by throwing a top distance of 64.99 to clinch a spot in the finals weekend, edging out Virginia Tech’s Lukas Baroke.

·      Kristeller became the second Jasper to take on the national field in Eugene, following former teammate RJ Decker who secured 17th place nationally in 2024.

·      His personal best in the hammer remains at 66.90m, which he set at the Larry Ellis Invitational, hosted by Princeton in 2024.

QUOTE FROM THE JASPERS:

“Alex has had an outstanding career and has a lot to be proud of.” Said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field, Kerri Inman. “He represents the Jaspers well.”

ANCHORAGE – The Alaska Anchorage volleyball team will take the Alaska Airlines Center court a record 17 times in 2025 as head coach Stacie Meisner unveiled the Seawolves’ upcoming schedule Wednesday.

UAA’s 16 regular-season home matches are the most slated since the arena’s opening in 2014, and the most for any Seawolf team since 1999.

“We are really excited to host some great competition for our fans early this season with the Alaska/Hawaii Challenge and the return of our Seawolf Invitational,” said Meisner, whose program led NCAA Div. II last season with over 1,600 fans per contest. “It should bring some energy to campus to start the year and put us in position for some great crowds when we hit conference play.”

Following the Aug. 23 Seawolf Alumni exhibition match, UAA will host key West Regional matches Aug. 28-30 against Hawaii Pacific, Chaminade and Hawaii Hilo in the Alaska/Hawaii Challenge, presented by Alaska Airlines. That event also includes Alaska Fairbanks against the Islands schools.

Three more non-conference tests await the next week when Biola, Cal State San Marcos and Minot State visit for the Seawolf Invitational, Sept. 4-6.

UAA concludes the non-league slate with three matches – including a showdown with Cal State San Bernardino – Sept. 11-13 in Fairbanks, before beginning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference campaign with a Sept. 18 road match at Seattle Pacific.

UAA hosts Western Oregon on Sept. 25 in its league home opener, and Saint Martin’s two nights later. Other key home dates include Oct. 16 against defending GNAC champ Central Washington, Oct. 31 against Alaska Fairbanks, Nov. 8 against traditional rival Western Washington, and Nov. 22 for senior day against Seattle Pacific.

Should the Seawolves advance to the NCAA West Regional Championships, those matches would be held Dec. 4-7 at a to-be-determined site.

Full-season and single-match tickets go on sale later this summer. Check GoSeawolves.com for updates and more information.

 

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) has announced the final standings for its Program of the Year Awards. The Carroll College Men finished the 2024-25 season in fourth place in the final standings.

Fresh off of a program-best team finish at the 2025 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship, the Fighting Saints were recognized with a top-five finish in the final USTFCCCA Program of the Year standings – another program-best.

The USTFCCCA Program of the Year Award honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year (spanning the cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field seasons) based on the institution’s finish at their respective Championships.

Fueled by a bevy of All-American performances and individual titles, it was a banner year for the Carroll Men, as the Cross Country team, and both Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field teams placed inside the top-12 team scores at their respective championship events.

The Men’s Cross Country team, paced by All-American Zack Gacnik (Confier, Colo. / JR), completed the National Championship 8k course with the fastest team time in school history (2:05:53). The 12th place finish at the national meet was the program’s best since the 2015 season.

The superb year continued on for the Saints at the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships, as Weston Means (Billings, Mont. / SO) captured Carroll’s first individual title since 2022 with a school record High Jump of 2.15m (7′ ½”). Three other Saints grabbed All-American honors at the championship (Gacnik – 5000m | Krack, Monaco – Heptathlon), leading Carroll to an 11th place finish.

2024-25 culminated with a Frontier Conference Championship, a pair of individual champions, and a top-five finish at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Means successfully defended his High Jump crown, sweeping the yearly competition. Tucker Monaco (Bakersfield, Calif. / JR) earned All-American honors in both the Pole Vault (8th place) and Decathlon (3rd place). Josh Smalley (Missoula, Mont. / SR) ended his career with an All-American 6th place finish in the Pole Vault. Reuben Hornby (Kalispell, Mont. / JR) finished runner-up in the Javelin, while Brycen Garnder (Spokane, Wash. / JR) placed fifth in the 3,000m Steeplechase. Carson Krack (Whitefish, Mont. / FR) was outstanding, winning the Decathlon as a true freshman, to help vault the Saints into their highest team placement in program history.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the Championships. Scoring is based on the team’s finish at each Championship in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field (i.e. 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points … 31st = 31 points) with the lowest total score for all three championships combined determining the award winner. Ties among schools split points for positions taken.

To view the full USTFCCCA release on Program of the Year honors across all divisions of collegiate athletics, click HERE.

Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll College Athletics.

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Fernandes joins the Salukis from Morgan State where she was a key outside hitter for the Bears. The Brazil native put down 167 kills during her junior season in 2023, including a season-high 12 against South Carolina State on Oct. 1. She began her career at Odessa College where she was an All-American Honorable Mention in 2022.

“Ainara is joining us as a grad transfer and will provide some more experience and depth on the pins,” Head Coach Brittany Harry said. “I have a long knowledge of Ainara and her level of play back when she competed for Odessa College at the beginning of her college career in the U.S. She has a really high volleyball IQ and we will look for her to contribute immediately for us in Carbondale.“

Fernandes also shined off the court, receiving a Student Award of Excellence at Odessa College and Morgan State, while making the Dean’s List during her junior and senior seasons.

Nevaeh Laster will not have to move very far, transferring from John A. Logan College. The Mattoon, Ill., native tallied 167 kills and 129 blocks in two seasons with a .370 hitting efficiency. Her 2024 season was her most impressive she put down 126 kills and 98 blocks with a .384 efficiency.

“We are excited to add Neveah for some more depth in the middle,” Harry said. “She had a really nice JUCO career down the street at John. A Logan where they went 51-16 in her two years there. She has a high athletic ceiling and when you couple that with the winning mentality she has that is a great recipe for success.“

Her sister Ella plays volleyball at Rend Lake College in Jefferson County, Ill.

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