Saturday provided a home-field advantage of sorts for freshman Seanna Nalbandyan, one the Mustang track and field athlete has grown accustomed to.
So even though she was technically 75 miles north of her hometown, and even though she wasn’t running the event she specializes in, she still felt the rush of familial support as she won the 400-meter dash at the On Your Marks meet at Westmont College in Santa Barbara.
Six family members gathered to watch as the Canyon High of Santa Clarita graduate posted the third-fastest 400 time in TMU women’s history (59.84 seconds), taking first in the event ahead of runners from Bakersfield College, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Concordia University Irvine.
“They’ve always been there to support me,” Nalbandyan said. “It touched me when they came out to my first collegiate track meet. It made me want to run harder for them.”
Other Mustang highlights on a day meant as an early season tune-up included Tess Thompson’s time in the 60 meters (8.68) and the women’s 4×800 relay, where the Mustangs took second.
Nalbandyan’s meet-best time in the 400 came despite the fact she specializes in the 400 hurdles. At Canyon High last season, she won the Foothill League championship in the 100 and 300 hurdles. She finished eighth at the CIF Southern Section finals in the 300 hurdles.
That left few, well, hurdles in her way to coming to Master’s, where the coaching staff has built a strong relationship with Canyon’s staff over the years.
Some of TMU’s best athletes were once Cowboys. In fact, the program’s first woman to advance to the NAIA track nationals, Hayley Parkinson, came from Canyon, located nine miles from TMU’s campus.
Nalbandyan appears to have All-American potential, a hard worker with a goal and the talent to make it happen.
“Seanna has worked incredibly hard all fall and winter long,” said Master’s Coach Zach Schroeder. “Master’s sprints and hurdles coach Denean) Hill has done an outstanding job with her training. It’s fun to finally get to see her race.”
Does Nalbandyan believe she could be an All-American as soon as this year?
“I think I could do it,” she said. “I put in a lot of hard work, and I know it will pay off. If I have the Lord by my side, it will work out in the end.”
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
Head Coach Annett Davis could not have asked for a better schedule in terms of preparing The Master's University women's volleyball team for the challenges posed by the Golden State Athletic Conference and, hopefully, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics nationals.
The California State University, Northridge Softball team will host the first Gary Torgeson Golf Tournament Saturday, Sept. 3, at Los Robles Golf Course in Thousand Oaks.
Saugus High School’s cheerleading squads will host a youth cheer clinic fundraiser Sunday, Sept. 18, from 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m, for kindergartners through eighth grade.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 19 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 4,514 new cases countywide and 92 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The SCVEDC would like to congratulate everyone who made this years list of most influential leaders in the region, including our their President & CEO, Holly Schroeder.
The city of Santa Clarita welcomes residents to dispose of their used tires at the free tire collection event on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lila Littlejohn, a veteran journalist, journalism teacher and former editor of The Signal, died Sunday morning peacefully in her sleep at her home in Florida, according to family.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 13 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 2,335 new cases countywide and 53 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
On Tuesday, Aug. 9, the county of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved a resolution placing the Cannabis Tax Measure on the Nov. 8, 2022 election ballot for approval by voters.
Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley celebrates Women in Film with the "Lundafest 2022" screening on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Canyon Theater Guild in Newhall.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is hosting “Let’s Get Back to Screening!” a symposium for medical professionals and members of the public that will focus on the importance of early cancer detection.
Residents throughout the city of Santa Clarita regularly take advantage of the miles of paved off-street trails available for walking, running and cycling safely without having to worry about the hazards posed by vehicle traffic.
Head Coach Annett Davis could not have asked for a better schedule in terms of preparing The Master's University women's volleyball team for the challenges posed by the Golden State Athletic Conference and, hopefully, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics nationals.
California Credit Union encourages Santa Clarita Valley teachers who have an innovative class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its biannual Teacher Grant program.
Single Mothers Outreach has announced “Building Hope” as the theme for the 12th annual Empowering HeArts fundraising gala, set to take place on 6 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Santa Clarita Community Center.
1919 - Charles Kingsburry (Kingsburry House at Heritage Junction) arrives in Newhall to work on Power House No. 1 construction in San Francisquito Canyon [story]
Raising the Curtain Foundation invites all Santa Clarita Valley students in grades 4-6 to participate in a free theater workshop on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The California State University, Northridge Softball team will host the first Gary Torgeson Golf Tournament Saturday, Sept. 3, at Los Robles Golf Course in Thousand Oaks.
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
0 Comments
You can be the first one to leave a comment.