CANYON, Texas - The outdoor track & field season begins for LCU on Saturday, Mar. 18, as the Chaps head north for the WT Spring Break Classic.

The field includes the host Buffs, along with Eastern New Mexico from the Lone Star Conference. Division-I squad New Mexico State, fellow region foe New Mexico Highlands, and top JUCO program South Plains College will also compete in the event, among others. No live stream or live results will be available for the event, but fans can find live updates on Twitter via WT Track & Field at @WTAMUTrackXC.

After helping guide the men's track & field team to one of their most successful indoor seasons in program history George Garcia and Bryce Spencer were named LSC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Athletes to Watch by the conference.

At the Indoor National Championships, Spencer finished second in the weight throw, earning USTFCCCA First Team All-American honors. Spencer opened the day with a toss of 19.03 meters on his first throw, before slinging a throw of 20.98 meters, smashing his own school record set earlier in the season in the event by 1.36 meters. The mark also set a new facility record for the Virginia Beach Sports Complex, beating the old mark of 20.28 meters set by Troy Yearwood of North Carolina. Spencer faulted on his final throw, but took his heat by 0.54 meters, beating out Dominic Nutter of Walsh.

After the final eight throwers competed in the second heat, Spencer advanced to the finals sitting in second-place overall. The Sundown, Texas native faulted on his final three throws, but only Ben Haas got as close as 0.32 meters to the senior, and Spencer claimed the silver medal in the weight throw, the Chaps first ever medal at the NCAA Division-II Indoor Championships.

Spencer also earned All-Region honors, helping guide the Chaps to a no. 26 national ranking, their highest in program history for indoor track & field at the Division-II level.

Garcia had a fantastic freshman campaign, earning USTFCCA All-Region honors in the 400-meter run and 4x400 meter relay. Garcia earned First Team All-Conference accolades in the 400-meter run and as a member of the men's 4x400 meter relay team. The freshman was phenomenal this season, breaking and resetting the record in the event three times this season, including a first-place finish in his first-ever college race at the Corky Classic. At the Lone Star Conference Championships, Garcia made history in the men's 400-meter run, winning the race with a time of 47.29 seconds. That time beat his school record mark in the event by 0.30 seconds. Garcia beat Brien Pittman of West Texas A&M by 0.23 seconds. Garcia's time was the thirteenth fastest time in Division-II when adjusted for altitude (47.40 seconds). His time would've been the fourth-fastest in the country if altitude was not taken into account. 

Garcia was also part of the men's 4x400 meter relay team that won the event championship at the LSC Indoor Championships with a time of 3:12.90. The quartet upset the team from West Texas A&M by 0.20 seconds. The mark also breaks the school record in the event set in 1972 at the Astrodome by 0.02 seconds. When adjusted for elevation, the group finished the year with the 13th fastest time in the country (3:13.34), just missing out on qualifying for the national championship event.

On the women's side, Abigail Jones had a phenomenal indoor season in the weight throw for the Lady Chaps. At the Jarvis Scott Open, Jones finished fourth in the weight throw, a career-best finish for her in the event, with a toss of 14.90 meters. Jones was the highest D-II finisher, and beat out throwers from Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Angelo State and Eastern New Mexico. It is Jones' first top-10 finish in the weight throw. 

At the NM College Classic, Jones broke her own record in the weight throw by 1.67 meters, finishing 18^th with a toss of 15.00 meters. Her second throw of 14.54 meters would've also broken the school record. Jones also finished third in her flight, above throwers from CSU Bakersfield, New Mexico State, UNLV, UC Irvine, and Eastern New Mexico.

Anna Salisbury only competed in two meets during the 2023 indoor campaign, but did pick up a ninth place finish in the 200-meter run at the Corky Classic with a time of 25.14 seconds. Last outdoor season was one of the best in Salisbury's career at LCU, as she won three event championships and qualified for the NCAA Division-II Outdoor Championships. The junior won the event championship in the 400-meter run twice at West Texas A&M, winning the title with a time of 54.92 seconds at the Spring Break Classic before winning the event again at the WT Last Chance Meet with a time of 54.86 seconds. Salisbury finished second at the LSC Conference Championships in the 400-meter, and finished 15th overall at the national championships.

In the 200-meter run, Salisbury won the event championship on her home track at The Open, recording a time of 25.08 seconds. In all, the Leander, Texas native recorded eleven top-10 finishes during the 2022 outdoor season.

Last outdoor season, both Salisbury and Spencer finished 15th in their respective events at the NCAA Divsion-II Outdoor Championships in Allendale, Mich., with Salisbury recording a time of 55.75 seconds in the 400-meter run, while Spencer picked up a toss of 48.55 meters in the discus. 

The Chaps will compete across town at their next meet, heading to Texas Tech for the Masked Rider Open. Action begins on Friday, Mar. 24 at 1:00 PM.