SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco State will play host to its first home meet of the 2011 outdoor campaign Friday when the fourth annual SF State Distance Carnival is contested at Cox Stadium. The first of 23 events gets underway, rain or shine, at 8:30 a.m. with the running of the women's 10,000 meters.

 

Over 600 student-athletes are expected to participate in the meet, which has grown rapidly from its inception in 2008 when the event attracted just 100 competitors. The idea for the SF State Distance Carnival was conceived by a group of coaches who were interested in a similar meet for their athletes who were unable to get into the Stanford Invitational.

 

The most populous race on the docket is the women's 1,500 where 66 runners are scheduled to compete in four sections. On the men's side, a total of 55 athletes have registered for the 800, which is slated for five heats.

 

In addition to CCAA rivals Cal Poly Pomona, Chico State, Cal State Stanislaus, Humboldt State and Sonoma State, the Gators will battle numerous Division I schools, including Northern California neighbors Sacramento State, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, UC Davis, USF and Cal. 

 

The meet's appeal is not solely limited to the Golden State, however, as delegates from Syracuse, West Virginia, Toledo, Arkansas-Little Rock, Iowa, Iowa State, Oregon State and Air Force are slated to congregate on the Cox Stadium oval.

 

The final race of the SF State Distance Carnival is scheduled to start at approximately 5:10 p.m. with the men's 40+ mile event. The Gators will then hold their second straight home event next weekend, April 1-2, when spotlight shifts to the 2011 Johnny Mathis Invitational.

Meet Program

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