TRACK AND FIELD NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : NCAA Expectations High for CSUN’s Noel in Javelin

Garrett Noel of Cal State Northridge will be the 13th-ranked javelin thrower in the field of 16 when the NCAA Division I track and field championships begin today at the University of Texas.

Yet Noel and Northridge assistant John Frazier reason that a top-three finish is a realistic goal.

First, Noel is peaking while most of the throwers reached their peak a month or two ago. Secondly, Noel has been very consistent--throwing better than 224 feet in six meets--in an event where inconsistency is the norm. “There is always a guy who comes out of nowhere in the javelin at the NCAA meet and surprises people,” Frazier said. “Garrett has the ability to be that guy.”

Noel, a junior from Crespi High, seems to thrive on pressure. Entering competition last week, he held the school record of 231 feet 11 inches, but Frazier figured that Noel needed to reach 232-11 to assure himself a place in the national championships.

Last week at Cal State Long Beach, on the final day to post qualifying marks for the NCAA championships, Noel made his mark, throwing 234-1.

“He knew what he needed to do and he did it,” said Frazier, a two-time All-American in the shotput at UCLA. “That’s the kind of competitor he is.”

In a similar situation last year, Noel also threw a personal best (225-11), but the mark left him one place shy of qualifying for the NCAA meet.

“We thought he was in last year,” Frazier said. “When we found out he wasn’t, he was very disappointed. . . . When I gave him the news this year, he just went nuts.”

Noel said getting into the NCAA meet was a huge relief. “That’s what I’ve been working for,” he said. “All season long, I’ve been telling John, ‘Just get me there. I’ll take care of the rest.’ ”

Noel has had his share of nagging injuries (lower back and groin) this season, but they have not had an adverse effect on his performances because of the rigorous training program he followed last summer and fall. “In the past, missing meets and training because of injuries would have hurt him because he didn’t have the base to fall back on,” Frazier said. “But this year he did.”

Noel credits the disappointment of failing to make the NCAA meet last year with fueling his training fires. “I really dedicated myself to the javelin this past year,” Noel said. “I made a lot of sacrifices. I’m a die-hard skier, and I didn’t ski at all this year because I was worried about getting injured.”

Noel will throw in the qualifying round of the javelin today, and should he qualify, in the final Friday.

Sasha Vujic and Charlotte Vines also will compete for Northridge.

Vujic, the school record-holder in the men’s 1,500 meters (3 minutes 41.23 seconds), will run in a qualifying heat of that race Thursday. The final is Saturday. Vines, who has a personal best of 11.68 seconds in the women’s 100, will run in a first-round heat Thursday.