It was a day of record-setting marks and personal bests as the Sacramento State track and field team won 15 events Saturday when it hosted the Sacramento State Open at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex.

The Open would be the Hornets’ tune-up event heading into next week’s Big Sky Conference Championships.

One of the 15 events claimed on Saturday was women’s pole vault. In the event, senior Lizzy Norvell broke her own school record by clearing 13-5.25, which is five inches higher than her previous mark of 13-00.25.With her mark, Norvell will move a top of the Big Sky for her event. It also places her in the top-25 of the NCAA West Region for this season.

On her day’s success, Norvell said it will give her the strength she needs to compete in the championships and against the other competitors.

“It gives me a lot of confidence for next week,” Norvell said. “I am really looking forward to the competition. I have been consistent this season and it just gives me confidence for conference next week.”

Sac State set 38 season-bests in its final meet of the season.Alica Truesdale was another Hornet who set a personal best on Saturday. Truesdale ran a 13.78 in the 100-meter hurdles, which moved her into sixth place all-time in the Hornet record books.

Truesdale contributes the team’s performance to being concentrated on the Big Sky Championships.”I really feel that we all step up when it is time to step. So I think everyone is in that mindset since the championships are this coming week,” Truesdale said. “I think when one person sets a personal record; it’s like a domino effect. Once somebody sets the bar, everyone else wants to jump over that bar and do their best.”

Heading into the championships, Director of Track and Field Kathleen Raske said the team is looking for a big finish at the championships.

“We are in it to win it,” Raske said. We are setting ourselves up to fight for it. It’s going to be a really tight race on both the men’s and women’s side.”

The women have the opportunity to win their third Big Sky Championship in a row, which would tie the record set by Northern Arizona University when it won in three straight years from 2004-2006. The Hornet men will be in search of the first title in school history.Sac State will compete in the Big Sky ChampionshipsWednesday through Saturdayin Ogden, Utah.

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]