As the season winds down, Coach Eddie Lopez is excited about the direction the men’s and women’s track teams are headed in. The season has resulted in new personal records for several events.

“The spread relays have really improved. We are ranked third in the 4×4 1600 relay in Southern Cal,” Lopez said.

Other events have also seen improvement as the season has progressed. According to Lopez, the sprinters, the throwers, and the jumpers have made great strides as the teams head toward the Western State Conference Preliminaries on April 17.

“We’re looking forward to conference,” Lopez said.  “We need to qualify and if we make the final, we have to score.”

Lopez expects a lot from his teams because he understands that the competition is tough.

“It’s going to be close between West LA, Canyon, Bakersfield, Cuesta, and us,” he said

The increased competition has inspired each athlete to improve at each meet, according to Lopez.

Thrower Aisiah Tuiasosopo, 20, has seen her scores steadily improve. Her ability to compete in events like the discus, hammer throw and shotput has Lopez excited for her future.

“She’s a Division I athlete and was an All-American last year,” he said. “This year she should win State Conference in the shot, the hammer and the disc, and be All-American in all three of them.”

Aisiah recently broke her records in the discus and the hammer throw by throwing 137 and 145 meters respectively.

The high marks have caught the attention of several 4-year universities like Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Northridge, CSU Long Beach and St. Johns, but she has yet to make a decision.

“I’m also working with USC and UCLA, but it’s too early to say anything,” Tuiasosopo said.

The Birmingham high school alumna is in her second year at GCC and previously played volleyball before joining the track team.

“I played volleyball for five years. It was a lot of fun. I was actually on the team here,” she said.

Her passions go beyond the track, as well.

“I love to workout. I’m always in the weight room trying to get better,” she said.

Tuiasosopo’s strive to improve along with Lopez’s understanding of the game has him excited about how the season will end.

“It’s going to be fun,” he said.

Ventura College will host the WSC Preliminaries April 17, and Santa Barbara City College will host the WSC Finals April 24.