SPARKS, Nev. — The Sacramento State track and field team started its 2026 season with four student-athletes making their Hornet debuts in the multi at the Silver State Invitational and Combined on Thursday.
 
Freshman Merle Weber finished in sixth place in the pentathlon and recorded the seventh-highest score in the event in school history with 3,632 points. Weber started the day by running 9.20 in the 60-hurdles and then cleared 5-05.25 (1.66m) in the high jump which ranked fourth in the field. Weber followed with a shot put of 37-07.75 (11.47m) and long jumped 17-09.75 (5.43m). Weber concluded the five events by running the 800 in 2:33.37.
 
In the heptathlon, Blake Gross is tied for eighth place after the first four of seven events. Gross had the fastest time in the field in the 60, running 6.96 seconds in the first event of the day. He then long jumped 20-07.25 (6.28m), had a shot put of 36-05.00 (11.10m) and cleared 5-07.00 (1.70m) in the high jump. His first day total of 2,641 points places him 117 points  back of UTSA's Janre Jogi for the lead.
 
Freshman Cole Oliver and JC transfer Brock Gross also competed in the heptathlon. Oliver is in 11^th place with 2,595 points. He had marks of 7.41 in the 60, 19-10.25 in the long jump, 35-04.50 in the shot put and 6-03.25 in the high jump (second highest of the day).
 
Brock Gross ranked third in the 60 in 7.04 before a long jump of 20-04.25 and a shot put of 36-00.00 He was unable to clear a bar in the high jump in his final event of the day.
 
The heptathlon will conclude with the final three events on Friday. The main program of the Silver State Invitational will also get underway during the day.