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Guide to the Mt. SAC Relays

College relay teams competing 2018 - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer
By Robert Bledsoe & Mountie Athletics

April 06, 2022 - 11:21 AM

Female pole vaulter inverted - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer One of Mt. SAC’s defining athletic events — the world-renowned Mt. SAC Relays — returns to the Mt. SAC campus after a six-year hiatus caused by stadium construction and the global pandemic. The Relays, presented by Nike and in partnership with USA Track & Field, will be held over two consecutive weeks on Saturday, April 9, as well as April 13-16 in the new Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The massive event will feature community college competitions on April 9, while elite and collegiate athletes compete April 13-16. High school and para athletes will compete on Saturday, April 16, as well.

Tickets are now available on the Box Office Website.  

Male Mountie hurdle runner launches - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer The event is highlighted by The Golden Games at the Mt. SAC Relays, a portion of the event that will feature the top track and field athletes in the world, including Olympians and those that qualified for World Championships. The Golden Games will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 and will be broadcast live on CNBC. 

See the complete five-day schedule on the RUNMTSAC website.

On Saturday, April 16 at 9 a.m., there will be a Munchkin Run for youth 12 years of age and under. Boys and girls aged 8 to 12 will run two laps on the stadium track and those 7 and younger will run one lap. Registration for the Munchkin Run is $25 per Male Mountie runner mid stride - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer participant, and each runner will receive a Mt. SAC Relays t-shirt, bib number and free admission to the Mt. SAC Relays, along with two additional Mt. SAC Relays tickets good for adults or children on that day. Register for the run on this page.

While Wednesday, April 13 is free to attend and requires no ticket, April 9 and April 14-16 will require purchased tickets. See below for ticketing and prices. Tickets bought prior to April 12 will offer substantial discounts over at-the-door prices. For Saturday’s big events, including the Golden Games, purchasing ahead of time will save 60 percent off the at-the-door pricing.

Tickets are available now at tickets.mtsac.edu.Female competitors jump over hurdles - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer

Online tickets prior to the event (which ends on April 11):

    • Female competitor flies in air on the long jump - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays PhotographerApril 9, April 14, April 15 and April 16 single day ticket prices will be $10 for an adult and $5 for children 12 and under.
    • A $5 “Relays Pass” upgrade for any single day ticket will get you a pass for all other days of the Relays.

At-the-door pricing:  

    • Male USA para-competitor races down track - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays PhotographerApril 14: $15.00
    • April 15: $20.00
    • April 16: $25.00
    • Children’s (12 and under) at-the-door tickets are 50 percent of the regular at-the-door ticket price. 

Male runners jump hurdle into water - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays PhotographerHistory

Hilmer Lodge with 2 students holding trophyThe Relays began in 1959, after Mt. SAC’s first Track and Field/Cross Country coach, Hilmer Lodge, presented the plan to the Board of Trustees to build a state-of-the-art track and field facility inside the existing stadium. Since then, the facility has hosted Olympic trials and been the Team USA training site multiple times. Showing its age, the stadium and its track & field facilities were torn down.

Carl Lewis races at Mt. SAC Relays

In 2020, the new Hilmer Lodge Stadium opened amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. With the college campus closed, the stadium didn’t see much use; however, a first-of-its-kind virtual track & field event, called the Inspiration Games, was held and broadcast worldwide. In 2021, with campuses still closed, only the Golden Games was held and broadcast on NBC. The elite-level athletes that competed produced 15 stadium records, 89 World Top 20 marks, 50 USA Top 10 marks, four World Leading marks, seven USA leading marks and six different national records.Female relay runners from UC Irvine make the hand off - courtesy of Mt. SAC Relays Photographer

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