STANFORD, Calif. – The California Golden Bears men captured the team title by a score of 101-62 for the third consecutive season, while the Cal women fell 111-49 in the 121st edition of the Big Meet on Saturday at Cobb Track and Angell Field at Stanford. Junior Thomas Joyce won the double, setting a new school record, as well as a Big Meet record in the 1500-meters with a time of 3:39.43 to win the race and also won the 3000-meters with a PR time of 8:00.50. That 3000-meters time moved Joyce up to seventh on Cal's All-Time Performers List. Additionally, Bethan Knights improved on her own Cal freshman record in the 1500-meters on the women's side, finishing fourth in 4:19.60. That time also moved Knights to sixth on the All-Time Performers List. Junior Victoria Rische also improved her standing on the All-Time Performers List with her pole vault win, clearing a height of 13-1.50 for a new PR. Collin Jarvis, who returned this season after some serious health concerns won the 3000-meter steeplechase in 9:19.08 for his first win of 2015.
“I am humbled at the fact that I can be a part of a meet that has so much legacy and tradition,” Director of track & field Tony Sandoval said on Saturday evening from Stanford. “There have been hall of famers, Olympians, world record holders that all got their careers started at the Big Meet. For others, maybe the Big Meet is the apex of their career, but either way the Big Meet brings out the best in us. I will tip my hat to Stanford; they came and honored us with their best performance and there were some times where it went back and forth, but we prevailed on the men's side. Our women did the best they could, but we are a little shorthanded right now. They are just going to have to get better down the road, but that was a great meet today.”
On the track, Jalen Doss set a new best mark with his second place finish in the 400-meters (48.38) and 400-meter hurdles (54.16), while two Bears PR'ed in the men's 800-meters; sophomore Eugene Hamilton III in his win (1:48.98) as well as fellow sophomore Josh Lewis (1:50.84). Lewis also set a new PR in the 1500-meters (3:45.68). as did junior Leland Later (3:43.20). Freshman Garrett Corcoran also PR'ed in the 3000-meters (8:24.36). On the women's side, freshman Morgan Robertson set a new personal best in the 200-meters (25.90) and Nuria Tio Peig did so as well in the 800-meters (2:16.58). Freshman Leanne Jarvis surpassed her previous best mark in the 3000-meters by nearly 33 seconds (9:39.30).
“There were some great performances today that would be difficult to duplicate at an invitational meet,” Sandoval continued. “It was great to have wonderful weather and to have all the fans and alums here, which is a great experience. Thomas (Joyce) breaking the school record in the 1500 and being able to come back and PR in the 3000 shows us that he is emerging as one of the better milers in the country. We had some truly outstanding inspirational performances as well. I think for Collin Jarvis to come out and win the steeplechase; what a story. I think that the Big Meet brings out those types of performances and I don't think those would happen in an invitational or a non-scoring meet.”
Freshman David Chukwu continued to improve in the men's high jump, PR'ing by clearing a height of 6-6.00. Freshman Matt Schwartz set a new PR in the pole vault, finishing second by clearing a height of 15-7.25. In addition to Rische's wonderful day in the pole vault, fellow junior teammate Tara Lookabaugh also set a new personal record, clearing a height of 10-4.75. In the sand, redshirt senior Rukayah Bent-Mikail PR'ed in both the long jump (18-6.00) and the triple jump (41-1.00), as did freshman Ashley Anderson (17-4.25 and 40-6.00).
There were quite a few PR's set by Cal throwers as well on Saturday, as freshman Peter Simon placed second in the men's hammer with a mark of 188-3, and also set a new best of 59-9.50 to take second in the shot put (moving to ninth on Cal's All-Time List) and redshirt sophomore Ethan Cochran won the shot put with a throw of 61-0.75 to move to seventh on the All-Time List. Junior Andrew Scholnick also continued to see his marks improve, setting a new personal best in the men's javelin with a throw of 181-7. On the women's side, freshmen Destiny Parker and Ginika Iwuchukwu continued to improve in the hammer, as each threw PR marks on Saturday of 165-6 and 139-0, respectively. Parker also set a new best in the discus, posting a mark of 127-9.
The Golden Bears will be back in action next week, competing at the Mt. Sac Relays on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 in Walnut, California.
121st Big Meet Cobb Track and Angell FieldStanford, Calif.
California Results
Men
100-meters – 2. Khalfani Muhammad 10.62; 3. Karsten Wethington 10.84; 4. Ashtyn Davis 11.24
200-meters – 2. Khalfani Muhammad 21.53; Ashtyn Davis 22.58; 5. Ja'Vion Robinson 23.49
400-meters – 2. Jalen Doss 48.38 PR; 3. Ben Greenwald 49.09
800-meters – 1. Eugene Hamilton III 1:48.98 PR; 3. Ellis Newton 1:50.31; 5. Leland Later 1:50.78; 6. Josh Lewis 1:50.84 PR; 8. William Contreras 1:55.40 PR
1500-meters – 1. Thomas Joyce 3:39.43 PR; 4. Leland Later 3:43.20 PR; 7. Josh Lewis 3:45.68 PR
3000-meters – 1. Thomas Joyce 8:00.50 PR; 5. Garrett Corcoran 8:24.36 PR; 6. John Lawson 8:28.23; Collin Jarvis DNF
3000-meter steeplechase – 1. Collin Jarvis 9:19.08; 2. Yohaness Estifanos 9:20.79; 3. Seamus Land 9:25.25; Ned Trim 10:09.51
110-meter hurdles – 1. Ashtyn Davis 14.32; 3. Ja'Vion Robinson 15.56
400-meter hurdles – 1. Jonte Turner 53.62; 2. Jalen Doss 54.16 PR
4x100-meter relay – Karsten Wethington, Jalen Doss, Ashtyn Davis, Khalfani Muhammad 41.45
4x400-meter relay – 2. Ben Greenwald, Jonte Turner, Walt Jones IV, Eugene Hamilton III 3:14.32
High Jump – 2. David Chukwu 6-6.00 (1.98m) PR; 3. Alex Wilde 6-0.50 (1.84m); Noel Frazier NH
Pole Vault – 2. Matt Schwartz 15-7.25 (4.76m) PR
Long Jump – 1. Jonte Grant 24-7.00 (7.49m); 2. Walt Jones IV 24-0.75 (7.33m)
Triple Jump – 2. Jonte Grant 51-0.00 (15.54m); 3. Karsten Wethington 48-7.50 (14.82m)
Javelin – 3. Andrew Scholnick 181-7 (55.35m) PR
Hammer – 1. Scott Esparza 204-1 (62.20m); 2. Peter Simon 188-3 (57.37m) PR; 3. Brenden Song 170-1 (51.84m)
Shot Put – 1. Ethan Cochran 61-0.75 (18.61m) PR; 2. Peter Simon 59-9.50 (18.22m) PR; 4. Matt Esparza 53-9.00 (16.38m)
Discus – 1. Ethan Cochran 181-6 (55.33m); 2. Brenden Song 176-7 (53.83m)
Team Standings: 1. California 101; 2. Stanford 62
Women
100-meters – 2. Jayla Scholis 12.08; 3. Jasiri Blake 12.21; 4. Erica Wilson 12.48
200-meters – 3. Jasiri Blake 24.97; 4. Jayla Scholis 25.29; 5. Morgan Robertson 25.90 PR
400-meters – 3. Khala Taylor 56.70; 5. Adrienne Hinkston 58.79; 6. Sam Ralstin 1:00.72
800-meters – 6. Nijae Jones 2:13.89; 7. Nuria Tio Peig 2:16.58 PR; 8. Katherine Haysbert 2:16.70
1500-meters – 4. Bethan Knights 4:19.60 PR; Mariel Mendoza 4:32.53; Heather Cerney 4:33.93; Katherine Haysbert 4:42.80
3000-meters – 3. Leanne Jarvis 9:39.30 PR; 7. Mariel Mendoza 9:54.40; 8. Megan Bordes 10:05.48
3000-meter steeplechase – 2. Elizabeth Flatley 11:31.75
100-meter hurdles – 2. Morgan Robertson 14.87
400-meter hurdles – 2. Arielle Stevenson 1:04.21
4x100-meter relay – Erica Wilson, Jasiri Blake, Khala Taylor, Jayla Scholis 46.82
4x400-meter relay – Nijae Jones, Adrienne Hinkston, Arielle Stevenson; Jayla Scholis 3:49.52
High Jump – 1. Asia Chesley 5-6.00 (1.68m); 2. Christine Canning (J1.68m); 3. Tara Lookabaugh 5-4.50 (1.64m)
Pole Vault – 1. Victoria Rische 13-1.50 (4.00m); 3. Tara Lookabaugh 10-4.75 (3.17m) PR
Long Jump – 2. Rukayah Bent-Mikail 18-6.00 (5.64m) PR; 3. Ashley Anderson 17-4.25 (5.29m) PR; 4. Kiare Tanner 17-2.75 (5.25m)
Triple Jump – 2. Rukayah Bent-Mikail 41-1.00 (12.52m) PR; 3. Ashley Anderson 40-6.00 (12.34m) PR; 4. Kiare Tanner 39-10.50 (12.15m)
Javelin – 2. Cheri Chan 134-4 (40.95m)
Hammer – 3. Destiny Parker 165-6 (50.44m) PR; 4. Ginika Iwuchukwu 139-0 (42.37m) PR
Shot Put – 3. Ginika Iwuchukwu 46-0.00 (14.02m); 4. Destiny Parker 45-11.75 (14.01m)
Discus – 4. Destiny Parker 127-9 (38.94m) PR; 5. Ginika Iwuchukwu 118-4 (36.06m)
Team Standings: 1. Stanford 111; 2. California 49
