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May 17, 2010

BERKELEY - Steve Sodaro became the first conference steeplechase champion in University of California history when he won the 3000-meter race in a personal-best 8:40.60 on the first day of the Pac-10 Track & Field Championships May 15 at Edwards Stadium, making the junior the Muscle Milk California Student-Athlete of the Week.

Sodaro's mark was an eight-second improvement over the 8:48.32 he ran in the Big Meet vs. Stanford April 10 and moved him up to third on the Golden Bears' all-time performers list. Only school record-holder Kevin Davis (8:35.37 in 2007) and Gary Blume (8:36.67 in 1979) have run faster at Cal.

Sodaro, who ran a 3:59.42 mile at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational last month, finished with a final lap split of 64.2 seconds.

Muscle Milk California Student-Athletes of the Week

2008-09 Winners

2007-08 Winners

2006-07 Winners