March 28, 2012

Complete Release

THIS WEEK IN CAL TRACK & FIELD: The Golden Bears leave the cool, wet weather of Northern California for what is expected to warm, dry conditions at the Jim Click Shootout Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

The forecast calls for a high of 89 with clear skies, which will be a pleasant change for Cal after suffering through less-than-ideal conditions the past two weekends.

The Jim Click meet features competitors from six schools representing three conferences. In addition to Cal and host Arizona (both from the Pac-12), Ohio State (Big Ten), Penn State (Big Ten), Miami (ACC) and Clemson (ACC) will be on hand at Roy P. Drachman Stadium.

The "Shootout" gets underway with the women's hammer throw at 9:00 a.m., while the first event on the track is the women's 3000-meter steeplechase at 12:30 p.m.

HORNET INVITATIONAL RECAP: Battling the elements on a cold, raining afternoon at the Johnny Mathis Invitational last weekend in San Francisco, Cal still posted several personal-best marks and captured a total of seven events. Freshman Jonte Grant was a double-winner, running a leg on the victorious 4x100m relay (42.54) and claiming the long jump with a 22-9.00 effort. Aziza Baker also won the women's triple jump with a PR 38-11.00, while Scott Esparza posted a 30-foot improvement in the men's hammer with a best of 182-6.

ALL-AMERICAN BEARS: Six Golden Bears earned a total of nine All-America certificates for their performances at the NCAA Indoor Championships March 9-10 - the most ever for the school at the national indoor meet. Junior Deborah Maier, who posted runner-up finishes in both the 3000m and 5000m, received two first-team honors, while the other Cal competitors earned second-team status - Chelsea Reilly (3000m, distance medley relay), Sofia Oberg (800m, DMR), Angelica Weaver (DMR), Taylor Bryson (DMR) and Malaina Payton (long jump).

INDOOR RECORD-SETTERS: Five different school records fell during the recently completed indoor season, with all coming on the women's side of the ledger. Four runners posted times under the old mile mark entering the 2012 campaign - Taylor Dutch, Taylor Bryson, Sofia Oberg and Chelsea Reilly - but only Reilly has her name atop the record book with her time of 4:41.29 from the MPSF Championships. Reilly also covered the 3000m in 9:00.86, the third-ranked time in the country for the season. Deborah Maier's 15:29.24 in the 5000m was the fifth fastest indoor mark all-time and ended the year ranked No. 1 in the nation. In addition, the distance medley relay of Reilly, Angelica Weaver, Oberg and Maier ran 10:56.29 at the MPSF meet, and Linda Oseso broke the weight throw mark three times, finishing with a best of 63-3.25.

GOLDEN BEAR NOTES: The Cal Multi Meet, which had been scheduled for April 4-5, has been cancelled ... the Cal women are ranked 10th in the USTFCCCA Program of the Year rankings after taking 18th at the NCAA cross country meet and 15th at the NCAA indoor meet ... both the men's and women's cross country teams earned All-Academic recognition for having GPAs above 3.0 in the fall; in addition, Deborah Maier and Chelsea Reilly received individual academic honors ... former Cal distance runners Magdalena Lewy Boulet (10th) and Brooke Wells (19th) placed in the top 20 at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in January ... over the summer, Angelica Weaver captured the USA junior title in the 400m hurdles with a time of 59.83, while Monte Corley won the 400mH crown at the Pan Am Junior Championships in a Cal freshman-record 51.21.