Bears Topple Records As Cal’s Men Finish Third At ACC Championships

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The California track & field team closed out a successful three days at the ACC Outdoor Championships on Saturday night, earning another four medals at Wake Forest’s Kentner Stadium to bring its weekend total to 12. The Golden Bears’ men finished third in the team standings with 79.83 points, just behind second-place North Carolina (82) and winner Duke (86). The Bears placed sixth in the women’s competition with 61 points, while Virginia claimed the team title with 93 points.

“I think we did really well, and I’m really proud of how the team performed and stepped up,” Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Robyne Johnson said. “It was top-to-bottom excellent effort from our athletes – we had so many PRs that it’s not even funny, but that’s exactly what we expect in a championship season and they answered the call. I’m super proud of all of them.”

Cal’s first event of the day was the men’s discus, where world record-holder and The Bowerman candidate Mykolas Alekna continued his dominant season with the third conference title of his career, out-throwing the rest of the field by over 10 feet on the way to a new facility and meet record of 69.86m (229-2). Two other Bears – Jared Freeman (53.19m/174-6) and Charlie Dang (52.85m/173-4) – placed fourth and fifth, respectively, to score points for the squad, while Nik Iwankiw threw a personal-best 50.69m (166-3). On the women’s side, Caisa-Marie Lindfors picked up her second medal of the meet, placing second with a throw of 58.81m (192-11), while Lucija Leko placed sixth at 50.98m (167-3) to pick up three points.

A pair of Bears also picked up medals on the track. Garrett MacQuiddy posted the second-fastest final 400m split in the men’s 1500m, outrunning rival Stanford’s Leo Young on the way to a second-place time of 3:45.25, while Johnny Goode obliterated alumnus Peter Howard’s 40-year-old school record in the 400m to place third in 45.02; that time was also a .7-second personal best, giving Goode his fourth program record of the year.

Cal fielded two scorers in the men’s high jump, where Riley Knott recorded a fourth-place season best of 2.09m/6-10.25 and Victor Ezike Jr. tied for seventh with a leap of 2.01m (6-7). Asjah Atkinson finished fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 13.45, matching her placement at the ACC Indoor Championships, while Donovan Bradley also took fourth in the men’s 110m hurdles at 13.85 and Loreal Wilson improved her own program No. 5 time in the 400m hurdles to a sixth-place 58.51. The men’s 4x100m relay squad of Aidan Orias, Johnny Goode, Avinash Schwarzkopf and Javon Hampton Jr. rounded out the group of Cal scorers with an eighth-place finish of 40.54. Finally, Jade Neser posted a new personal best in the women’s high jump of 1.72m (5-7.75).

ACC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – MEN’S RESULTS (3rd Place, 79.83 points)

400m Final – 3. Johnny Goode 45.02 (PR, School Record)

1500m Final – 2. Garrett MacQuiddy 3:45.25

110m Hurdles Final – 4. Donovan Bradley 13.85

4x100m Relay – 8. California 40.54 (Aidan Orias, Johnny Goode, Avinash Schwarzkopf, Javon Hampton Jr.)

4x400m Relay – 9. California 3:11.01 (Johnny Goode, Aiden Lippert, Avinash Schwarzkopf, Donovan Bradley)

High Jump – 4. Riley Knott 2.09m/6-10.25; T7. Victor Ezike Jr. 2.01m/6-7; 13. Brandon Cheeks II 1.96m/6-5

Triple Jump – 9. Jeremiah Bolaños 15.25m/50-0.5; 14. Kosi Nwafor 14.66m/48-1.25

Discus – 1. Mykolas Alekna 69.86m/229-2 (Facility Record, Meet Record); 4. Jared Freeman 53.19m/174-6; 5. Charlie Dang 52.85m/173-4; 10. Nik Iwankiw 50.69m/166-3 (PR); 14. Nick Godbehere 48.00m/157-6

ACC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WOMEN’S RESULTS (6th Place, 61 points)

5000m – 25. Georgia McCorkle 16:34.76

100m Hurdles Final – 4. Asjah Atkinson 13.45

400m Hurdles Final – 6. Loreal Wilson 58.51 (PR, 5th Cal History)

4x100m Relay – 12. California 45.83 (Masina Mayo, Saqqara Ruffin, Mari Testa, Asjah Atkinson)

High Jump – 10. Jade Neser 1.72m/5-7.75 (PR)

Triple Jump – - Leah Anderson NM; - Myla Canty NM

Discus – 2. Caisa-Marie Lindfors 58.81m/192-11; 6. Lucija Leko 50.98m/167-3

UP NEXT

Justin Pretre and Caden Carney will race Sunday at the Sunday Night Qualifier, hosted in Boone, North Carolina, in hopes of achieving regional qualifying times. The Bears will await the announcement of which athletes have qualified to the NCAA West Regionals, which will be contested from May 28-31 in College Station, Texas. A full list of participants will be released on Thursday, May 22.

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