Bears Qualify 32 For Regionals
BERKELEY – After a stellar performance at the Pac-12 Championships last weekend, California track & field continued its success this week by officially qualifying 32 athletes for the upcoming NCAA West Regionals, held this year in Fayetteville, Arkansas from May 25-28. This group of Bears will be the largest squad in program history to qualify for Regionals.
"It speaks volumes about the direction of the team," said Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Robyne Johnson. "We've worked very hard to bring in great people who can make an immediate impact on our squad.
"Even though this is my third season in this position at Cal, I feel like this has been my first full season," she continued, citing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel. "It feels great to have a traditional season where we can really put it all together and produce the results that we're capable of."
The top 12 finishers from each event, as well as the top 12 relay squads, will move on to the NCAA Championships in June. Multi-event qualifiers for the NCAA Championships have already been selected; Cal will have a representative in Hakim McMorris, who currently ranks No. 8 nationally in the decathlon.
At the Pac-12 Championships, Cal fielded 12 total podium finishers, including three champions (Mykolas Alekna, Josh Johnson and Camryn Rogers). Cal's throws squad totaled 77 points, more than any other group of Power 5 throwers in the nation. Of the 32 regional qualifiers, 13 of them recorded a combined 14 new personal bests at the conference championships.
The Bears' qualifiers for the NCAA West Regionals are as follows:
Men's Qualifiers (season-best marks in parentheses)
Mykolas Alekna – Discus (68.73m) (NCAA record)
Tyler Burns – Pole Vault (5.21m) (T8th Cal history)
Jeff Duensing – Shot Put (18.86m) (8th Cal history)
Michael Gupta – Hammer (63.12m) (10th Cal history)
Josh Johnson – Shot Put (19.95m) (2nd Cal history), Discus (55.97m)
Iffy Joyner – Discus (62.17m) (4th Cal history)
Garrett MacQuiddy – 1500m (3:41.33) (7th Cal history)
Mason Mangum – Long Jump (7.49m)
Ivar Moisander – Hammer (68.16m) (4th Cal history)
Jake Porter – Shot Put (18.23m)
Will Sornberger – 400m Hurdles (51.85), 4x400m (3:07.20)
Jai Williams – High Jump (2.11m)
Women's Qualifiers (season-best marks in parentheses)
Ezinne Abba – 100m (11.10w) (11.12 School record), 200m (22.91) (2nd Cal history), 4x100m (43.99) (School record)
Busola Akinduro – Triple Jump (13.01m) (8th Cal history)
Erin Archibeck – 5000m (16:08.05) (9th Cal history)
Jasmine Blair – Discus (57.26m) (2nd Cal history)
Aly Conyers – 400m (54.15)
Asha Fletcher – Long Jump (6.10m), Triple Jump (13.13m)
Amelia Flynt – Shot Put (16.53m) (2nd Cal history), Discus (53.09m)
Jada Hicks – 100m Hurdles (13.34) (3rd Cal history), 4x100m (43.99) (School record)
Anna Purchase – Hammer (70.63m) (2nd Cal history)
Felicia Renelus – Triple Jump (12.83m)
Camryn Rogers – Hammer (75.73m) (NCAA record)
Aysha Shaheed – 4x100m (43.99) (School record)
Krissy Smoot – Shot Put (15.61m) (6th Cal history)
Maisie Stevens – 100m (11.42w) (11.43 5th Cal history), 200m (23.57w) (23.72 10th Cal history), 4x100m (43.99) (School record)
Rebecca Tomann – Hammer (60.79m) (10th Cal history)
Amari Turner – Pole Vault (4.05m) (5th Cal history)
Hawa Wague – High Jump (1.76m)
Alternate Competitors
Jordyn Grady – 4x100m
Other stories:
Gardner Talks About Bears' First Official Visit of '23 Class
Bear Insider Ultimate Insider Podcast E28: Cal QB Jack Plummer -Audio