March 7, 2009
Complete Results
BERKELEY, Calif. - Polly Gnepa of UC Davis went 14.28 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles on Saturday afternoon while Thomas Phillips finished the 400 hurdles in 52.30 as both Aggies - along with women's discus thrower Ashley Hearn - qualified for the NCAA Division I Track and Field Region Championships during a season-opening meet at Cal.
Hearn had a regional mark in the discus surpassing the standard of 47.30 meters with a winning throw of 47.48 meters. She enjoyed a strong day for the Aggie women, also posting marks in both the shot put and hammer throw that each impacted the program's career leaders' lists.
The Aggie teams combined for six performances that altered their all-time lists. They were joined at Cal by Fresno State, San Francisco, Stanford and the host Golden Bears. The meet was not scored.
"We had a great day. The kids were really on," said men's coach Jon Vochatzer. "The competition was dynamite and we were really rolling."
Gnepa qualified for the regional for the second consecutive year, finishing second on Saturday in 14.28 and beating the regional standard of 14.30. He holds the school record at 14.01, set last year. Phillips sliced more than seven-tenths of a second off his previous best of 53.02, winning with a mark of 52.30 that jumped him from No. 10 to a tie for third all-time at UC Davis.
Seriba had a wind-aided mark of 6.90 meters (22-7.75) in the long jump while posting his other win in the triple jump at 48-feet. Nelson, tied for fourth all-time at UC Davis in the high jump, opened his spring campaign in victorious fashion at 6.05 meters (6-8.75).
Jonathan Sees also had a top-10 performance at Cal, taking third in the 800 in 1:51.91,. good enough for the No. 9 all-time spot for the Aggies.
Hearn's marks were among several strong showings for the Aggie women on opening day. She was third in the hammer throw at 51.16 meters (167-10), surpassing her previous best by more than 13 feet and pushing her to No. 5 all-time. She added another third-place finish in the shot put at 12.78 meters (41-11.25), making her No. 8 on the career list. Teammate Chid Onyewuenyi finished second in both events for UC Davis.
Gailey and Williams were the sole event winners for the UC Davis women on Saturday with Gailey (2:14.67) edging Cal's Francesca Weems (2:14.78) for first-place honors, and Williams - a regional qualifier last year in the 100 hurdles - finishing just ahead of the Bears' Emani Truluck . Williams was timed in 14.28 while Truluck crossed in 14.31.
Lauren Radke and Azaria Lewis moved into the pole vault's top-10 list with their debuts. Radke is tied for fifth after vaulting 3.50 meters (11-5.75) while Lewis is tied for 10th at 3.20 meters (10-6).
"The meet gave us a really good look at what we have and where we are," Vochatzer said. "The kids believe in themselves."
Also for UC Davis on Saturday, senior Kim Conley improved her provisional mark for the NCAA Div. I Indoor Championships, winning the 3,000 at a last-chance qualifier at the University of Washington. Conley won in 9:19.16, more than 18 seconds ahead of the next finisher.
UC Davis will be in action against next Saturday when it hosts the Aggie Open at Woody Wilson Track.
CAL OUTDOOR OPENER
Berkeley, Calif.
Winners plus UC Davis finishers
WOMEN
1,500 - 1. Nicole Bowler, USF, 4:29.53... 2.
Lorin Scott, 4:30.28; 3. Allison Stoakley, 4:41.18; 5.
Caitlin Fitzgerald, 4:45.57; 6. Kristin Dreschler, 4:49.15; 9. Sara Sumpter, 5:00.52.
3,000 - 1. Madeline Duhon, Stanford, 9:49.96.
400H - 1. Latrisha Jordan, Fresno State, 1:01.32... 3.
Katie Maltester, 1:04.98.
4x100 - 1. Cal, 46.15... 2. UC Davis, 47.44; UC Davis B, DNF.
4x400 - 1. Fresno State A, 3:48.69.
HJ - 1. Inika McPherson, Cal, 1.80... 6. Caitlin Jones, 1.55; 7.
Alexa Green, 1.50.
SP - 1. Kayla Xavier, Fresno State, 14.97... 2. Chid Onywuenyi, 13.26; 3.
Ashley Hearn, 12.78; 8. Sebastiana Hernandez, 9.11.
HT - 1. Grace Wiesman, Fresno State, 54.18... 2. Chid Onywuenyi, 51.66; 4.
Ashley Hearn, 51.16; 9. Sebastiana Hernandez, 35.72.
JT - 1. Dana Hoolko, Cal, 42.48... 4. Sebastiana Hernandez, 34.00.
DT - 1.
Ashley Hearn, UC Davis, 47.48... 24. Chid Onyweunyi, 39.64.
MEN
100 - 1. Kellan Patterson, Cal, 10.54... 3.
Gavin Banks, 10.81.
110HH - 1. Jordan Paul, Cal, 14.08... 2.
Polly Gnepa, 14.28.
4x100 - 1. Cal, 41.18... 3. UC Davis, 41.74.
4x400 - 1. Fresno State A, 3;23.69.
HT - 1. Zach Whittington, unattached, 62.37... 8. Eddie Orgon, 47.10; 9.
Jake Fuller, 44.40; 10.
Scott Pierro, 42.82.
JT - 1. Peter Krumeich, Fresno State, 62.02... 2.
Brock Bennett, 53.58; 5. Matt Roberts, 49.19.
WASHINGTON LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER
Seattle, Wash.
Demsepy Indoor
(UC Davis results only)
WOMEN
3,000 - 1. Kim Conley, UC Davis, 9:19.16.
