WALNUT, Calif. - Both UC San Diego track and field squads took first place as a team with a combined 21 event wins, 12 on the women's side and nine on the men's, at the Pomona Preview on Saturday at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the campus of Mt. SAC.
UCSD grabbed several NCAA provisional qualifying marks in the field events, led by freshman Matt Bowen, who made it two wins in his first two collegiate triple jump competitions with a solid distance of 49'8.5". He also tied for first in the long jump (23'5.25").
Savanna Forry (5'8") and Devon Brook (5'6") went 1-2 in the high jump and grabbed provisional qualifiers, with Forry's particularly solid for the sophomore. Chrissi Carr won the pole vault and also hit the provisional standard on the spot at 11'10".
Bowen and Forry's Saturday showings may already have booked the underclassmen trips to Michigan in May.
The Tritons dominated the relays as they came away victorious in the men's (41.65) and women's (48.20) 4X100, as well as the men's (3:19.80) and women's (3:54.95) 4X400. The men's 4X100 meter time of 41.65 ranks second in the all-time record books.
Paige Hughes took first place in the 1500 with a personal-best time of 4:40.91.
Janay Pierce grabbed her third individual victory this season, this time in the 100, with a time of 12.07.
Keith Rose (49.25) and Connor Macky (49.63) went first and second, respectively, in the 400.
Lauren Coomber came away with the win in the women's 800 after being able to edge Cal Poly Pomona's Symone Booker by half a second. Jared Senese and Nick Famolaro took care of business in the men's 800, going 1-2.
The Tritons took the top spots in the women's 400 with Sabrina Pimentel (58.07), Jackie Chalmers (58.47), Marisa Padilla (59.30) and Chloe Deol (1:00.89) placing first, second, third and fourth, respectively.
Brett Molster (6'8") and Ruthvik Sunilkumar (6'4") took first and second (tied), respectively, in the men's high jump.
In the women's long jump, Casey Buck and Kristin Sato shared the win as they each recorded identical jumps of 17'6.25". Sato also won the triple jump with a mark of 38'4".
Remaining event winners for UCSD were Michelle Cummins (110 hurdles, 14.59), Markus Woods (400 hurdles, 54.85), Jared Shahbazian (shot put, 47'11") and Ellexi Snover (javelin, 130'5").
Devin Stetson (11'4.25"), Carly Heffernan (11'4.25") and Megan Benham (10'10.25") trailed Carr in the pole vault in second, third and fourth (tied), respectively. Stetson edged Heffernan for second place based on the number of jumps, despite recording identical marks.
In team scoring, the UCSD men combined for 236.50 points, followed by Cal Poly Pomona (206.50) and Mt. SAC (134). On the women's side, the Tritons totaled 338.50 points, 130.50 more than conference rival CPP (208) in second.
"We could not be happier with the performances today," said UCSD men's head coach Tony Salerno. "Despite cold, windy and damp conditions, the team competed extremely well. This sets us up perfectly for next week when we face UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara at home."
The Tritons will welcome UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara for the All-UC Championships on Saturday, March 7, at Triton Track & Field Stadium.
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