AUSTIN, TEXAS – The California Golden Bears track & field team had two athletes advance to the national championships Thursday – freshman Walter Jones in the long jump and sophomore Ethan Cochran in the discus – during the opening day of action at the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field West Preliminary Championships in Austin, Texas.
Jones was 10th overall in the long jump with a career-best leap of 25-7 (7.80) advancing him to the NCAA meet in his first season at Cal. Cochran was seventh in the discus with a throw of 183.0 (55.79m).
The Bears are represented by 20 student-athletes, including one relay team across 17 events at Mike Meyers Track Facility. The qualifiers out of the West region will compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 10-13 in Eugene, Oregon.
Junior Thomas Joyce advanced to Saturday’s semifinals in the 1,500 meters by placing fourth in his heat and had the 10th fastest time overall with a mark of 3:46.82. In the 800 meters, junior Eugene Hamilton advanced to Friday’s semifinals with a 10th place finish of 1:49.63.
Other Cal runners in the 1,500 were Leland Leter, who was eighth in his heat (3:55.46), and sophomore Josh Lewis, who placed 11th in his heat (4:00.65).
Junior Jonte Turner placed seventh in his heat of the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 54.09, while sophomore Khalfani Muhammad with sixth in his heat of the 100 meters with a time of 10.42.
Additional results for the Bears were freshman Ellis Newton placing 29th in the 800 meters (1:50.60), junior Noel Frazier finishing 34th in the high jump (6-9 3/4) and sophomore placing 36th in the discus (167-8).
“We are pleased and relieved tonight as both Ethan and Walt qualified to the NCAA finals,” said Cal director of track and field Tony Sandoval. “Having only three attempts is pressure packed anyway, but to we had a number of lighting and rain delays throughout the meet. Both adjusted and made it through. The long jump was especially competitive with Jonte Grant getting a PR (25-4) and just missing NCAAs. Joyce and Hamilton kicked home well to advance to tomorrow’s 800 and Saturday’s 1,500,”
The West Preliminary Championships continue Friday and Saturday, May 29-30.
