SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The CSUSB Women's track and field program did something that had never been done previously in the program's young history. At the Johnny Mathis meet held at San Francisco State University on April 15th and 16th, the Coyotes won their first invitational meet as a team. Getting points from every event group, the Yotes scored 125 team points which bested the next two teams of San Francisco State (91 points) and Cal State Monterey Bay (89 points).
"Getting our team to this point has taken patience, hard work, and grace. We are so proud of how far our team has come. With the CCAA Championships around the corner, these women are ready to compete at the highest level this program has ever experienced. We are very excited for what lies ahead." – Coach Podgaysky
Day one of the meet held the hammer competition for the Yotes. Tayler Salley led the way for the Yotes taking the victory in the event by 30 feet with her second best throw on the season with a mark of 52.49m (172'02''). The Yotes scored 17 of their team's points in the first event of the meet.
"It feels good (to throw 52.49m) we were really trying to fix somethings the past few weeks, so I feel good to finally see those implemented in the throw and it worked out in our favor." – Tayler Salley
Day two of the meet started off cold and wet with a rainstorm that went right into the first event the women's 3000m steeplechase where Caty Gaynor achieved a lifetime best in the event and a 22 second PR in a time of 12:28.18. She earned eight place in the competitive event, which featured four of the top five runners in the event in the CCAA and earned her team one point in the team standings.
"I was very excited for this race and that's what made me do so well was the excitement instead of just working on nerves. I loved that weather, I was hoping that it was going to be rainy and cold I feel like I thrive in that weather." – Caty Gaynor
Kaleigh Giannone was one of three individual Yotes with event wins on the day. She ran a personal best time of 1:06.70, improving upon her second all-time mark at CSUSB and moving her up to tied for fifth in the CCAA conference.
"I had a breakthrough (in my event), I ran my race and exceeded my expectations. I just needed to believe in myself and my ability." – Kaleigh Giannone
Tayler Salley led the discus group, alongside Victoria Soto and Abby Venglass, with a throw of 38.41m (126'0'') en-route to 15 points for the Yotes in the event. Venglass also added another eight points in the shot put with her second-place finish with a throw of 11.60m (38'0.75''). The throws group accounted for 40 of the team's points over their three events on the weekend.
Sariyah Copeland started off her day in her first of four events in the women's 4x100m, alongside Journie Alexander, Maame Banahene, and Maya Price with a first-place finish in the event in a time of 48.24. Along with her win in the 100m (12.17) and the 200m (24.79) and the teams second place finish in the 4x400m along with Ladaijah Wright, Maame Banahene, and Alexandria Owens in a time of 4:08.22, Copeland was the highest point getter on the team with a total of 24.5 points.
Owens and Wright ran in the open 400m race as well clocking in times of 1:01.54 and 1:01.56 respectively, netting the team 14 points in the event.
In the Women's high jump Maya Price and Maame Banahene combined for 11 team points with Price leading the duo with a jump of 1.48m (4'10.25''). Destiny Colton competed in the long and triple jump earning one team point in each event with jumps of 4.77m and 9.70m respectively. Her jump in the Triple Jump earned her fourth all time at CSUSB in the event.
In the Women's 1500m the pack of Yotes were led by Joanna Lopez tying her season and personal best in a time of 5:03.97. She was one of four Yotes in the event with a personal or season's best (Marissa Angulo; 5:13.61 SB, Genesis Obispo 5:21.27 PB, Maria Rojas 5:42.42 PB). In the 800m, Savannah Milner led the pack with a time of 2:28.40. Four Yotes achieved seasons or personal bests in the event, (Joanna Lopez; 2:29.43 PB, Genesis Obispo; 2:37.51 PB, Justine Ziranda; 2:38.47 SB, Sonia Tuia; 3:01.38 PB).
Nicole Renteria in the penultimate event competed in the women's 5000m crossing the line in the very competitive event in a time of 19:03.44. This marks a 1.5 second personal best from her time last week achieved at the UCSD Triton Invite. This earned her eight place in the event and scored one point for the Yotes.
The CSUSB Coyotes will compete in their last regular season meet of the year at the UC Riverside Chris Rinne Twilight on Friday, April 22nd. The hammer throw starts at 2:15pm with the running events starting at 5:20pm with the women's 4x100m relay.
Come out and Support your Yotes!
CCAA Qualifiers:
Journie Alexander – 100m, Long Jump
Destiny Colton – Long Jump
Sariyah Copeland – 100m, 200m
Kaleigh Giannone – 400m Hurdles
Maya Price – 100m, 200m, High Jump
Tayler Salley – Hammer, Discus, Shot put
Victoria Soto – Discus, Hammer
Abby Venglass – Shot put, Hammer, Discus, Javelin
Ladaijah Wright – 400m
