UCM, Chavez, Velarde Repeat as Champions

For the second year in a row, UC Merced dominated the California Pacific Conference Track & Field Championships and took home the men's and women's team titles.  Jonathan Chavez, a two-time Cal Pac Cross Country medalist and a 2023 All American, garnered his second Male Athlete of the Year award at the two-day event at the Soka University Track Complex in Aliso Viejo, Calif.  UCM head coach Vicente Velarde was awarded his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.  Embry-Riddle's Zoe Tizard was named the Female Athlete of the Year after winning three individual events:  the 3000m Steeplechase, the 1500m race, and then the 5000m.  Her time of 11:26.73 in the Steeplechase made her an NAIA B qualifier.

Chavez won three individual events, setting a new Cal Pac Championship time in two of them.  He finished first with his 1:56.45 run to win the 800m, won the 5000m with a meet record 14:53.22, and finished first at the 1500m distance (4:02.29).  Chavez also helped the Bobcats win the 4x800 relay.

• Soka's Olivia Chung won her third 110m hurdles final, breaking her own meet record with a time of 15.65.
• Soka's Hope Suka won the 400m with a new meet record of 48.15, a time that is just tenths of a second off the NAIA A qualifying time; he is an NAIA B qualifier.
• ERAU's Dillon Eisner won the 10,000m race with a time of 31:11.95, making him an NAIA B qualifier.
• In the men's 3000m Steeplechase, UCM's Sharvin Manjrekar won the event with a meet-record 9:22.66 effort, finishing in front of ERAU's Nicholas Logan, who clocked a 9:28.17.  Both times are NAIA B qualifying marks.
• Simpson's Daniel Summeril won the shot put event with a meet record toss of 42'4", and Elizabeth Aleo of Simpson repeated as the women's shot put champion.
• In the sprints, Park-Gilbert's Dylan Hukill won the men's 100m with a new Cal Pac meet record of 10.62, and UCM's Martel Fields won the 200 with a new standard of 21.95.
• In the women's sprints, UCM's Clarisel Lopez won the 100m in 12.45, a fraction off the best time ever, and then won the 200m in 25.72 to set a new meet record.

Cal Pac Track & Field Championship results

MEN'S TEAM RESULTS

1. UC Merced (187)
2. Embry-Riddle (78)
3. Soka (60)
4. Park-Gilbert (52)
5. Simpson (8)
6. Cal Maritime (0)
7. La Sierra (0) 
8. Westcliff (0)

WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS

1. UC Merced (170)
2. Embry-Riddle (137)
3. Park-Gilbert (43)
4. Soka (31)
5. Cal Maritime (0)
6. Providence Christian (0)
7. Westcliff (0)

CALIFORNIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP

SUA Track Complex | Aliso Viejo, Calif. | Hosted by Soka University

Thursday, April 25

Friday, April 26

*New meet record

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:  Zoe Tizard (Embry-Riddle)

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:  Jonathan Chavez (UC Merced)

COACH OF THE YEAR:  Vicente Velarde (UC Merced)

UC Merced Women -- 2024 Team Champions                                                              UC Merced Men -- 2024 Team Champions