May 14, 2011

TUCSON, Ariz. - Junior Ray Stewart raced to victory in the 110-meter hurdles at the Pac-10 Championships Saturday night, becoming the first Golden Bear to win the event since Larry Cowling 30 years ago. Stewart's time of 13.48 lowered his own lifetime best and keeps him as the No. 2 performer in the hurdles in school history.

Stewart entered the final as the No. 2 seed after running a then-PR 13.50 in the prelims Friday with USC senior Brendan Ames leading qualifying with a time of 13.39 that broke Greg Foster's meet record.

But on Saturday, Stewart beat Ames to the wire. Stewart's 13.48 matched UCLA's Kevin Craddock (13.48, 2007) as the fastest winning time at the conference meet in eight years. Ames was second in 13.53. In addition, Cal's Mike Morrison took eighth in 14.46.

"It's really amazing to get a win in my first year," Stewart said. "I'm just so ecstatic for the win."

Cowling, the Cal record-holder in both the 110 and 400 hurdles, claimed his Pac-10 title in 1981 in 13.99. He also owns the school record of 13.39 set in 1982.

Senior Tracey Stewart (no relation to Ray) duplicated her runner-up finish in the women's triple jump from a year ago. This time, she leaped 42-4.25, taking second behind Whitney Liehr of Stanford (43-3.25). Stewart took over the lead with her fourth jump, but Liehr claimed the title with her winning effort on her sixth and final try.

Chad Jones added a point for the Bears in the men's triple jump with a best mark of 49-0.25.

In the women's high jump, freshly crowned school record-holder Kristen Meister took third with a clearance of 5-10.75, up two spots from her fifth-place finish in 2010. Meister jumped 6-1.50 to set the Cal mark two weeks ago. Gianna Fernandez claimed fifth with a PR 5-9.75, with Kristin Rimbach barely out of the scoring in ninth at 5-6.50.

The women's 4x100-meter relay of Emani Truluck, Alima Kamara, Kayla Dixon and Cherrelle Garrett placed third in 45.02 seconds, just edging out Arizona (45.03) and Stanford (45.04) at the wire.

In the women's 100 hurdles, Truluck was eighth in a PR 13.73. She ran 13.82 earlier this season.

With a victory in the final event - the 4x400-meter relay - Oregon clinched the women's title with 154.50 points, followed by Arizona (150) and Arizona State (121). The Bears finished eighth with 42 points.

The Ducks also won the men's crown with 129 points, with Arizona second (111), and USC, UCLA and Arizona State tying for third (99). Cal took ninth with 27 points.

Cal participated without several key athletes who scored highly last year, but were unable to compete due to injury, including three All-Americans Michael Coe (distance), Hammed Suleman (triple jump) and Deborah Maier (distance).

Next up for the Bears are the NCAA West Preliminaries May 26-28 in Eugene, Ore. The NCAA Championships are June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Pac-10 Track & Field Championships
Saturday, May 14, 2011 / Drachman Stadium / Tucson, Ariz.

Complete Results

California Results
Men
5000 meters - 20. Maxime Chevee 14:50.90

110-meter hurdles - 1. Ray Stewart 13.48; 8. Mike Morrison 14.46

400-meter hurdles - 9. Monty Corley 53.05

4x400-meter relay - Daniel Davis, Mike Morrison, Chase Wheeler, Monte Corley DNF

Pole Vault - 13. Connor Landry 15-3.75 (4.67m)

Triple Jump - 8. Chad Jones 49-0.25 (14.94m); 13. Taylor Kientzel-Means 47-6.50 (14.49m)

Discus - 12. Jeff Butler 155-11 (47.53m)

Women
400 meters - Alima Kamara DNF

1500 meters - Sofia Oberg DNF

5000 meters - 24. Alison Greggor 17:40.99

100-meter hurdles - 8. Emani Truluck 13.73

4x100-meter relay - 3. Emani Truluck, Alima Kamara, Kayla Dixon, Cherrelle Garrett 45.02

High Jump - 3. Kristen Meister 5-10.75 (1.80m); 5. Gianna Fernandez 5-9.75 (1.77m); 9. Kristin Rimbach 5-6.50 (1.69m)

Triple Jump - 2. Tracey Stewart 42-4.25 (12.91m)

Discus - 9. Kendall Morris 150-8 (45.92m)