WALNUT – The morning dawned warm and muggy at Hilmer Lodge Stadium, but California track & field sophomore Mykolas Alekna had no issues whatsoever with the weather.
 
"I feel good," he said after a few warm-up throws.
 
With a statement like that, one has to perform come competition time, and Alekna did so in brilliant fashion as he earned his second straight Pac-12 discus title. Instantly breaking his own meet record with the first attempt, which soared 69.03m (226-5), the 20-year-old Lithuanian then saved his best effort for the final, unleashing a monster throw of 70.40m (230-11) – his second-farthest throw ever, just two feet shy of his world-leading mark of 71.00m (232-11). He became just the second Cal athlete in history, man or woman, to earn multiple conference discus titles (Ramón Jiménez-Gaona, 1991-92).
 
"We came into the day wanting to put on a very solid, consistent performance," said assistant coach Mohamad Saatara, who leads the throws, "and Mykolas came through with a great series. There was definite improvement on a lot of things that we've been working on."
 
Senior Iffy Joyner also scored for the Golden Bears in the event, reaching a season-best mark of 60.43m/198-3 to take fourth place.
 
"Overall, it was a great weekend for the throws group," Saatara said. "Four podium finishes is incredible for the program, and we also had a lot of personal records and season-bests. There were competitive efforts all across the board."
 
One other athlete experienced the moment of a lifetime to earn an additional Pac-12 championship title for Cal. Senior Skyler Magula, who had never reached a Pac-12 title meet in his collegiate career, continued his incredible final year with a win in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 5.47m (17-11.25) to beat out a stacked field. His teammate, sophomore Tyler Burns, also earned his first career podium finish with a third-place vault of 5.37m (17-7.25), while senior Jono Pelusi set a new personal best of 5.07m (16-7.5) to score for the Bears.
 
"Skylar has continued to invest in himself and in the process," said assistant coach Dan Lefever, who leads the vertical jumps and multi-events. "He never gave up on himself – to be on top of the podium after all that, it's unbelievable. It's a real credit to everything he's put in over the past few years. Neither him nor Tyler could do what they've done without the support of the other. They've matured a lot and are true professionals in whatever they do."
 
The women's 4x100m relay of Jada Hicks, Jordyn Grady, Makhaila Mills and Aysha Shaheed – just one senior to three sophomores – posted arguably Cal's standout track performance of the weekend by combining for a school-record 4x100m relay time of 43.81 that earned them second place and a first career trip to the conference podium for all four athletes. It was the highest finish by Cal's women in the event at any conference championships, dating back to the early 80s when they competed in the Pacific Coast Conference, and surpassed the previous program record by .18 seconds.
 
"That's the fastest relay team I've ever coached," said assistant coach Ronnye Harrison, who leads the sprints, hurdles and relays. His athletes would put together another standout performance at the end of the meet, as the team of Loreal Wilson, Jayden Hill, Ryan Lacefield and Grady would post a combined time of 3:40.68 for the fastest time by a Cal squad since 2010.
 
Three additional events saw Bears record their highest-ever Pac-12 finishes. Sophomore Di'Niko Bates, fresh off a new personal best in the prelims, took third in the 110m hurdles final with a time of 14.10 for the highest placement by a Cal men's hurdler since 2017. Junior Garrett MacQuiddy (fifth) and sophomore Aysha Shaheed (seventh) also improved from their previous Pac-12 outings, with MacQuiddy finishing the 1500m in 3:44.75 and Shaheed running the 100m in 11.59. Both of Cal's other two men's 110m hurdlers scored, with senior Riley Hunt taking fifth at 14.31 and classmate Hakim McMorris finishing sixth at 14.42; on the women's side, Hicks finished fourth in the 100m hurdles with her time of 13.28. Rounding out the Bears' hurdlers was senior Will Sornberger, who ran a gritty 400m hurdles race in a seventh-place 52.61.
 
Three of Cal's women – junior Busola Akinduro, senior Asha Fletcher and senior Felicia Renelus – recorded additional points in the triple jump. Akinduro placed fifth at 13.07m (42-10.75), Fletcher seventh at 12.73m (41-9.25) and Renelus sixth (12.67m/41-7). Over at the high jump pit, sophomore Toby Lai cleared the bar at 1.78m (5-10) to finish fourth overall. The Bears scored in three additional events: the men's triple jump (sophomore Isaiah Shaw, eighth place, 14.67m/48-1.75), the men's 4x100m relay (David Foster/George Monroe/Hakim McMorris/Gavin Schurr; eighth place, 40.16) and the men's 4x400m relay (George Monroe/Will Sornberger/Aiden Lippert/Henry Larkin, sixth place, 3:12.72).
 
Cal's men finished fourth with 82 points, their highest finish in 15 years, while the women came in sixth with 60 points.
 
Day Three Results
 
MEN
Discus: 1. Mykolas Alekna 70.40m/230-11 (Meet Record); 4. Iffy Joyner 60.43m/198-3; 14. Justin Wirtz 51.56m/169-2
Triple Jump: 8. Isaiah Shaw 14.67m/48-1.75
4x100m Relay: 8. California (David Foster, George Monroe, Hakim McMorris, Gavin Schurr) 40.16
1500m Final: 5. Garrett MacQuiddy 3:44.75
Pole Vault: 1. Skyler Magula 5.47m/17-11.25; 3. Tyler Burns 5.37m/17-7.25; 6. Jono Pelusi 5.07m/16-7.5 (PR); 10. Parker Terrill 4.97m/16-3.5
110m Hurdles Final: 3. Di'Niko Bates 14.10; 5. Riley Hunt 14.31; 6. Hakim McMorris 14.42
100m Final: 9. David Foster 10.64
400m Hurdles Final: 7. Will Sornberger 52.61
4x400m Relay: 6. California (George Monroe, Will Sornberger, Aiden Lippert, Henry Larkin) 3:12.72
 
WOMEN
4x100m Relay: 2. California (Jada Hicks, Jordyn Grady, Makhaila Mills, Aysha Shaheed) 43.81 (School Record)
High Jump: 4. Toby Lai 1.78m/5-10
Discus: 16. Sara Pettinger 45.43m/149-0
100m Hurdles Final: 4. Jada Hicks 13.28
Triple Jump: 5. Busola Akinduro 13.07m/42-10.75; 7. Asha Fletcher 12.73m/41-9.25; 8. Felicia Renelus 12.67m/41-7
100m Final: 7. Aysha Shaheed 11.59
5000m: 33. Georgia McCorkle 18:03.59
4x400m Relay: 9. California (Loreal Wilson, Jayden Hill, Ryan Lacefield, Jordyn Grady) 3:40.68
 
UP NEXT
This week, the Bears will find out which athletes have qualified for the NCAA West Regionals, which are scheduled to take place in Sacramento from May 24-27.
 
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