ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The California track & field team began competition in its second meet of the 2025 season Friday, kicking things off at the Albuquerque Convention Center with a trio of program top-10 marks and a pair of wins at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational.
 
All three of the Golden Bears' new top 10s came from the squad's elite weight throwers. Redshirt sophomore Giavonna Meeks posted her second-straight win with the best performance of her career, improving on five of six throws with three new personal records and finishing with a mark of 23.55m (77-3.25) to take the 2025 collegiate lead and clinch both the No. 2 performance in school history and the No. 19 performance in collegiate history. Reigning ACC freshman of the Week Valentina Savva, who already led all rookies nationwide in the event, improved her own personal best to 20.36m (66-9.75) to place second and rise to fifth in program history, also surpassing Cal's previous freshman record held by esteemed alumna Camryn Rogers. Graduate transfer Amanda Spear also posted an impressive PR of her own, adding nearly five feet to her career best with a throw of 18.29m (60-0.25). On the men's side, senior Jared Freeman improved his own career best on three separate throws, eventually finishing almost two feet ahead of his former PR with a winning 20.12m (66-0.25) that ranks second in school history.
 
The vertical and horizontal jumpers produced a total of four personal bests and a pair of top-three finishes. Cal's long jumpers were led by junior Jason Plumb, who held the ACC lead in the long jump after his standout season opener and posted a second-place effort of 7.60m (24-11.25) in Albuquerque, and sophomore Javon Hampton Jr., who just missed the podium with a leap of 7.33m (24-0.75) that added over a foot and a half to his previous PR. The Bears' highest finisher in the vertical jumps was redshirt sophomore Will Siemens with his second-place height of 4.92m (16-1.75) in the Section B pole vault contest, which also marked his third-straight personal best.
 
Redshirt senior Iyan Godwin was Cal's top finisher in the sprint events, taking third in the unseeded 400m with a personal-best time of 48.89. Seven other sprinters on the team also notched PRs, with freshmen Jakobi Smith (22.48 – 200m) and Nairobi Smith (59.13 – 400m) also making their collegiate debuts.
 
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. INVITATIONAL – MEN'S RESULTS
200m Unseeded B – 26. Jakobi Smith 22.48 (PR); 27. Christian Trapps 22.49 (PR); 39. Wazell Wright 23.40
400m Unseeded B – 3. Iyan Godwin 48.89; 5. Arian Naim 49.12
High Jump – T5. Victor Ezike Jr. 1.92m/6-3.5; 7. Brandon Cheeks II 1.92m/6-3.5
Pole Vault B – 2. Will Siemens 4.92m/16-1.75 (PR); T7. Seth Johnson 4.17m/13-8.25
Long Jump – 2. Jason Plumb 7.60m/24-11.25; 4. Javon Hampton Jr. 7.33m/24-0.75 (PR); 6. Chukwunonso Udeh 7.23m/23-8.75; 8. Trevor Rogers 7.12m/23-4.5; 13. Brandon Cheeks II 6.87m/22-6.5 (PR); 19. Seth Johnson 6.60m/21-8
Weight Throw – 1. Jared Freeman 20.12m/66-0.25 (PR, No. 2 Cal History); 6. Kai Barham 16.57m/54-4.5 (PR)
 
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. INVITATIONAL – WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m Unseeded B – 14. Paige Porter 25.30 (collegiate PR); 24. Torre Anderson 25.70 (PR)
400m Unseeded B – 5. Loreal Wilson 57.43; 12. Nairobi Smith 59.13 (PR)
High Jump – 4. Jade Neser 1.70m/5-7 (PR); 7. Ashanti Elie 1.65m/5-5
Long Jump – 9. Asjah Atkinson 5.81m/19-0.75; 10. Torre Anderson 5.70m/18-8.5; 17. Ashanti Elie 5.28m/17-4
Weight Throw – 1. Giavonna Meeks 23.55m/77-3.25 (PR, No. 2 Cal History); 2. Valentina Savva 20.36m/66-9.75 (PR, No. 5 Cal History, Cal Freshman Record); 4. Adrianna Coleman 19.45m/53-9.75; 6. Amanda Spear 18.29m/60-0.25 (PR); 7. Audrey Jacobs 17.68m/56-10; - Angie Schykerynec NM
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will remain in Albuquerque Saturday for Day Two of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational.
 
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