BOSTON – The California track & field team finished up at the ACC Indoor Championships on Saturday with its strongest overall outing of the meet, sending four Golden Bears to the podium and celebrating a trio of new program top-10 entries. Six members of the team earned All-ACC honors for their performances, including four first-team nods.
 
Florida State (94 points) won the men's team competition, followed by Clemson (88) and No. 8 Virginia (72). No. 9 Clemson took home the women's title with 82 total points, ahead of second-place Duke (68) and No. 24 Florida State (63). Cal's men placed 10th overall with 25 points, while its women tied for 12th with 26 points.
 
"I think we competed well today," said Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Robyne Johnson. "We did a good job with the kids who made the podium and had several season bests this week. Some things didn't go the way we wanted them to, but we're a stronger outdoor team and are looking forward to a good season."
 
Junior Mari Testa, who entered the meet as Cal's program record-holder in the 60m hurdles, posted the race of her life in the women's final with a personal-best time of 8.19 to tie the Austrian U23 record. Testa's performance also clinched her first conference podium finish and her first All-ACC award, as she trailed only four-time ACC champion Oneka Wilson of Clemson in the race.
 
Shortly afterward, sophomore sprints star Nairobi Smith had her moment in the women's 200m final, storming to a school-record time of 23.47 and claiming third place as well as her first All-ACC recognition. It was a storybook ending to Smith's indoor season – coming into the year, she had never run the 200m indoors for Cal and only appeared in the 2025 ACC Championships as a member of the 4x400m relay.
 
"Mari's and Nairobi's outcomes at this ACC Championships is the result of the work they put in this year and their ability to not lose focus based on individual outcomes, but to increase that focus by journaling to measure their daily progress," said assistant coach Ronnye Harrison, who leads the sprints, hurdles and relays group.
 
Senior Ali Sahaida outstanding season continued with a strong performance in a powerhouse women's pole vault competition, finishing third with a mark of 4.45m (14-7.25) that was the second-best outing of her career to earn her first all-conference nod.
 
Redshirt junior Nik Iwankiw had the meet of his life in the men's shot put, first increasing his PR by six centimeters to 17.60m (57-9) on his second attempt before launching his third throw 18.29m (60-0.25), moving up to No. 10 in program history and hanging on for third place and his first All-ACC award. Freshman Matas Mikulėnas recorded a personal best of his own in the same event with a mark of 16.70m (54-8.5) on his third toss.
 
Junior Lucija Leko brought her All-ACC total to four with a sixth-place throw of 15.40m (50-6.25) in the women's shot put, while classmate Jeremiah Bolaños earned his first All-ACC award after placing sixth in the triple jump at 15.18m (49-9.75).
 
Freshman Avery Hart appeared in her second event of the championships, recording a mark of 12.06m (39-6.75). Senior Leah Anderson joined her in the same competition and finished with a mark of 11.86m (38-1).
 
Juniors Justin Pretre and Addie Johnson competed in the men's and women's 3000m, respectively, posting times of 8:25.61 (Pretre) and 9:13.79 (Johnson). The Bears closed out the meet with a 4x400m relay, run by sophomore Trevor Rogers (50.17 split), freshman Jackson Hein (48.41 split), junior Lamarr Kirk Jr. (48.67 split) and senior Jason Plumb (50.92 split) for a time of 3:18.15. Hein's split was the fastest of all three second-leg runners in his heat.
 
ACC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY THREE MEN'S RESULTS
3000m – 25. Justin Pretre 8:25.61
4x400m Relay – 11. California (Trevor Rogers, Jackson Hein, Lamarr Kirk Jr., Jason Plumb) 3:18.15
Triple Jump – 6. Jeremiah Bolaños 15.18m/49-9.75 (All-ACC Second Team); 13. Kosi Nwafor 14.08m/46-2.5
Shot Put – 3. Nik Iwankiw 18.29m/60-0.25 (PR, 10th Cal History, All-ACC First Team); 11. Matas Mikulėnas 16.70m/54-9.5 (PR)
                                                                                                                                                                            
ACC INDOOR CLASSIC – DAY THREE WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m Final – 3. Nairobi Smith 23.47 (PR, School Record, All-ACC First Team)
3000m – 16. Addie Johnson 9:13.79
60m Hurdles Final – 2. Mari Testa 8.19 (PR, Tied-Austrian U23 Record, School Record, All-ACC First Team)
Pole Vault – 3. Ali Sahaida 4.45m/14-7.25 (All-ACC First Team)
Triple Jump – 17. Avery Hart 12.06m/39-6.75; 19. Leah Anderson 11.86m/38-1
Shot Put – 6. Lucija Leko 15.40m/50-6.25 (All-ACC Second Team)
 
UP NEXT
Cal will wait to see if any Bears have qualified for the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships in two weeks' time, then will begin its outdoor season at the Cal Invitational in Berkeley on March 21.
 
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal track & field, follow the Bears on X (@CalTFXC), Instagram (@caltfxc) and Facebook (@Cal Cross Country/Track and Field).