May 26, 2000
BERKELEY, Calif. - Cal will be represented by six athletes at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 31-June 1, in Durham, N.C. Duke University, which hosted the event in 1990, will serve as host of this year's national championship. With an eight-year winning streak, the Arkansas men will attempt to tie the championships record of nine, set by USC from 1935-43. The Texas women are in search of their third-straight team title. Representing the Golden Bears are Bolota Asmerom (5000m), Bevan Hart (decathlon), Robert Kennedy (long jump), Jennifer Joyce (hammer), Maria Lopez (pole vault) and Missy Vanek (heptathlon).
1999 NCAA MEET IN REVIEW
The Cal men finished tied for 32nd at the 1999 NCAA Championships, tallying six points from Bevan Hart's third-place finish in the decathlon (7773 points). The Cal women tied for 49th with five points from Kristin Heaston's fourth-place finish in the shot put (54-0). Non-point scorers for Cal were Elissa Riedy in the 1500m (4:43.59) and Jennifer Joyce in the hammer (183-9).
CAL TEAM HISTORY AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Cal men's best performance at the NCAA Championships was a first-place finish in 1922. Since 1970, Cal has placed in the Top 10 on five occasions, most recently a tie for fifth in 1988. The Bears have scored points in 10-straight NCAA meets. Meanwhile, the Cal women have placed as high as 11th two times - 1987 and 1990 - since their inception in 1974. They've scored at NCAAs five-straight years.
BEARS RECENT TEAM HISTORY AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
During the last 10 years, Cal's best NCAA finishes were 11th on the women's side in 1990 and 14th on the men's side in 1993.
| Women | Men |
| 1990 | 11th, 23 points | T56th, 4 points |
| 1991 | 0 points | 32nd, 8 points |
| 1992 | T54th, 2 points | T17th, 16 points |
| 1993 | 0 points | 14th, 20 points |
| 1994 | 0 points | T72nd, 1 point |
| 1995 | T57th, 1 point | T28th, 8 points |
| 1996 | T55th, 2 points | T26th, 12 points |
| 1997 | T30th, 8 points | 40th, 7 points |
| 1998 | T57th, 3 points | T27th, 8 points |
| 1999 | T49th, 5 points | T32nd, 6 points |
CAL INDIVIDUAL NCAA CHAMPIONS THROUGH THE YEARS
Cal has accumulated a total of 28 individual and three relay NCAA titles (men and women combined) during its history. John Merchant (hammer and shot put) and Allen Norris (pole vault) became the first NCAA individual champions in Cal history in 1922. Sheila Hudson is the only Cal woman to win an NCAA title, having won three triple jump crowns in 1987, '88 and '90 and one long jump title in 1990. Chris Huffins was the last Bear NCAA champion in 1993, winning the decathlon with a school record 8007 points. In 1997, Clarence Phelps was the last Bear to almost take gold at NCAAs, placing second in the pole vault (18-0.5).
CAL'S NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS
Automatic
| Bolota Asmerom | 5000m | 13:32.48 |
| Bevan Hart | Decathlon | 7890 pts. |
| Jennifer Joyce | Hammer | 206-3 |
| Missy Vanek | Heptathlon | 5554 pts. |
Provisional
| Garrett Collier | Hammer | 203-6 |
| Peter Gilmore | 10,000m | 29:37.24 |
| Bevan Hart | Pole Vault | 17-8.5 |
| Robert Kennedy | Long Jump | 25-9.25w |
| Dana Lawson | Shot Put | 49-10.5 |
| Maria Lopez | Pole Vault | 13-0.25 |
| Reynda King | Triple Jump | 42-0.75 |
CAL'S SCHEDULE
AT 2000 NCAA MEET
| Wed., May 31 |
| 11:00 a.m. | W-Hammer | Jennifer Joyce |
| 2:00 p.m. | W-Heptathlon 100m | Missy Vanek |
| 2:45 p.m. | W-Heptathlon HJ | Missy Vanek |
| 5:15 p.m. | W-Heptathlon SP | Missy Vanek |
| 6:30 p.m. | M-Long Jump | Robert Kennedy |
| 7:00 p.m. | W-Heptathlon 200m | Missy Vanek |
| Thurs., June 1 |
| 3:00 p.m. | W-Heptathlon LJ | Missy Vanek |
| 4:15 p.m. | W-Heptathlon Javelin | Missy Vanek |
| 6:40 p.m. | W-Heptathlon 800m | Missy Vanek |
| Fri., June 2 |
| 2:00 p.m. | M-Decathlon 100m | Bevan Hart |
| 2:45 p.m. | M-Decathlon LJ | Bevan Hart |
| 4:00 p.m. | M-Decathlon SP | Bevan Hart |
| 5:15 p.m. | M-Decathlon HJ | Bevan Hart |
| 6:00 p.m. | W-Pole Vault | Maria Lopez |
| 8:00 p.m. | M-Decathlon 400m | Bevan Hart |
| Sat., June 3 |
| 1:00 p.m. | M-Decathlon 110mH | Bevan Hart |
| 1:45 p.m. | M-Decathlon Discus | Bevan Hart |
| 3:45 p.m. | M-Decathlon PV | Bevan Hart |
| 5:30 p.m. | M-Decathlon Javelin | Bevan Hart |
| 7:30 p.m. | M-Decathlon 1500m | Bevan Hart |
| 8:50 p.m. | M-5000m | Bolota Asmerom |
QUICK LOOK AT CAL'S SIX NCAA COMPETITORS
Bolota Asmerom (5000m) - making his first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor meet ... set the Cal record in the 5000m (13:32.48) at the 2000 Mt. SAC Relays ... enters the NCAA meet ranked 4th nationally in the 5000m ... finished 4th in the 5000m (14:10.29) at 2000 Pac-10s ... competed at the 1999 NCAA XC meet.
Bevan Hart (decathlon) - a favorite to win the decathlon, as he has the top NCAA qualifying mark ... has won back-to-back Pac-10 decathlons, including a PR of 7890 points at the 2000 meet ... also qualified for NCAAs in the pole vault but won't compete to focus on the multis ... took 3rd in the decathlon at 1999 NCAAs as a junior with a then-PR of 7773 pts ... as a soph., took 9th (7270) at NCAAs in the decathlon.
Robert Kennedy (long jump) - finished 2nd (PR: 25-9.25w) in the long jump as a freshman at the 2000 Pac-10s ... enters the NCAA meet ranked 17th in the long jump ... if it wasn't wind-aided, his PR would be a new Cal freshman record and rank fourth all-time at Cal.
Jennifer Joyce (hammer) - finished second in the hammer for the second-consecutive year at the 2000 Pac-10 meet with a new school record throw of 206-3 ... placed 15th (183-9) in the hammer at the 1999 NCAA meet ... ranks fifth in the hammer heading into the 2000 NCAAs.
Maria Lopez (pole vault) - competing in her first NCAA meet ... set the Cal record in the pole vault of 13-0.25 to win the California/Nevada meet ... enters the NCAA meet in a tie for 12th in her event ... has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Missy Vanek (heptathlon) - won the 2000 Pac-10 heptathlon (5505 pts) ... set a PR of 5554 at the UC Davis Multi-Event meet March 30-31 ... ranked 5th in the heptathlon heading into NCAAs ... also took 3rd in the high jump (5-8) at Pac-10s.
BOTH CAL TEAMS FINISH 8TH AT 2000 PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Cal's track and field teams each showed improvements in their point totals over a year ago at the 2000 Pac-10 Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., but both teams finished eighth at the league meet. The Golden Bear men placed eighth for the fourth-consecutive year, posting 68 points after scoring 59.5 in 1999. The Bear women improved upon last year's ninth-place finish (41 points), taking eighth with 56 points. Senior Bevan Hart was Cal's male top point scorer with 16 - 10 for winning his second-consecutive conference decathlon title (PR: 7890) and 6 for finishing third in the pole vault with a PR of 17-9.25. Junior Missy Vanek led the Cal women with 19 points - 10 for winning the heptathlon (5505), 6 for finishing third in the high jump (5-8) and three for running on the sixth-place 4x100 relay (45.93).
BEARS CLIMB SCHOOL RECORD CHARTS IN 2000
Numerous current Bears joined or moved up Cal's all-time top 10 performers' chart this season. On the men's side this includes: Bolota Asmerom set the school record in the 5000m (13:32.48), Peter Gilmore ran the second-fastest 10,000m (29:37.24), Bevan Hart cleared the third-highest pole vault (17-9.25), Garrett Collier recorded the fourth-best mark in the hammer (203-6), and Hart turned in the second-best decathlon (7890 points). On the women's side this includes: Zhauntel Holman ran the third-fastest 100m (11.74), April Holliverse ranks second in the 100mH (13.82), Maria Lopez leads all pole vaulters (13-0.25), Reynda King is third in the triple jump (42-0.75), Dana Lawson is third in the shot put (49-10.5), Jennifer Joyce leads the hammer (206-3), and Missy Vanek is second in the heptathlon (5554 points).
THREE SCHOOL RECORDS FALL IN 2000
Three Cal records have fallen so far this season. The year began with junior Maria Lopez holding the Cal record in the pole vault at 11-11.25. The Newark, Calif., native has set a new standard several times this year, with a current best mark of 13-0.25, which is an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and a U.S. Olympic Trials B standard. Likewise, sophomore Jennifer Joyce entered the season holding the Cal record in the hammer (193-0). She now owns the record of 206-3. On the men's side, junior Bolota Asmerom shattered Tom Downs 1982 5000m record (13:40.39), clocking in with an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 13:32.48 at the Mount SAC Relays.
