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Thursday, March 28, 2024

UC Davis women win Big West Championship

The UC Davis women’s track and field team battled and edged UC Santa Barbara to win their first Big West Conference title on Saturday in Irvine, Calif.

The Aggie men finished sixth overall at the meet.

Overall, UC Davis was strong in the event’s final day, posting 18 scoring performances on Saturday, which included four titles, four runner-up placings, three third-places and a trio of fourths. The Aggies scored in three of the four field events Saturday and in all 10 events on the track.

The Aggie women finished with 170 points while the Gauchos remained close behind at 169.50.

Junior Melanise Chapman and senior Sarah Sumpter won two individual titles apiece, while senior Ashley Hearn and sophomore Alycia Cridebring each captured one. Champan tied school records with victories in both the 100m and 200m and helped the Aggies’ 4x100m relay finish third.

Cridebring brought home UC Davis’ first win on Saturday with first place in the 1500m while Sumpter delivered a meet-record performance in the 5000m to take first, followed by Cridebring who finished second. Sumpter also took first in the 10,000m run on Friday in a 1-2-3 UC Davis performance that featured senior Krista Drechler in second and sophomore Shannon Harcus in third.

Senior Ashley Hearn also posted a strong performance, taking first in the discus and second in both the shot put and the hammer throw. Senior Lauren Radke finished first in the pole vault.
“Our women’s team knew that we had to stay in charge for a team title,” said coach Drew Wartenburg. “It just happened to wire down to the last event.”

The Aggie men scored 66 points during Saturday’s competition, finishing in sixth place. Senor standout Jonathon Peterson was a double-winner in the 1500m and 5000m runs, narrowly missing Steve Gerhart’s 28-year old school record in the 1500m.

“Jonathon Peterson’s performances in winning two individual titles,” said Wartenburg, “were a bright spot on the men’s side.”

The UC Davis Track and Field team look forward to the NCAA West Preliminary Meet in Texas on Thursday, May 24.

VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

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