ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's and women's outdoor track teams combined to earn three first-place finishes and five podium finishes on day one of the California Pacific Conference Championships on Thursday night in Aliso Viejo.
Derrick Pickrel won the 3000m steeplechase with a program-record time of 9:46.17, while both the Bobcats men's and women's 4X800 relay teams finished on top of the podium. The men's team (Fernando Oliveros, Alberto Alves, Sharvin Manjrekar, Jonathan Chavez) ran a Cal Pac best 8:10.39 and the women's team (Sinthya Duran, Brieanna Anderson, Jaydah Aguilar, Alexandra Lopez) finished on top with a time of 9:54.45. Thursday marked the first ever 4X800 relays for UC Merced.
In UC Merced's first ever 10000m event, Elizette Ysais finished second in 39:46 and Anjaneesa Ward placed third in 40:20.
With six events over the multi-day championship event in the books, head coach Vicente Velarde's squads currently sit in second place with 42 points (women's) and 33 points (men's). Defending champion Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is heads into the final day in first place due to strong performances in the 10000m.
Also of note, Alexandra Lopez (4th/12:13.64), Carissa Estrada (5th/12:20.66), and Noah Vasquez (4th/10:11.19) turned in personal best times in the 3000m steeplechase. Lopez's time marked a program-best. Alberto Alves was the Bobcats top finisher in the 10000m event with a fifth-place finish in 34:51.
UC Merced, in its inaugural season, kicks off day two and the final day of the California Pacific Conference Championships in Aliso Viejo with the long jump at 12:00pm. The Bobcats' runners begin at 12:15pm with the 400m.
