Track teams tune up for championship runs
April 23, 2015
In the final tuneup before the California Collegiate Athletics Association Conference Championships, Cal State East Bay men’s and women’s track teams hosted teams from all over the state in the Cal State East Bay Legacy Invitational at Chabot College on Friday and Saturday in Hayward.
The CSUEB women took home fourth place in the invitational that honored former Pioneers who previously won national championships in track and field events as a Pioneer.
CSUEB junior Oddessy Tapia had the best finish of the meet for the Pioneers as she took home a first place finish in the 3000 meter steeplechase event with a time of 11:56.20, a season best for the junior. Pioneers junior Suzanne Bateson took home third in the 400-meters in a career best time of 58.46.
Bateson anchored the 4×400 meter relay team for the Pioneers that finished in third place with a time of 4:04.24. Freshman Ravyn Miller, senior Samira Foy, and junior Corryn Barney rounded out the third place relay team for Cal State East Bay.
Sophomore and Hayward High School alum Camille Hansen also set a personal best in an event as she posted a time of 4:42.20 which was good enough for a third place finish in the event.
“Today was a proud day as we celebrated our program’s history and had a good tune-up as we prepare for CCAA championships,” CSUEB Head Coach Ralph Jones said. “We had some standout performances on the women’s side. I think we’re getting healthy and strong at the right time.”
The men had a huge day from junior Marquise Cherry who took home first place finishes in three events, long jump, 100-meter, and 200-meter events. Cherry jumped 23-feet-4-inches in the first place long jump finish.
He also set personal bests in the 100 and 200 events with times of 10.72 and 21.97 respectively.
Cherry’s first place finishes helped CSUEB place sixth overall as a team in the Hayward invitational.
Junior from Oakland Leo Theus III placed seventh in the 400-meters with a season best 50.31. The men also took home fourth place in the 4×400 relay race with a final time of 3:46.76. in the event.
This was the final event before the CCAA championships at Cox Stadium in San Francisco on May 9 at 10 a.m.
