FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State track and field teams closed out its final meet before the Mountain West Championships with nine Top 3 finishes including a trio of wins at the Fresno State Invitational on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Two of those wins resulted from personal bests and the third made a change to the rankings in the program's record book.
Rachela Pace earned the Bulldogs' first win of the day in the late afternoon in the triple jump. She broke it on her fourth attempt, then again on the fifth with a mark of 12.50m/41-0.25.
During the evening, Jordyn Bryant led a group of 'Dogs to a 1-2-3 finish in the shot put. The junior landed a season-best toss of 15.51m/50-10.75 that put her in sole possession of fifth on Fresno State's all-time list. Cierra Jackson took second at 15.26m/50-0.75, her second runner-up of the day, and was followed by Jocelynn Budwig who recorded the 10th-best mark all-time at 14.91m/48-11.
Juanathan Reyes claimed the final win of the day in the 5,000 meters. The junior clocked a personal best of 15:00.02.
Jackson claimed her first runner-up finish of the meet in the discus with her second-longest throw of the season. The sophomore registered a mark of 59.35m/194-8 to finish just over two feet behind former Texas All-American Elena Bruckner.
Back in the jumps, the Bulldogs had a pair of third-place results in the long jump from Madison Hutton on the women's side (5.92m/19-5.25) and Bronson Ortlieb who posted a personal best 7.03m/23-0.75 for the men. In the high jump it was Kaitlyn Perez tying for second with a new PR of 1.64m/5-4.5, clearing the height on her third attempt.
While Ceonna Pipion helped the Bulldogs' women's 4x4 relay team of Miana Giovannini, Janae Heffernan and Iyana Ross to their lowest time of the season at 3:46.99 to place third, early in the meet the junior continued to show why she is one the best sprinters in Fresno State history. Progressively getting stronger throughout the season, Pipion clocked two lifetime bests on Saturday against stout competition. She began with a 54.06 in the 400 meters to enter the program's Top 10 at No. 10. Two hours later she moved up three spots in the 200 meters to No. 3 with a time of 23.77.
Next Up
Beginning May 11, Fresno State will host the 2023 Mountain West Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium.