CLOVIS, Calif. – Five months after returning to the Central Valley and joining her family's legacy at Fresno State, Jocelynn Budwig etched her own name into the Bulldogs' history on Thursday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Following three seasons at Auburn, the youngest of the Budwig's to join the 'Dogs won the Mountain West hammer title with a personal best 59.55m/195-4.
Budwig has continued to up the ante in the last month. A PR at Mt. SAC Relays, another at the Fresno State Invitational, and then again on Thursday. On her third attempt, she landed a mark that was two feet beyond what she posted two weeks earlier. It stood through three more rounds despite a close call from top seed Mya Lesnar of Colorado State in the final round of throws.
For the Bulldogs, it was the third straight conference title in the women's hammer under Fresno State throws coach Joe Riccio in his three Mountain West Outdoor Championships.
Budwig was not the only Bulldog to score points with lifetime bests in the hammer. Trinity Williams finished fourth with a mark of 57.83m/189-8, her highest finish at a conference championship. Cierra Jackson placed eighth in her first hammer event at a championship meet, posting a best throw of 55.67m/182-7.
The 16 points gave the Bulldogs the early lead in the team competition.That lead was increased in the second event with the 'Dogs claiming 10 points in the javelin from Harriette Mortlock (fourth), Cerah Moren (sixth) and Rhiannon Genilla (seventh).
Following the 10,000 meters, the Bulldog women are second with 26 points, 13 behind Colorado State and five ahead of UNLV.
The men picked up points in both throws events, with Cameron Haynes (hammer – 7th) and Isaiah Calvin (javelin – 4th) each earning the highest finishes at the championships in their careers. Calvin's finish was highest-ever by a Bulldog in the javelin at a MW Championship meet.
Fresno State's multis will complete the decathlon and heptathlon on Friday. Garrett Ostrinski is third in the decathlon with 3,600 points with five events remaining. The junior is 10 points outside of second. Madison Hutton is third in the heptathlon with 3,267 points with three events remaining.