SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – For the first time in program history, Jessup Track & Field are champions of the Golden State Athletic Conference. Backed by a dozen placements on the all-conference team Saturday, the Warriors have ended Westmont College's streak of four consecutive GSAC titles.
After the meet, Head Coach
Jeff Magley sent a thank you to the seniors on the team, saying, "I can't thank our seniors enough for their leadership, their dedication, and what they've meant to this program. They've seen the entire journey and have believed in what we want to do as a program."
The team title was secured in the last event of the day, as the 4x400 relay team of
Lauren Smith,
Kyla Danielson,
Alexis Jones, and
Rebecca Hardy won their event with a time of 3:55.02. It was the second all-conference nod of the day for the relay team, as they previously set a new Jessup record in the 4x100 with a time of 48.57.
To qualify for the All-GSAC team, athletes must finish in the top three of their respective events.
Members of Jessup's relay team saw success in individual competition as well, starting with Jones, who took first place in the triple jump. Her distance of 10.78 is a new program record.
Jones was later named the GSAC Freshman of the Year, wrapping up a spectacular rookie campaign for the Jessup freshman.
Danielson took home the individual title for two events she has dominated in all season, the 100m hurdles (15.43) and 400m hurdles (1:03.34). Her success in individual events powered Danielson to the most points of any female competitor in the running events.
Hardy would earn GSAC gold in the 400m with a time of 58.40. She broke her own school record in the 200m, taking second place with a time of 25.37. Smith posted a new personal record in the 400m, placing third with a time of 1:00.48.
Entering Saturday in second place as a team, Jessup got their first boost in the shot put as
Michelle Flint captured her second GSAC title of the weekend. Flint later joined the all-conference team in the hammer, finishing third in the event.
Continuing where she left off yesterday in the heptathlon, senior
Joelle Hameister took third in the event as she set a new personal record of 3,128 points. Hameister also set PR's in the 100m hurdles (17.75), high jump (1.50m), shot put (6.93), and javelin (20.16).
After winning a conference title in the 10k yesterday, senior
Bailey Cossentine returned to the track Saturday, taking second in the 5k with a time of 18:17.60.
"My goal when I was hired was to build a program that could become a championship program," said Magley. "For us to do that in three years, really two because we lost a year to COVID, to be in a position where we have a chance to compete for a championship is due to the effort by these ladies."
Jessup entered the day trailing Westmont by 6.50 points. After 147 points on Saturday, Jessup ultimately won by 9.5 points. In addition to the team title, Magley was named GSAC Women's Track & Field Coach of the Year.
It was an all-around effort for the success of Jessup track and field, as all competing Warriors scored points this weekend.
"All too often track and field is seen as an individual sport, but we see it as a team sport," added Magley. "The most important accomplishment we could have is this team championship. All the individual accolades are great, but we wouldn't trade all the individual accolades in the world for this championship."
For Cossentine, Danielson, Hardy, Jones, and Smith, preparation continues as they will compete next month in the NAIA National Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The competition begins on May 26.
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William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter and Instagram).
