SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Just a few hours west on I-80 went the Warriors this weekend as they made their second trek to San Francisco State. On the schedule this week was the Johnny Mathis Invitational, the penultimate meet on the calendar before the 2022 GSAC Championship.
 
Head coach Jeff Magley spoke about the importance of this weekend's action, stating, "This was a really important meet for us as we turn our focus to our championship and fine-tune and get ready going into our last regular season meet. Then it's off to the GSAC Championship."
 
Action in the city by the bay got underway on Friday with the hammer and javelin events. Jessup's Michelle Flint took fourth in the javelin with a mark of 31.92m. In the hammer, Flint's mark of 41.92m was good enough for fourth as well. Jessica Pedretti finished right behind Flint in fifth with a mark of 39.91m, setting a new PR with the throw.
 
It was the first time in Flint's Jessup career that she competed in the javelin. Her mark Friday puts her in Jessup's top-five all-time.
 
Distance running saw a key highlight on the day as Noah Claasen set a new lifetime PR in the 3000m steeplechase. His time of 10:06.67 is a five-second improvement on the time he ran on this same track on March 31.
 
Magley said of Claasen's efforts that he "ran a great strategic race. Very smart, very efficient, and broke our school record in his first year with our team. It's an awesome accomplishment."
 
Azalea Prince was also running for the second time at San Francisco State this season. Prince qualified for nationals in the 10K during her last appearance at Cox Stadium. Today she was running in the 5K. Her time of 18:12:37 sets a new lifetime PR in the event.
 
Also running in the women's 5K was Alejandra Ceja (19:40.79), Haley Borjas (20:29.87), and Vivianna Gardea (21:05.66).
 
Another member of the Warriors heading to nationals, Rachel Travis (pole vault), was in action in an event outside of her qualified event. Travis ran the 200m today as she prepares for the conference championship. Her time of 28.52 edges past her previous PR by 0.52 seconds.
 
Julissa Casillas also set a new PR in the 200m with her time of 28.09.
 
The women's 4x400m relay team of Alexis Jones, Jayden Jackson, Hailey Hopkins, and Haley Borjas beat the previous best time by a Jessup 4x400 team this season, as they posted 4:11.76, an improvement of eight seconds. The 4x400m relay team qualified for nationals a season ago, but just Jones was a member of that quartet last season.
 
Six remains the number of Warriors to punch their ticket to nationals this season. Another chance comes April 22 – 23 as the Warriors take part in Chico State's Invitational.
   
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 & Instagram).