Mustangs Capture Four Conference Titles on Day 1 of Big West Championships

Friday, May 12

Fullerton, CA

All Day

Big West Championships

Mathis Bresko repeated as Big West champion in the men's pole vault Friday at the Titan Track Complex.

Photo by: Eyasu Betwos

Mustangs Capture Four Conference Titles on Day 1 of Big West Championships

5/13/2023 1:30:00 AM | Track and Field

FULLERTON, Calif. — Mathis Bresko, Anthony Guerra, Colton Swinth and Amaya Lopez-Fuller all captured individual conference titles and 19 Mustangs advanced to finals in their respective events on Day 1 of the Big West Championships on Friday at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Track Complex.

Currently, the Cal Poly men sit in first place in the team standings with 74 points thanks to an impressive Day 1 showing. The men are seeking their first Big West title in program history.

A total of eight Mustangs secured All-Big West honors Friday.

Bresko soared to his second straight conference title in the men's pole vault, clearing a lifetime best of 18 feet, 1 inch to leap to No. 4 all-time in Cal Poly history, surpassing current pole vault coach Brad Pickett. The junior is the third Mustang in program history to repeat as Big West champion in the men's pole vault and the first since John Prader in 2012-13.

Bresko's mark Friday also moved him into a tie for ninth in the West Region this season and No. 14 in Division I. Senior Christian Valles secured second in the event (16-7.5), earning all-conference honors for the first time in his career. Between Bresko and Valles, Cal Poly scored 18 team points in the men's pole vault.

Lopez-Fuller took home all the glory in the women's discus with a toss of 166 feet, 1 inch, becoming the third Mustang in program history to win a Big West title in the event and the first since Julie Dufresne in 2009. At the 2021 conference championships, Lopez-Fuller took third in the discus.

In the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, Guerra rode a 10-second personal best to a conference title, securing first with a time of 8:53.81. Guerra, who placed third last year, is Cal Poly's fifth Big West champion in the 3,000 steeplechase and first since 2018.

Swinth capped off a stellar first day for the Cal Poly distance program by winning the Big West title in the men's 10,000-meter (30:31.78) as the sun set. It was Swinth's first collegiate 10,000 on the track, but he wasn't fazed one bit, becoming the Mustangs' first conference champ in the event since 2018.

Senior John Bennett was right on Swinth's heels, grabbing second place (30:32.49) to earn All-Big West praise in track for the first time in his career. Xian Shively also finished fifth to score 4 team points for the men.

Graduate student Rachel Victor secured all-conference honors in her first and only Big West meet for the Mustangs, placing second in the women's 3,000 steeplechase (10:21.50). Victor is No. 2 all-time in Cal Poly history in the event.

Nina St. John posted a personal best of 10:52.43 to take fifth in the 3,000 steeplechase.

Three Mustangs scored in the men's hammer throw, led by freshman Rory Devaney who captured third (174-3). Devaney, the school record holder in the event, is the first Mustang to earn a podium finish in the hammer in over 20 years.

Corban Payne captured fourth in the hammer with a personal best of 196 feet, 8 inches, moving him to No. 4 on Cal Poly's all-time list. Devon Cetti finished seventh.

Sophomore Melody Nwagwu, the indoor school record holder in the women's long jump, entered the top marks list in the outdoor long jump Friday, recording a lifetime best of 19 feet, 6 inches to soar to No. 9 all-time. The performance allowed her to place fourth for the second consecutive year.

Freshman Tibyasa Matovu rose to the occasion in the men's long jump, leaping a personal best (24-1) on his final attempt to secure fourth.

Sydnie Rivas shaved over two minutes off her personal best in the women's 10,000, placing sixth with a time of 34:44.78 — good for No. 10 on Cal Poly's all-time list.

In the women's high jump, Lariel Henley took seventh and freshman Chase Kubinski tied for eighth to score team points for the Mustangs. Kubinski's mark (5-3.25) was a personal best.

On Friday, 19 Mustangs qualified for finals in their respective events: Quinton Alexander (men's 800), Anthony Benitez (men's 1,500), Katelyn Carro (women's 400), Riley Cash (women's 1,500), Tatiana Cornejo (women's 1,500), Shelby Daniele (women's 100 and 200), Misty Diaz (women's 800), Tyler Esteves (men's 100), Abigail Fletcher (women's 1,500), Cassidy Hubert (women's 800), Lucas Lacambra (men's 1,500), Aidan McCarthy (men's 800), Aspin Oliver (women's 400 hurdles), Spencer Pickren (men's 1,500), Carson Smith (men's 1,500), Jadyn Snaer (women's 100), Joey Souto (men's 400 hurdles), Chase Walter (men's 400) and Lewis Westwood (men's 1,500).

Pickren had the best time in prelims in the 1,500 (3:53.92). McCarthy, who posted the second-best time in prelims, will look to defend his Big West title in the 800.

Action on the final day of the Big West Championships begins at 10 a.m. with the men's javelin. Live coverage of the meet on ESPN+ starts at 12:30 p.m. and you can follow the live results here.

Cal Poly Results

Day 1 Finals

WOMEN

Current Team Standings — 1, Long Beach State, 52.50. 2, UC Irvine, 45. 3, Hawai'i, 37. 4, Cal Poly, 6.33. 5, UC Davis, 34.83. 6, UC Santa Barbara, 28. 7, UC Riverside, 26. 8, Cal State Fullerton, 11. 9, CSUN, 2.33.
Hammer — 15, Anna Grexton, 161-7.
Long jump — 4, Melody Nwagwu, 19-6. 17, Maya Holman, 17-6.
Discus — 1, Amaya Lopez-Fuller, 166-1. 10, Isabella Rigby, 140-2. 11, Natalie Rogers, 139-9.
High jump — 7, Lariel Henley, 5-3.25. T8, Chase Kubinski, 5-3.25. 17, Maya Holman, 4-11.5.
3,000 Steeplechase — 2, Rachel Victor, 10:21.20. 5, Nina St. John, 10:52.43.
10,000 — 6, Sydnie Rivas, 34:44.78. 9, Amanda Olla, 35:23.13. 13, Ellie Baxter, 37:22.61.

MEN

Current Team Standings — 1, Cal Poly, 74. 2, Long Beach State 65.50. 3, Cal State Fullerton, 55.50. 4, UC Santa Barbara, 27. 5, UC Irvine, 18. 6, UC Riverside, 11. 7, UC Davis, 9. 8, CSUN, 8. 9, CSU Bakersfield, 5.
Hammer — 3, Rory Devaney, 197-4. 4, Corban Payne, 196-8. 7, Devon Cetti, 189-9.
Pole Vault — 1, Mathis Bresko, 18-1. 2, Christian Valles, 16-7.5. 9, Zach Volpe, 16-1.75.
Long jump — 4, Tibyasa Matovu, 24-1. 15, Bailey Jones, 22-0.25.
Discus — 5, Rory Devaney, 174-3. 16, Devon Cetti, 147-2.
3,000 Steeplechase — 1, Anthony Guerra, 8:53.81. 9, Euan Houston, 9:23.63.
10,000 — 1, Colton Swinth, 30:31.78. 2, John Bennett, 30:32.49. 5, Xian Shively, 30:43.57.