Anna Purchase

After hours upon hours of practice, reps, races and meets, Cal has made it to the end of the 2023 track and field season. Now, 18 talented Bears have punched their tickets to Austin, Texas from June 7-10 with hopes of finishing the season strong.

Competing May 24-27, Cal earned 15 spots at the NCAA track and field championships in Austin, Texas. Additionally, decathlon pre-qualifier senior Hakim McMorris and 4x100m relay alternate junior Ryan Lacefield will join the team at the championships.

After a strong campaign at the Pac-12 championships, the Bears’ next quest lies ahead as the outdoor season comes to a head. The Bears will travel to Sacramento to compete in the NCAA West Regionals from May 24-27.

Competing at the Pac-12 championships, both of Cal’s teams, the men and women, took fourth place. It was none other than the Cal throwing squad that carried the team with four podium finishes.

As students finish up the 2023 finals season, Cal track and field is faced with a final test — the Pac-12 championships and the rest of the postseason.

Competing at Edwards Stadium on Saturday, the intensity of the Cal and Stanford rivalry will be on full display. With strong outdoor campaigns from both teams, athletes will surely be put to the test.

Competing in the highly-touted Mt. SAC Relays, seniors Amari Turner and Kegan Schroeter set school records in the collegiate division while their counterparts in the elite section also put out strong showings.

This weekend saw senior Anna Purchase take the 2023 NCAA lead in the hammer throw and sophomore Mykolas Alekna become the 2023 world leader in the discus.

The Bears are set to compete against numerous Pac-12 teams for the first time this outdoor season, including Oregon and Washington. While the Bears have proved their skill thus far, these teams will certainly provide Cal with a challenge.