By: Delanie Gearing, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
PUEBLO, Colo. - Cal Poly Pomona delivered more solid performances on Day 2 of the NCAA Track and Field National Championships, highlighted by personal bests, school records, and an All-American honor.
Freshman
Collin Joyce led the way for the Broncos with an impressive fifth-place finish in the triple jump. Joyce recorded a personal-best mark of 15.91 meters, which ranks as the second-best jump in program history. His performance earned him All-American honors in his first appearance at the national championships. "It felt incredible to compete at Nationals," Joyce said. "Hearing my teammates being by far the loudest in the stands when it was my turn to jump was all I needed to PR and get that All-American status. Knowing I'm a freshman and will get to go back for the next couple of years is also great. I'm sure in the future that national title will be mine."
In the women's 800-meter run,
Arissa Hatcher capped off a solid season by finishing 16th overall. "It was truly an honor to compete at such a high level," she said. "All the hard work I put in all season has led me to this moment. I'm so blessed and grateful for this opportunity. I couldn't have done it without my coaches and the support from my family and friends."
Another highlight of the day came from
Neshara Smith, who broke a 36-year-old school record in the 100-meter hurdles. Smith placed eighth in the preliminaries to secure a spot in the finals. "Nationals is always a surreal experience, and I am always grateful to be a part of it," she said. "Competing at the highest level makes me grateful for all of my hardships and I plan to finish what I started—tomorrow with a podium finish!"
Nnamdi Onwaeze also delivered a historic performance in the men's 110-meter hurdles, breaking the school record with a prelims fifth-place finish and qualification for the finals. "This year was a wonderful experience," Onwaeze said. "I was in this position my sophomore year and unfortunately, I came in the event injured. This year I was able to stay healthy, and I knew I could compete with the best. Tomorrow I'm focused on just running my race and competing to my best ability. Ready to leave everything out on the track tomorrow!"
The men's 4x400-meter relay team — comprised of Alessio Sommacal, Leroy Crook Jr., Joshua Morinaga, and Camden Patterson — concluded their season on a high note by once again breaking their own school record, finishing 11th overall at the national championships.
"I am very proud of us, because we ran great legs and we all left it all on the track," said Sommacal. "Unfortunately, a school record by more than half a second wasn't enough to make the final, but we should be happy with how we ran and how the season went."
The performance marked the third time this year the quartet had set a new school record in the event — a testament to their growth and consistency throughout the season.
"It was an honor and a privilege to be able to compete among the best athletes in the country," added Patterson. "We race at big meets all year long, but the national championships are unlike any of them. It was by far the biggest stage I had ever run on. Of course, we were all a little bit disappointed to not make the final, but I'm proud of all my guys for going out there and leaving it all on the track. We gave it all that we had and walked away with our third school record on the year. On a personal note, running my fastest relay split ever while being anchor leg at the national championships was a very nice way to conclude my track and field career."
Looking ahead, the Broncos will return to action tomorrow with athletes competing in the women's pole vault, men's high jump, women's 100-meter hurdles, men's 110-meter hurdles, and men's 400-meter hurdles. With several athletes advancing to finals and more opportunities for podium finishes, Cal Poly Pomona is poised for a strong finish to the national championships.
2025 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Hosted by Colorado State University, Pueblo – Pueblo, Colorado
Schedule of Events (Times PST)
Thursday, May 22
✔ | 13
th Place | Men's Pole Vault (Finals) –
Gavin Hanes
✔ | 22
nd Place | Women's 1500m (Prelims) –
Vivian Martinez
✔ | 5
th Place | Men's 400m Hurdles (Prelims) –
Alessio Sommacal
Friday, May 23
✔ | 5
th Place | Men's Triple Jump (Finals) –
Collin Joyce ALL-AMERICAN CPP TOP 10
✔ | 16
th Place | Women's 800m (Prelims) –
Arissa Hatcher
✔ | 8
th Place | Women's 100m Hurdles (Prelims) –
Neshara Smith SCHOOL RECORD
✔ | 5
th Place | Men's 110m Hurdles (Prelims) –
Nnamdi Onwaeze SCHOOL RECORD
✔ | 11
th Place | Men's 4x400m Relay (Prelims) –
Alessio Sommacal,
Leroy Crook Jr.,
Joshua Morinaga,
Camden Patterson SCHOOL RECORD
Saturday, May 24
10:00 AM | Women's Pole Vault (Finals) –
Isabelle Carreon
11:45 AM | Men's High Jump (Finals) –
Kailen Smith
12:50 PM | Women's 100m Hurdles (Finals) –
Neshara Smith
1:00 PM | Men's 110m Hurdles (Finals) –
Nnamdi Onwaeze
2:25 PM | Men's 400m Hurdles (Finals) –
Alessio Sommacal
