The hyphen in Jon-Michael Delima’s name is not to be missed. It explains so much about him. He’s a connector, or as Wildcats Head Men’s Track & Field Coach Kirk Freitas puts it: “the glue that brings the team together.” Over the past weekend, fifth-year senior from Wailuku, Hawaii, and this week’s Wildcat of the Week, was also one of the key ingredients to the Wildcats’ ninth California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in a row.
Delima finished third in the decathlon and eighth in the pole vault, notching personal records in each event, to help the Wildcats squeak past Cal State L.A. and grab the title. His third-place finish in the decathlon got Delima on the podium. He had to rally to get there, winning two of Friday’s final three events and finishing third in the other, to move into that desired spot with 6,249 points.
With 10 events behind him, Delima didn’t allow the fatigue to set in, and cleared 14-feet-10.25 in the pole vault on Saturday.
Not long after, Delima and all of his teammates came together for a team picture with the CCAA Championship banner. For the final time in his storied career, Delima was again the glue.
