AZUSA—The members of the Chico State women's track & field team competing Saturday at the APU Franson Last Chance certainly took the meet's name to heart. The Wildcats, with one final opportunity to earn or improve NCAA Provisional marks to boost their chances for an invitation to the NCAA Track & Field Championship field, produced four Provisional performances, highlighted by a new program record in the 4x400-meter relay in action at Cougar Athletic Stadium in Azusa.
Savannah Bailey, Taylor Lee, Danielle Bacon, and Chloe Taylor, who came within .09 seconds of setting a new program record in the 4x400-meter relay at last month's Bryan Clay Invitational, were not to be denied Saturday. The Wildcat quartet won the APU Last Chance competition with a time of 3:43.02, bettering its NCAA Provisional mark by over four seconds while replacing Aja Erskine, Bailey Henshaw, Olivia Watt, and Marina Berrios as the top women's 4x4 team in school history. Saturday's effort currently ranks among the top 20 4x4 times in all of Division II this season.
Earlier in the day, Taylor turned in another outstanding performance in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing second overall with a time of 58.57 seconds, shaving more than a second off her previous NCAA Provisional mark and bettering her existing program record in the event. Her time in the 400-hurdles is at the moment among the top three in Division II, essentially assuring Taylor the chance to compete at the upcoming NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Savannah Bailey placed sixth in the 400-meter dash, posting a time of 55.65 seconds—just .03 seconds shy of her existing Provisional time.
The 1,500-meter run saw Katie Hawley nab an NCAA Provisional qualifying mark, finishing fourth in her heat and 19th overall with a personal best time of 4:30.66. Hawley was the top Wildcat finisher in the 1,500, with Hannah Tiffany placing 40th (4:43.94), Alexi Steinmaus coming in 59th (4:54.70), and Natalie Dinin finishing 60th (4:54.78).
Hannah Wirth was the final Wildcat women's track & field competitor Saturday, taking part in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The freshman made the most of her last chance, capturing an NCAA Provisional mark and a second place finish, stopping the clock at 11:00.60.
The announcement as to which Wildcat athletes will be selected to compete in the 2023 NCAA Track & Field Championship is scheduled for this Tuesday at 3 p.m. The national meet will take place May 25–27 at the Thunderbowl on the campus of Colorado State University Pueblo.
The following is a complete listing of all Chico State women's track & field results throughout the two-day APU Franson Last Chance meet:
APU FRANSON LAST CHANCE
Friday, May 12–Saturday, May 13
Cougar Athletic Stadium, Azusa
Hosted by Azusa Pacific University
FRIDAY, MAY 12
Javelin
5. Josie Peterson, 41.16 meters
6. Ashley Brown, 39.77 meters
800-meter run
31. Natalie Dinin, 2:18.69 (personal best time)
5,000-meter run
2. Marissa D'Atri, 16:14.67 (personal best time and new program 5k record; improved NCAA Provisional qualifying time by nearly 16 seconds)
4. Hannah Tiffany, 16:33.87 (personal best time and 6th-fastest 5k time in program history; improved NCAA Provisional qualifying time by almost 23 seconds)
SATURDAY, MAY 13
400-meter dash
6. Savannah Bailey, 58.57 seconds
400-meter hurdles
2. Chloe Taylor, 58.57 seconds (improves NCAA Provisional qualifying mark and betters school record in the event by over a second)
4x400-meter relay
1. Danielle Bacon/Savannah Bailey/Taylor Lee/Chloe Taylor, 3:43.02 (new program 4x4 record; improved existing NCAA Provisional qualifying time by over four seconds)
1,500-meter run
19. Katie Hawley, 4:30.66 (personal best and NCAA Provisional qualifying time)
40. Hannah Tiffany, 4:43.94
59. Alexi Steinmaus, 4:54.70
60. Natalie Dinin, 4:54.78
3,000-meter steeplechase — Marissa D'Atri and Hannah Wirth
2. Hannah Wirth, 11:00.60 (personal best and NCAA Provisional qualifying time)
