The 2023 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Track & Field Championships officially got underway Thursday, and though the first day event schedule was light, the Chico State women's track & field team—in search of the program's first conference title since 2017—more than held their own against top-flight competition in action at Mangrum Track and Soccer Field in San Marcos.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in the CCAA in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Track & Field Rating Index, scored five team points in the first day of the three-day meet, while three 'Cats racked up a healthy amount of individual points in the first four events of the heptathlon Thursday, and hope to add to the team's point total when the seven-event competition finishes on Friday.
Natalie Muse, competing in her first-ever heptathlon for Chico State, wrapped up Thursday in seventh place in the 13-athlete field, collecting 2,299 points over the four events. She posted personal best marks in the shot put (9.06 meters, finishing fifth overall), high jump (1.42 meters, eighth place), and 200-meter dash (27.13 seconds, ninth place).
Annie Belter occupied 10th place in the day one heptathlon standings with 2,105 points. The true freshman tied for fourth in the high jump with a personal best mark of 1.48 meters, and notched a PR time of 17.55 seconds on the way to a 10th place finish in the 100-meter hurdles. Talyn Steffens is in 13th place with 1,759 points; her top performance Thursday was an eighth place finish in the shot put (7.96 meters).
In the lone field event of the day, Ava Cavallaro just missed a spot on the podium in the discus throw, placing fourth in the 17-athlete field with a heave of 39.65 meters. Citlalli Fernandez placed 16th with a toss of 29.32 meters.
In addition to the heptathlon, the CCAA Track & Field Championships feature 12 other events on the docket Friday. The heptathlon will conclude with the long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run, while in field events, Cavallaro and Fernandez compete in the hammer throw, with Samantha Brackett taking part in the long jump.
The Wildcats' talented stable of sprinters—Chloe Taylor, Savannah Bailey, Jessica James, Danielle Bacon, and Taylor Lee—will be in action Friday, competing in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dash preliminaries. Taylor and Alexis Hinojosa are also entered in the 100- and 400-meter hurdle preliminaries.
The first distance runs of the conference meet are scheduled for Friday. Marissa D'Atri, Avery Lambrite, and Hannah Wirth toe the line for the 'Cats in the 3,000-meter steeplechase finals; Katie Hawley will take part in the preliminaries of the 800-meter run; Hawley and Jasmine Fletcher compete in the 1,500-meter prelims, and five Wildcats—Jacqueline Cascione, Gracie Dupuis, Jennifer Ruiz, Hannah Ryan, and Hannah Tiffany—are entered in the finals of the 10,000-meter run.
The following includes Chico State results from Thursday's first day events at the CCAA Track & Field Championships, with a listing of athletes competing Friday and Saturday.
Fans can follow the meet results online with Live Stats and live streaming video, with links available on the Wildcat Athletics homepage and the women's track & field schedule page. Live streaming video will also available for Saturday's action on the CCAA Network; a subscription fee is required to view.
2023 CCAA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thursday, May 4–Saturday, May 6
Mangrum Track & Soccer Field, San Marcos
Hosted by Cal State San Marcos
THURSDAY, MAY 4
Heptathlon
100-meter hurdles
8. Natalie Muse, 17.00 seconds
10. Annie Belter, 17.55 seconds (personal best time)
13. Talyn Steffens, 19.13 seconds
High jump
T4. Annie Belter, 1.48 meters (personal best mark)
8. Natalie Muse, 1.42 meters (personal best mark)
T10. Talyn Steffens, 1.33 meters
Shot put
5. Natalie Muse, 9.06 meters (personal best mark)
8. Talyn Steffens, 7.96 meters
9. Annie Belter, 7.95 meters
200-meter dash
9. Natalie Muse, 27.13 seconds (personal best time)
12. Annie Belter, 28.73 seconds
13. Talyn Steffens, 29.13 seconds
Heptathlon standings/point totals after four events
7. Natalie Muse, 2,299 points
10. Annie Belter, 2,105 points
13. Talyn Steffens, 29.13 points
Discus
4. Ava Cavallaro, 39.65 meters
16. Citlalli Fernandez, 29.32 meters
FRIDAY, MAY 5
10:00 a.m. Heptathlon (Long jump, javelin, 800-meter run) — Annie Belter, Natalie Muse, and Talyn Steffens
12:30 p.m. Long jump — Samantha Brackett
2:00 p.m. Hammer — Ava Cavallaro and Citlalli Fernandez
2:05 p.m. 4x100-meter relay (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Alexis Hinojosa, Jessica James, Taylor Lee, Natalie Muse, and Chloe Taylor
2:15 p.m. 3,000-meter steeplechase (finals) —Marissa D'Atri, Avery Lambrite, and Hannah Wirth
2:35 p.m. 1,500-meter run (preliminaries–top 12 times to Saturday's finals) — Katie Hawley and Jasmine Fletcher
3:00 p.m. 100-meter hurdles (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Alexis Hinojosa
3:30 p.m. 400-meter dash (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, and Taylor Lee
3:50 p.m. 100-meter dash (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Jessica James and Chloe Taylor
4:15 p.m. 800-meter run (preliminaries–top 9 times to Saturday's finals) — Katie Hawley
4:40 p.m. 400-meter hurdles (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Alexis Hinojosa and Chloe Taylor
5:10 p.m. 200-meter dash (preliminaries–top 8 times to Saturday's finals) — Savannah Bailey and Jessica James
5:35 p.m. 10,000-meter run (finals) — Jacqueline Cascione, Gracie Dupuis, Jennifer Ruiz, Hannah Ryan, and Hannah Tiffany
SATURDAY, MAY 6
12:00 p.m. Javelin — Ashley Brown, Hunter Casperson, Josie Peterson, and Selina Schillig
1:30 p.m. Triple Jump — Natalie Muse
2:00 p.m. Pole vault — Elise Barnum, Samantha Brackett, Shelby Gill, Rebecca Graham, and Carissa Rodriguez
2:05 p.m. 4x100-meter relay (finals)
2:25 p.m. 1,500-meter run (finals)
2:50 p.m. 100-meter hurdles (finals)
3:00 p.m. High jump — Annie Belter, Kendra Pearson, and Victoria Celine Vally
3:00 p.m. Shot put — Ava Cavallaro and Citlalli Fernandez
3:10 p.m. 400-meter dash (finals)
3:35 p.m. 100-meter dash (finals)
3:55 p.m. 800-meter run (finals)
4:20 p.m. 400-meter hurdles (finals)
4:45 p.m. 200-meter dash (finals)
5:05 p.m. 5,000-meter run — Jacqueline Cascione, Marissa D'Atri, Gracie Dupuis, Jasmine Fletcher, Jennifer Ruiz, and Hannah Tiffany
5:50 p.m. 4x400-meter relay — Danielle Bacon, Savannah Bailey, Alexis Hinojosa, Jessica James, Taylor Lee, and Chloe Taylor
