SAN DIEGO, Calif. - For the sixth consecutive time, Azusa Pacific track & field swept the men's and women's conference team titles at the PacWest Track & Field Championships. The Cougar men's squad scored 313 points over the two days, which set a new PacWest record for points scored by a team at the Championship meet. 

MEN'S RECAP

Following five individual titles and three meet records on Friday, the Cougars followed it up on Saturday with six individual event champions, three meet records, and 20 podium-worthy performances. 

Weston Ellis opened the day by winning a conference title the hammer, throwing a distance of 53.43m (175' 3"). Ellis' first place finish marked the third time he earned an individual conference title in his career, as he won the decathlon in 2019, and won the discus yesterday. Ellis also placed third in the shot put (15.66m/51' 4 ½") on day two, and he earned the distinction as the Men's Field Athlete of the Meet after he scored a total of 26 points over his three events for Azusa Pacific.

Ayrton Ledesma was also recognized for his efforts throughout the meet, as he was named the Men's Track Athlete of the Meet after he won the men's 1500m with a meet record time of 3:50.07, and he placed second in the 5K (14:52.61) on Saturday, which followed up his first place finish and meet record in the steeplechase on Friday. 

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire, a true freshman for the Cougars, had a conference meet to remember. Gonzalez-Shelmire won the 400 and 200 individually, while also running in the Cougars' 4x400 relay that won the conference title and the 4x100 team that took second. In the 400, Gonzalez-Shelmire crossed the finish line with a time of 46.45 seconds, which not only set the meet record, but it is the fastest 400 in the nation thus far. In the 200, he posted a provisional time of 21.18 to win the race.

In the men's 800, Ben Sumner set a new meet record time of 1:51.72, which added 10 more points for the Cougars. Sumner scored 18 points overall on Saturday for Azusa Pacific, as the veteran runner was the 1500m runner-up with a time of 3:50.47 to add eight points.

The Cougars' 4x400 relay team fittingly closed out the PacWest Championships, as the quartet of Aaron Worrell, Gonzalez-Shelmire, Lincoln Krog and Daniel Bessolo combined for a time of 3:14.54 to win the event and add a final 10 points to the team total. 

Including the six individual champions, 20 Cougars reached the podium throughout Saturday's action. 

Podium Performances

Weston Ellis - Hammer (53.43m/175' 3") | 1st Place

Raymon Harper - High Jump (2.08m/6' 9 ¾") | 2nd Place

Aaron Worrell - High Jump (2.04m/6' 8 ¼") | 3rd Place

Jermel Jones II - Triple Jump (15.41m/50' 6 ¾") | 3rd Place

Weston Ellis - Shot Put (15.66m/51' 4 ½") | 3rd Place

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire, Daniel Bessolo, Nikolas Trofort, Aaron Worrell - 4x100 Relay (41.44) | 2nd Place

Ayrton Ledesma - 1500 (3:50.07) | 1st Place

Ben Sumner - 1500 (3:50.47) | 2nd Place

Aaron Worrell - 110 Hurdles (14.70) | 2nd Place

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire - 400 (46.45) | 1st Place

Daniel Bessolo - 400 (47.99) | 3rd Place

Ben Sumner - 800 (1:51.72) | 1st Place

Marcus Dawal Jr. - 800 (1:54.35) | 3rd Place

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire - 200 (21.18) | 1st Place

Daniel Bessolo - 200 (21.62) | 3rd Place

Ayrton Ledesma - 5K (14:52.61) | 2nd Place

Riley Burns - 5K (14:52.86) | 3rd Place

Keniko Parham - Decathlon (4,329 points) | 2nd Place

Nicholas Jordan - Decathlon (3,607 points) | 3rd Place

Aaron Worrell, Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire, Lincoln Krog, Daniel Bessolo - 4x400 Relay (3:14.54) | 1st Place

To view all of the men's performances at the PacWest Championships, click here.

WOMEN'S RECAP

On Saturday, the Cougars won five events, set three meet records, and had 14 podium-worthy efforts. 

Chin Agina captured the Cougars' first event title of the day in the high jump, clearing 1.71m (5' 7 ¼") to earn 10 points. Agina is now the three-time defending PacWest high jump champion, as she has won the event at all three PacWest Track & Field Championships that she has competed in.

Jaylah Walker once again rose to the occasion for the Cougars, winning the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, and setting meet records in both events. In the 100 hurdles, Walker not only won the event and set a new meet record of 13.38 seconds, but the time is a new lifetime best and is the fastest mark in the nation this season. In the 400 hurdles, Walker crossed the finish line with a time of 58.79 to set the new meet record and improve upon her provisional time. Walker, the reigning 400 hurdles national champion, is currently No. 3 on the qualifying list. Walker is now the back-to-back PacWest Champion in both the 100 & 400 hurdles.

After winning the 10K on Friday evening, Jenny Sandoval got back to work on Saturday and won the 5K with a meet record time of 16:24.96. Sandoval's time also improved upon her previous provisional standing of nearly six seconds, and she now sits at No. 14 on the national list. Sandoval has now won an individual conference title in three events, as she was the 1500 winner last year.

In the 800, Marian Ledesma captured the first individual title of her career, as she crossed the finish line with a time of 2:12.44 to score 10 points for the Cougars. Ledesma would also help add eight more points later in the afternoon, as she ran the second leg for the 4x400 relay team that took second with a time of 3:45.29.

Podium Performances

Molly Olson - Heptathlon (4,029 points) | 2nd Place

Ashley Hume - Heptathlon (4,028 points) | 3rd Place

Chin Agina - High Jump (1.71m/5' 7 ¼") | 1st Place

Luisa Fischer - High Jump (1.68m/5' 6") | 3rd Place

Molly Olson - Shot Put (12.31m/40' 4 ¾") | 3rd Place

Trinity Miller, Jaylah Walker, Kiayra Holmes, Mechaela Hyacinth - 4x100 Relay (44.93) | 2nd Place

Mikayla Akers - 1500 (4:31.27) | 3rd Place

Jaylah Walker - 100 Hurdles (13.38) | 1st Place

Alayna Verner - 400 (54.07) | 3rd Place

Mechaela Hyacinth - 100 (11.34) | 2nd Place

Marian Ledesma - 800 (2:12.44) | 1st Place

Mikayla Akers - 800 (2:13.79) | 2nd Place

Jaylah Walker - 400 Hurdles (58.79) | 1st Place

Jordan Hammond - 400 Hurdles (59.37) | 2nd Place

Jenny Sandoval - 5K (16:24.96) | 1st Place

Alayna Verner, Marian Ledesma, Trinity Miller, Kiayra Holmes - 4x400 Relay (3:45.29) | 2nd Place

To view all of the women's performances at the PacWest Championships, click here.

Up Next: Azusa Pacific will turn its attention towards qualification for Nationals (May 25-28). To view the current provisional lists, click here. At the PacWest Championships, there were several Cougars that improved upon their provisional standing.

Provisional Performances (New or Improved)

Name | Event (Mark/Time) - National Rank
Raymon Harper | High Jump (2.10m/6' 10 ¾") - No. 17

Luisa Fischer | High Jump (1.68m/5' 6") - No. 34

Jermel Jones II | Triple Jump (15.41m/50' 6) - No. 8

Weston Ellis | Discus (53.74m/176' 4") - No. 8

Molly Olson | Javelin (45.08m/147' 11") - No. 14

Alysa Henry | Javelin (42.33m/138' 10") - No. 33

Mechaela Hyacinth | 100 Meters (11.34 seconds) - No. 2

Trinity Miller | 100 Meters (11.83 seconds) - No. 35

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire | 200 Meters (21.18 seconds) - No. 26

Dominic Gonzalez-Shelmire | 400 Meters (46.45 seconds) - No. 1

Alayna Verner | 400 Meters (54.07 seconds) - No. 5

Kiayra Holmes | 400 Meters (55.35 seconds) - No. 20

Jenny Sandoval | 5K (16:24.96) - No. 14

Jaylah Walker | 100 Hurdles (13.38 seconds) - No. 1

Jaylah Walker | 400 Hurdles (58.79 seconds) - No. 3

Jordan Hammond | 400 Hurdles (59.37 seconds) - No. 5

Nixon Korir | Steeplechase (8:58.46) - No. 17