Cal DMR 3rd, McPherson 4th in High Jump at NCAA Indoor Championships

Cal DMR 3rd, McPherson 4th in High Jump at NCAA Indoor Championships
Meister 11th in high jump final, Garrett 14th in 60 prelim on Friday


March 13, 2009


COLLEGE STATION, Texas - California ran a time of 9:30.39, the second-fastest time in school history, to take third place in the men's distance medley relay and Golden Bears senior Inika McPherson placed fourth in the women's high jump on Friday at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M. The Golden Bears' relay of junior Mark Matusak, senior Jake Hanson, freshman Sebastian Sam and sophomore Michael Coe finished behind winner Oregon (9:29.59) and runner-up Arkansas (9:30.31).

"It was like a heavyweight fight, back and forth," Cal head coach Tony Sandoval said. "Matusak was right there, and he did a heck of a great job. Sam did a great job when it got down to a three-team race. We were in third place, and the pace was not super fast. It then turned into a fast last 400 and was nip and tuck at the end. Michael did a great job. Any time you finish that high, you're in the hunt all the way till the end. It was a great competitive effort."

The fastest 14 teams in the distance medley relay all surpassed the old facility record of 9:42.18 set in February by Texas.

McPherson tied her own Cal indoor record with her best Friday jump of 6-0 (1.83 meters), which matches the mark she hit when she finished seventh at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships. Junior teammate Kristen Meister, competing in her first NCAA Indoor Championships, finished 11th in the high jump with a mark of 5-8.75 (1.75).






"Inika did a heck of a job," Sandoval said. "This surface is so fast, a lot of high jumpers had trouble with it. Once Inika got her rhythm down, she did well and finished fourth. She's from the area, so it was extra special for her. I'm glad to heck she jumped so well. For Kristen, she got here for the first time, so it was a good experience for her."

Texas junior Destinee Hooker set a collegiate, meet and facility record of 6-6 (1.98) to win the women's high jump.

Bears sophomore Cherrelle Garrett finished 14th overall with a time of 7.42 in the women's 60-meter dash preliminary heats and did not advance to the Saturday final. Garrett finished fifth out of six athletes in the second heat of the sprint.

"It's unfortunate," Sandoval said. "We thought Cherrelle could make the finals. There isn't a margin for error in this type of race. She's done a tremendous job this year committing herself to being an elite runner. Success is ahead of her, and I know she'll have a strong outdoor season.

"It was a good day for us overall. There are a lot of very talented people here. We've obviously got another day to get something done."

On Saturday, the final day of the NCAA meet, the following Bears will compete: Senior Katie Morgan in the women's pole vault final (2 p.m. PT/4 p.m. CT), senior Ed Wright in the men's high jump final (2:15 p.m. PT/4:15 p.m. CT) and Coe in the men's 3000-meter run final (4:55 p.m. PT/6:55 p.m. CT).

2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships

California's Results from Friday

Men's Distance Medley Relay Final
3. California (Matusak, Hanson, Sam, Coe) 9:30.39.

Women's High Jump Final
4. Inika McPherson 6-0 (1.83 meters)*. 11. Kristen Meister 5-8.75 (1.75).

Women's 60-Meter Dash Preliminary
14. Cherrelle Garrett 7.42.

* Ties Cal indoor record


Cal Bears Outdoor Track
Courtesy