JU junior qualifies for nationals in long jump

• Multiple Hodges Stadium records tumbled at the NCAA Track and Field East First Round competition in Jacksonville, Florida.
• Evan Puckett, Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, and Tima Godbless set new stadium records in pole vault, shot put, and the women’s 100-meter dash, respectively.
• Jacksonville University’s Julia Sue-Kam-Ling qualified for nationals in the women’s long jump.
• Grace Hartman added a facility record in the women’s 10,000.

Evan Puckett sent a message on May 29. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan did, too. Then, Tima Godbless.

Staff Reports | REUTERS

The New York Times said on Thursday it would license its editorial content to Amazon.com for use in the tech giant’s artificial-intelligence products, marking the publisher’s first licensing deal tied to generative AI.

The multi-year agreement allows Amazon access to its news articles and content from NYT Cooking and sports website The Athletic.

“This will include real-time display of summaries and short excerpts of Times content within Amazon products and services, such as Alexa, and training Amazon’s proprietary foundation models,” the publisher said.

NYT recorded $4.4 million in pretax litigation costs in the first quarter related to its copyright lawsuit against Microsoft and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which it filed in 2023.

Editor’s Note: Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Thursday afternoon, Ricardo Montes de Oca from the High Point University men’s track and field team represented the Panthers in the men’s pole vault at the NCAA East First Rounds. The freshman from Venezuela qualified for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, becoming the first men’s pole vaulter to punch their ticket to the big dance.
 
The final 12 competitors advanced to the NCAA Championships in each field and Montes de Oca made the cut after clearing three bars. He opened the day at 5.03m, clearing it with ease on his first attempt. He continued his first attempt streak clearing the second bar at 5.18m.
 
Moving on to the third bar along with 15 other athletes, Montes de Oca missed on his first and second attempts. Not feeling any pressure as a young freshman at his first NCAA’s, he regrouped on his third attempt and sailed over 5.43m. He landed a spot in the top 12 and will advance to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, OR and will compete on Wednesday, June 11 at 4:35 p.m. at Hayward Field.
 
Brianna Malone competed in the women’s 1500m first rounds on Thursday afternoon. She paced with the front group of runners in the second heat and crossed the finish line in the top five to qualify for the quarterfinals. She clocked a 4:15.50 time. She will compete in the quarterfinals on Saturday, May 31 at 5:15 p.m. The top 12 athletes will move on to the NCAA Championships in June.
 
Due to weather delays, Emily Romano, Auriane Viola and Sydney Horn will resume the women’s pole vault on Friday at 9:30 a.m. Rachel Vesper and Jackson Tuomey also competed in the pole vault on Thursday and concluded their seasons.
 
On Wednesday, Drew Noblet represented the Panthers in the men’s javelin to jumpstart the events. He placed 32nd in his first-ever NCAA First Round appearance, launching the spear 62.13m on his birthday.
 
Weather delays halted the next events, pushing Justin Sluijter to a 10:00 p.m. jump as he registered a second jump of 7.32m to finish 20th. It was the Dutchman’s first time competing at the NCAA East First Round.
 
Camerin Williams wrapped up the opening day, running in the 800m at nearly midnight and advancing to the quarterfinals on Friday at 7:05 p.m. for a spot in Eugene. The freshman set a new personal best and program record with his third-place 1:47.11 finish.
 

#GoHPU x #DefendTheTeam

University of the Pacific to Restart Men’s, Women’s Diving

The University of the Pacific last week announced a plan to revive its men’s and women’s diving programs starting in the fall.

The diving programs will join the formation of men’s cross country program, a men’s track and field program and an expansion of the women’s field program. The California university’s decision is a response to changes in collegiate sports, billing it as an “innovative expansion as part of a long-term plan to position Pacific as a leading competitor in the West Coast Conference while supporting the university’s enrollment initiatives.”

“We owe it to our student-athletes, campus and community to come up with a way to navigate these changes not by cutting, but by growing,” athletic director Adam Tschuor said in a university statement. “These sports additions are the first step in a plan of growth that will transform Pacific for the better—in enrollment, campus life, engagement and competitive success.”

Pacific has men’s and women’s swimming already. (Among its former coaches are Greg Meehan, Ray Looze and hall of fame water polo coach John Tanner.) Those programs are led by Katelyne Herrington, who has been in charge since 2019 and will oversee the diving addition. Herrington led the men’s team to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship in 2025.

Pacific touted the move with praise from United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee executive vice president and chief of sport and athlete services Rocky Harris.

“I want to commend President Callahan, Director of Athletics Tschuor and everyone at University of the Pacific for taking a bold approach to collegiate athletics—one of support and growth,” he said. “The impacts of collegiate sport are far greater than performance, and Pacific recognized that offering broad based education and sport opportunities makes their student and university community stronger.

“It’s no secret that we believe in the power of sport and work hard to support its growth. At the same time, we understand the challenges of effectively allocating resources. Pacific has shown that these concepts can work successfully together—and I am thrilled for the current and future student athletes who call Pacific home.”

Cal Athletics

For the first time in program history, three women will represent Cal in the hammer throw at the NCAA Championships.

T&F5/29/2025 7:17 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Cal Sends Most Female Throwers To Finals In Program History

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Thirteen women from the California track & field team competed at Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium on Thursday, looking to either advance past the NCAA West Regional to the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, or qualify for Saturday’s quarterfinals races.
 
For the first time in school history, three women’s hammer throwers advanced to the NCAA final – the first time that any program has qualified three women since USC did so in 2012. Freshman Valentina Savva will be one of just two freshmen in the field in Eugene and the only one from the West Region after leading the entire competition with a mark of 67.75m (222-3). Audrey Jacobs advanced to her second-career NCAA final after leading the first three flights with a season-best 64.94m (213-1), while ACC Champion Giavonna Meeks will throw at her first outdoor NCAA final after posting a mark of 64.55m (211-9). Adrianna Coleman and Amanda Spear also threw for the Bears, posting marks of 57.90m/189-11 and 55.58m/183-3, respectively.
 
Later, in the shot put, Lucija Leko added nearly a foot to her own school record, placing seventh in the field to book her spot in the final with a mark of 17.10m (56-1.25), bringing Cal’s total of qualifying female throwers to four – a new program best.
 
“As Joe Kapp said, ‘The Bear will not quit. The Bear will not die’,” said assistant coach Mohamad Saatara, drawing on the words of the legendary Cal football head coach.
 
The Bears also performed well in the 100m hurdles, with two women qualifying for Saturday’s quarterfinal. Asjah Atkinson finished third in her heat with a personal-best time of 13.22 to improve her program No. 4 mark and earn the auto-Q, while Saqqara Ruffin raced to a massive wind-aided PR of 13.24 – the fastest non-automatic qualifying time of all entrants. Mari Testa finished just 0.03 seconds off her own personal best with a time of 13.48, but did not place high enough to advance.
 
Atkinson also competed in the women’s long jump, posting a mark of 5.98m (19-7.5). Jayden Hill’s season ended with a time of 2:07.10 in the 800m, while Loreal Wilson finished one spot short of qualification with a time of 58.68 and Ali Sahaida posted a mark of 4.17m (13-8.25) in the pole vault for her best performance at a regional meet.
 
 
NCAA WEST REGIONALS – WOMEN’S RESULTS (Day 2)
800m Prelim – 28. Jayden Hill 2:07.10
100m Hurdles Prelim – 16. Asjah Atkinson 13.22 (Q, PR, 4th Cal History); 17. Saqqara Ruffin 13.24w (q, wind-aided PR); 32. Mari Testa 13.48
400m Hurdles Prelim – 25. Loreal Wilson 58.68
Pole Vault – T31. Ali Sahaida 4.17m/13-8.25
Long Jump – 37. Asjah Atkinson 5.98m/19-7.5)
Shot Put – 7. Lucija Leko 17.10m/56-1.25 (Q, PR, School Record)
Hammer – 1. Valentina Savva 67.75m/222-3 (q); 5. Audrey Jacobs 64.94m/213-1 (q); 7. Giavonna Meeks 64.55m/211-9 (q); 26. Adrianna Coleman 57.90m/189-11; 35. Amanda Spear 55.58m/183-3
 
 
UP NEXT
Cal’s men will finish up Friday, starting with the men’s discus at 11 a.m. PT.
 
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