Mt. San Antonio College also looking to make history by capturing both track and field team titles after sweep of cross country crowns during fall season

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

History will be recognized Saturday at the California Community College Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships at Bakersfield College on the same night when Mt. San Antonio College could produce a memorable accomplishment of its own.

Jim Ryun, who lowered his own mile world record as a Kansas sophomore June 23, 1967 at Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium by clocking 3 minutes, 51.1 seconds, will be honored Saturday before the second day of finals competition.

Ryun, who first set the mile world record July 17, 1966 by running 3:51.3 in Berkeley, is also expected to present awards to the athletes who medal in the 1,500-meter finals, which replaced the mile at the CCCAA championship meet in 1976. Ryun is the last American to hold the men’s mile world record.

Mt. SAC could also enjoy a historical achievement with a sweep of men’s and women’s team championships.

Not only would it mark the fourth time the Mounties have captured both track and field team titles in the same year, joining 2000-02, it would also be the first time in CCCAA history that one program sweeps both cross country state team championships and both track and field crowns in the same school year.

Mt. SAC has won three of the four combined titles twice, sweeping both cross country championships and adding a women’s track and field crown in 1989-90. The Mounties swept both track and field titles after securing the women’s cross country championship in the 2000-01 school year.

Mt. SAC, which is seeking its third men’s state track and field title in four years, will face challenges from reigning champion College of the Sequoias, along with Northern Regional winner American River College and and Southern Regional runner-up Riverside.

The Mounties, who are pursuing their first women’s state crown since 2014, must hold off three-time defending champion Cerritos, along with Northern Regional winner Hartnell and runner-up American River.

College of the Sequoias sophomore Quincy Hall, who secured gold medals last year in the 400 meters, 400-meter hurdles, 4x100 and 4x400 relays, will look to repeat his four championships after becoming the first athlete in state history to win all four titles in the same year.

Cerritos teammates Kierra King, Michaela Banyi and Amber Hart all have the potential to win multiple women’s individual titles, along with West L.A. freshman Brenda Rosales-Coria.