BOSTON – The California track & field team joined its 17 conference-mates Thursday at the TRACK at new balance for the first day of the ACC Indoor Championships, fielding 13 athletes across seven individual events and two additional multi-eventers.
 
After one day of competition, the Golden Bears are tied for ninth with seven points in the men's team standings and tied for 11th with three points in the women's. No. 8 Virginia holds a commanding lead on the men's side with 45 points over second-place Louisville's 23 and third-place North Carolina's 22.5; on the women's side, Notre Dame (25 points) leads Miami (24) and Virginia (23) in a close race.
 
Three Golden Bears – freshman Kai Anderson and redshirt junior Will Siemens in the pole vault and junior Adrianna Coleman in the weight throw – picked up Second-Team All-ACC honors. Anderson finished fifth in his event after matching his personal-best height of 5.15m (16-10.75) for his first career conference honor, while Siemens likewise earned his first All-ACC nod after placing sixth at 5.00m (16-4.75). Coleman launched two of her six throws over 20 meters to take sixth in her own event with a final mark of 20.26m (66-5.75).
 
Sophomore sprinters Nairobi Smith and Wazell Wright competed in the men's and women's 200m preliminaries, respectively. Smith continued her impressive season with a heat-winning time of 23.57 that was third-fastest in the entire field to qualify for Saturday's final, while Wright recorded a time of 21.55. Junior Sophie Tau was the Bears' lone distance runner to compete Thursday, choosing a frontrunning strategy for much of the race before finishing with a time of 16:24.93.
 
Junior Angie Schykerynec joined Coleman in the women's weight throw competition, closing out her night at 18.49m (60-8) after an impressive third attempt was ruled foul. Redshirt freshman Miles Clark led all of Cal's male weight throwers with a mark of 19.27m (63-2.75), followed by freshman Pietro Camilli (18.81m/61-8.5) and sophomore Kai Barham (17.95m/58-10.75).
 
Redshirt juniors Seth Johnson and Luke Buddie competed in the first four events of the heptathlon, with Johnson posting top-three finishes in the 60m (6.91, third place) and high jump (2.00m/6-6.75, second place and a season best) and Buddie recording a personal best in the 60m (7.24) as well as top-five results in the long jump (6.93m/22-9) and high jump (1.91m/6-3.25). Johnson will enter Friday's competition with a fourth-place total of 3041 points, while Buddie sits in sixth at 2981 points.
 
Junior Victor Ezike Jr. finished just outside of scoring position in the men's high jump, matching his season best of 2.03m (6-8). Senior Parker Terrill recorded his own season best in the men's pole vault, clearing the bar at 4.85m (15-11).
 
 
ACC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY ONE MEN'S RESULTS
200m Prelims – 13. Wazell Wright 21.55
High Jump – 9. Victor Ezike Jr. 2.03m/6-8
Pole Vault – 5. Kai Anderson 5.15m/16-10.75 (=PR, All-ACC Second Team); 6. Will Siemens 5.00m/16-4.75 (All-ACC Second Team); 14. Parker Terrill 4.85m/15-11
Weight Throw – 12. Miles Clark 19.27m/63-2.75; 16. Pietro Camilli 18.81m/61-8.5; 18. Kai Barham 17.95m/58-10.75
Heptathlon Standings
4. Seth Johnson 3041

• 60m – 6.91 (3rd, 915 points)
• Long Jump – 6.69m/21-11.5 (8th, 741 points)
• Shot Put – 11.60m/38-0.75 (11th, 582 points)
• High Jump – 2.00m/6-6.75 (2nd, 803 points)

6. Luke Buddie 2981

• 60m – 7.24 (PR, 8th, 799 points)
• Long Jump – 6.93m/22-9 (5th, 797 points)
• Shot Put – 12.92m/42-4.75 (6th, 662 points)
• High Jump – 1.91m/6-3.25 (5th, 723 points)

                                                                                                                                                                            
ACC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY ONE WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m Prelims – 3. Nairobi Smith 23.57 (q)
5000m – 24. Sophie Tau 16:24.93
Weight Throw – 6. Adrianna Coleman 20.26m/66-5.75; 10. Angie Schykerynec 18.49m/60-8; - Valentina Savva NM
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will compete in Day Two of the ACC Indoor Championships on Friday, beginning with the heptathlong 60m hurdles at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET.