May 23, 2014 2 min read

Freshman Julie Friend became the first All-American from the California University women’s track & field program since 2010 Friday night, finishing sixth in the finals of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championships.

Friend broke her school record in the event for second-straight day by posting a time of in 10 minutes, 35.63 seconds, which eclipsed her record set in yesterday’s preliminaries by eight-plus seconds. She is the school’s first-ever All-American in the steeplechase and first women’s All-American since Clare McSweeney (800-meter run) in 2010. Friend, who placed second in the event at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships, entered the weekend seeded No. 18 in country in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Senior Alicia Nelson repeated as the national champion and broke the meet record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after posting a time of 9:54.02, winning the title by nearly 20 seconds.

• Washington & Jefferson College senior Cheyenne Mangold placed 21st in the 400-meter event Friday at the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships at Ohio Wesleyan University’s George Gauthier Track.

Mangold competed in the second heat and notched a time of 57.86 seconds. The top time in the 22-runner field was produced by Wisconsin-Whitewater junior Lexie Sondgeroth at 54.51 seconds. The three heat winners and the next five fastest times advance to Saturday night’s NCAA championship race.