PUEBLO, COLO -- Cal State L.A.'s men's and women's track and field teams enjoyed an All-American day Friday during second-day competition at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships.

The highlight was a national championship in the discus by Calista Lyon and the Golden Eagles finished the day with a total of four All-America awards after Lyon was joined by Samantha Gutierrez, Tuekeha Huntley and Julius Joseph.

Lyon, the national leader in the discus entering the meet, won her speciality in a tight battle with Sam Lockhart of Grand Valley State. Lyon's winning throw of 179-6 edged Lockhart's best of 179-2. Lyon got her winning effort in her fourth throw. Lockhart entered the competition with the second-best qualifying mark in the nation behind Lyon.

"I was very happy with the way I competed in terms of the first three rounds," Lyon said. "I was on my own in terms of competition and I knew (Lockhart) was in the next round and she improved so I knew I had to lift and get out of second place. I was really happy I was able to do that."

Lyon becomes the first outdoor track and field national champion for Cal State L.A. since Nicole Duncan in 2002. She becomes the first Cal State L.A. champion in the discus since Petra Juraskova in 1996. She trailed entering the final three throws, but took the lead for good with her 179-6 effort on her fourth attempt.

"I was actually really happy about that. I really like good competition and I feel I am good at lifting in a competition and getting to another level when I need to," Lyon said.

The Golden Eagles' newest national champion said she didn't feel any added pressure being the nation's top thrower throughout the season.

"I think there's always a certain amount of pressure when you're in that position; how you deal with it and use it to your advantage is a different sort of ballgame," Lyon said. "I think knowing that I can produce a throw that's going to put me in the top two or three on a regular basis gives me a little bit of an advantage over those who have to throw their very best to try to beat me."

Gutierrez became an All-American after finishing seventh in the discus with a throw of 153-1. She got her All-American mark on her fourth throw of the competition. She had entered the championships with the 10th-best throw in the nation.

Huntley earned her third All-America award in the heptathlon to start the day for the Golden Eagles at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl, while Joseph earned his first All-America honor later in the men's discus. Both Huntley and Joseph finished in eighth place in their respective events. The top eight in each event earn All-America honors.

Huntley finished strongly in the final three events of the heptathlon on Friday to solidify her third straight All-America award. She had marks of 17-11.75 in the long jump (694 points), 104-00 in the javelin (509 points) and 2:25.93 in the 800 meters (750 points) to secure eighth place with a season's best of 4,915 points. Huntley was 12th after the first four events on Thursday.

Lindsay Lettow of Central Missouri won the heptathlon with 5,748 points, while teammate Erin Alewine was second with 5,371 points.

Huntley finishes her Cal State L.A. career with five All-America awards, three in the heptathlon in outdoor track and field and two in the pentathlon in indoor track and field. Huntley was seventh in the country last year in the hepathlon and eighth in 2010 when she set a new program record for the event with a total of 5,126 points.

Huntley was the California Collegiate Athletic Association champion in the heptathlon and long jump earlier this month and was named the conference's Field Athlete of the Year. 

Joseph, meanwhile, recorded a mark of 173-3 on his sixth and final throw to finish eighth in the discus. Joseph was the CCAA champion in that event and automatically qualified for the championships with a throw of 183-3. Nick Jones of Abilene Christian won the national title with a throw of 196-1.

He was making his second appearance in the nationals. Joseph was 11th in the nation in that event last year. He was also the CCAA Field Athlete of the Year in 2011 after winning conference titles in the shot put and discus. He was unable to defend his conference title in the shot put this year because of a hand injury. 

Gregory Veals had a time of 21.66 in the 200 meter prelims and was unable to qualify for the finals. Giorgio Bryant was unable to run because of the injury he suffered on Thursday. Veals wound up 15th overall with his team and was one of only two freshmen in the field.

Valerie Sanchez, the CCAA champion in both the 800 and 1500, was unable to qualify for the finals in the 800. She finished fifth in heat and 12th overall with a time of 2:13.61.

The three-day meet will conclude with the finals on Saturday. Gutierrez will compete in the javelin and Lisa Ohberg will compete in the 1500 finals.

Friday's Results
Men
200 -- 15. Gregory Veals 21.66; DNS - Giorgio Bryant (injury)
Discus -- 8. Julius Joseph 173-3
Women
800 -- 12. Valerie Sanchez 2:13.61
Discus -- 1. Calista Lyon 179-6; 7. Samantha Gutierrez 153-1
Heptathlon -- 8. Tuekeha Huntley 4,915 points

Saturday, May 26
12:50 p.m. Women's javelin (Samantha Gutierrez)
4:35 p.m. Women's 1,500 finals (Lisa Ohberg)