SAN MARCOS -- Cal State LA's men's and women's track and field teams had a strong finish to the California Collegiate Athletic Association Track & Field Championships on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles had four individual champions and several others earn points on the final day of the conference championships at Mangrum Track on the campus of Cal State San Marcos. Sinaiah Pointer and Dalia Romo won championships for the women's team, while Wallace Aflamah and Nicholas Aninze won individual titles for the men's team. 

Cal State LA's women's team finished fourth in the conference, while the men's team finished fifth.

Drew Hill finished second in the 100 and fifth in the 200, Tony Espinosa finished second in the 110 hurdles, Gabriel Pearson was second in the 400 hurdles and Jaylend Howard was third in the 400. The 4x400 relay of Charles Chatman, Aninze, Howard and Jackson Traynham finished third.

For the women, Emmerson Wiggins took second in the 200 and sixth in the 400, Georgia Gaylor was seventh in the 400 hurdles and the 4x100 relay team of Ski'lar Wallace, Wiggins, Summer Stevenson and Keiasja Carbins was fifth in 47.11. The 4x400 relay team of Wiggins, Romo, Jaylin Morgan and Jewel Perry was fifth in 3:52.82.

Pointer's win in the shot put was the culmination of a three-year journey that began with a third-place finish as a freshman in 2024, a second-place finish as a sophomore in 2025 and first place on Saturday. Her mark of 45-6.50 was just below her season's best. She had three throws on Saturday better than the runner-up in a fantastic performance. She took the lead on her third throw - a mark of 45-4.50 -- and then had her best mark on her sixth and final throw with a 45-6.50 effort.

The third time was also the charm for Romo, who was seventh in the 400 hurdles in 2024, third in 2025 and first on Saturday with a time of 61.11. She had the fastest qualifying time and maintained her conference supremacy on Saturday.

Wiggins had one of the biggest surprises of the day with her second-place finish in the 400. She entered the finals with the and had a best time of 56.84 before blazing to a runner-up finish in 55.34. She also finished sixth in the 200 and was a member of the 4x100 relay team that finished fifth and a member of the 4x400 relay team that also got fifth.

For the men, Aflamah edged Hill in the 100 with a time of 10.46 and spearheaded a 1-2 finish for the Golden Eagles. He came back with a fourth-place finish in the 200 with a season's best 21.01, just ahead of Hill in fifth at 10.48.

Aninze had the conference's best time in the 400 hurdles nearly all season long and he didn't disappoint as the favorite on Saturday. His winning time of 51.78 was a season's best and improved on his NCAA provisional qualifying mark, which was inside the national top-20 pending further results over the weekend.

Pearson's second-place finish in the event, with a season's best time of 53.23, gave Cal State LA its second 1-2 finish of the day.

Espinosa, who also placed 12th in the decathlon for the Golden Eagles in the conference championships, ran a season's best time of 14.47 while finishing second in the 110 hurdles on Saturday, while Howard also ran a season's best time in the 400 while finishing third in 47.65.

Cal State LA earned three of the top individual awards. Wallace Aflamah was named the Men's Newcomer of the Meet, Summer Stevenson was named the Women's Newcomer of the Meet and Damion Bonds earned the men's Elite 13 Award for top academic achievements among the championship competitors.

Meet Quotes:

Wallace Aflamah: "I'm really grateful for the opportunity to compete at the CCAA Championships. Winning the 100 meters and placing fourth in the 200 meters meant a lot to me. Being named Newcomer of the Year is an honor, and it reflects the work that's been put in throughout the season. I'm thankful for the support from my coaches and teammates, and I'm excited to keep improving."
 
Nicholas Aninze: "I'm grateful to come away with the conference title in the 400 meter hurdles and contribute to the team with a bronze medal in the 4x400 relay. It was a strong weekend for me, focusing on executing my race and staying composed in a championship setting. I'm proud of the result, but I know there's more to improve, and I'm looking forward to building on this performance as we prepare for nationals. I appreciate the support from my coaches and teammates throughout the season.
 
Emmerson Wiggins: "I advanced to the finals in all of my events, which was a big accomplishment for me. I felt grateful and confident because I had believed all season that I could earn a medal in the 400 meters at conference. Even though I was placed in lane 1 for the 400-meter final, which is not my preferred lane, I stayed focused and trusted my training and finished second. Shortly after, I ran the 200-meter final, again in lane 1, and finished with a time of 24.62. Overall, I'm really grateful for the opportunity to compete at this level and proud of myself for achieving season-best performances.
 
Dalia Romo: "I'm very thankful that for my last conference representing Cal State LA I was able to win gold in the 400 hurdles. I'm thankful for my team and the coaches' amazing advice that has driven me to this point in my athletic career. I have one more opportunity, I really want it and I will be using this last chance to give it my all because I have nothing to lose but everything to gain. 
 
Sinaiah Pointer: "To get first place in the shot put means so much more than just a medal for me. It was a testament to all my hard work that I've put into this sport for my entire track career. In my freshman year I received bronze, my sophomore year I received silver, so gold only felt right to get this year. I'm so grateful that I had my coach, my teammates, and especially my parents there at the ring yelling their absolute hardest for me. It really takes a village to succeed but it especially takes self-discipline and resilience to achieve your goals. I'm so grateful for the Cal State LA track team and I'm so happy to have completed my three years here."
 
Coach Tina Fernandes:
We are thankful for the chance to collaborate with numerous exceptional student-athletes from both the Men's and Women's Track and Field Teams.  This series of days has truly been a roller coaster of experiences. We express our gratitude and enthusiasm regarding our initial victories during the early days, highlighted by Kailea Satterwhite's triumph in the discus and her scoring in the hammer event. Additionally, Summer Stevenson achieved success in the Triple Jump and also scored in the Long Jump, as well as competing in the 100 meters and the 4X100 meter relay. Sinaiah Pointer started our last day by securing her first CCAA shot put championship.  She and her coach set a goal for her to compete, providing her with the optimal opportunity to achieve the victory she rightfully earned.  Last year, she was leading until the final series of throws, but this year she emerged victorious."

"The 4x100 meter relay team was next, and the women recorded their best time of the year, nearly breaking into the 46-second range. The men followed, leading by a significant margin, yet they somehow dropped the baton in a manner that seemed impossible.  We had to move past that moment and concentrate on what we could control.

Tony Espinosa, our decathlete, who had been struggling in the multi-event, managed to recover and secured second place in the 110 hurdles

"In the 400, Emmerson Wiggins was assigned lane 1, which typically meant she would finish eighth, but she was resolute in her determination to achieve much more than that. She delivered an outstanding performance and achieved a personal record.  Jaylend Howard followed, having been predicted to finish fifth, yet he managed to secure third place for the team.

"Our men's 100-meter runners were anticipated to finish in first and second place, which was both exciting and nerve-wracking. As the starting gun fired, the race was highly competitive, and the results were not immediately clear.  We began to wonder if we had won, placed, or been separated.  Ultimately, we discovered that we had finished in first and second place, which was the best possible outcome for us.

"Our next event was the 400 hurdles, featuring Dalia Romo and freshman Georgia Gaylor.  Dalia was expected to secure first place, while Georgia was not anticipated to reach the finals. Dalia maintained the lead from start to finish, and Georgia earned a sixth-place finish. This duo significantly contributed to the team's score. Next up were Nicholas and Joshua. Once again, Nicholas led the race from beginning to end, with Gabriel closely following and achieving second place. They were forecasted to finish first and second, and they successfully accomplished that.

"The 200 followed, featuring Emmerson, Drew, and Wallace. Despite feeling fatigued, they lined up to attempt to score for the team once more. Emmerson succeeded in earning three additional points for the women's team, while Wallace and Drew collectively earned nine points for the men's team.

"As the final event approached, our medical staff worked diligently on the 200 runners scheduled to compete in the 4x400 relay. Emmerson was able to participate and our women's team finished fifth overall, which was satisfactory for us. On the men's side, we had to substitute Drew and Wallace, necessitating that our freshman quarter-milers step up. Each of them fought for one another, culminating in an excellent third-place finish. Track and field is a sport that provides everyone with the opportunity to win and earn points for their team, provided they can reach the finals. This marks the highest point total we have achieved for both the women's and men's teams. While not everything was flawless, I am grateful to have an incredible group of student-athletes, coaches, training staff, and fan support. We are thankful and will continue to strive to represent our Golden Eagle family."

CCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Cal State San Marcos
Saturday's Results
Men
Finals
100 -- 1. Wallace Aflamah 10.46; 2. Drew Hill 10.48
200 -- 4. Wallace Aflamah 21.01; 5. Drew Hill 21.25
400 -- 3. Jaylend Howard 47.65
110 Hurdles -- 2. Tony Espinosa 14.47
400 Hurdles -- 1. Nicholas Aninze 51.78; 2. Gabriel Pearson 53.23
4x100 Relay -- DNF.
4x400 Relay -- 3. Cal State LA (Charles Chatman,Nicholas Aninze, Jaylend Howard, Jackson Traynham) 3:12.17
Team Scores: 1. Chico State 263; 2. Cal Poly Pomona 188.5; 3 Cal Poly Humboldt 106.5; 4. Stanislaus State 74; 5. Cal State LA 70; 6. Cal State San Marcos 69; 7. Cal State East Bay 35; 8. San Francisco State 4; 9. Cal State Monterey Bay 2

Women
Finals
200 -- 6. Emmerson Wiggins 24.62
400 -- 2. Emmerson Wiggins 55.34
400 Hurdles -- 1. Dalia Romo 61.11; 7. Georgia Gaylor 64.88
4x100 Relay -- 5. Cal State LA (Wallace, Wiggins, Stevenson, Carbins) 47.11
4x400 Relay -- 5. Cal State LA (Wiggins, Romo, Morgan, Perry) 3:52.82
Shot Put -- 1. Sinaiah Pointer -- 45-6.50
Team Scores: 1. Chico State 213.5; 2. Cal Poly Pomona 209.5; 3. Cal State San Marcos 84; 4. Cal State LA 75.5; 5. Cal Poly Humboldt 65; 6. Cal State San Bernardino 51; 7. Stanislaus State 47.5; 8. Cal State East Bay 40; 9. Cal State Dominguez Hills 21; 10. Cal State Monterey Bay