Women's Track & Field | May 02, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO — Cal State Monterey Bay junior Hannah Bell (Yorba Linda/Esperanza HS) ran an Otter record 4:32.42 to place third in the 1500 meters Saturday at the CCAA Track & Field Championships in SFSU's Cox Stadium. Her effort makes her CSUMB's first All–CCAA performer in track.

The Otters began the program in Fall, 2014.

"I am so stoked for Hannah," says CSUMB Head Coach Greg Rhines. "She kicked some butt today—and in qualifying yesterday—helping insert Monterey Bay as a force in a conference that is very competitive in the mid-distance and distance events."

Bell's time breaks her own mark of 4:35.12 set on the same track on Apr. 3. It also is an NCAA Division II provisional qualifier, although Rhines thinks she'll need to shave a little bit off that mark to earn a national championship bid.

In addition to Bell, senior Jennie Yeaman (Escondido/Mission Hills HS) also competed in a final Saturday. Yeaman ran the fifth fastest 5000 by an Otter to place 25th in the event at 18:49.33.

"I couldn't be more proud of all of the pioneering women that catapulted the MB Track program into the CCAA," says Rhines "There is a big future here at CSUMB and our track program will be a big part of it. All of the women raced this weekend at the best of their abilities."

One more meet—and one more chance to qualifier for nationals—awaits the Otters, who will return to Cox Stadium next Saturday for the West Coast Last Chance Meet.