LONG BEACH, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Track & Field teams competed at the Big West Championships Multis this weekend, with Brad Thomas earning 8108 points—a stadium, school, meet, and overall conference record—to place first in the Decathlon. He and three other Gauchos earned a total of 18 team points, leading all Men's teams by the end of the day. On the women's side, three Gauchos competed in the Heptathlon of a total of 16 athletes.
 
In event two, Thomas and Jeramiah Havens placed second and third in the long jump. In shot put and high jump, Thomas and Hudson Shaver finished top two (15.06m and 13.50m) and two and three, respectively. Thomas finished his great first day with another win in the 400m (48.24).
 
On Saturday, the Gauchos had podium finishes in every event. Thomas and Havens were a close second and third in the opening 110m hurdles. Then, the discus was the team's best event of the weekend—Shaver, Thomas, and Havens swept the podium, Shaver's 46.92m earning the top spot. Thomas ended his weekend with a third-place performance in pole vault, first in javelin (64.42m), and first in the 1500m (4:34.64). Braylon Noble also made the podium with a third-place finish in the finale.
 
Ultimately, Thomas made the podium in every event except the first—the 100m dash—with four first-place finishes. His 8108 points were well off the second-place finish of 7898 and Mauricio Bardales' previous overall conference record of 8007 points in 1978. Shaver finished fourth with 7029 points—earning five for the team—while Havens had 6367 and Noble had 5890.
 
In the Women's Heptathlon, Amanda Eames had the best finish of the weekend in the final event. The freshman placed sixth in the 800m with a 2:25.44 time.
 
Overall, Hanna Barmettler concluded the weekend with team-leading 4594 points. Eames finished with 4251, while Allison Tito was right behind with 4249.
 
Both the Men's and Women's teams continue the remainder of the Big West Championships events next weekend back in Long Beach. The men will begin the Friday-Saturday meet in the lead with 18 points.