Track & Field (2026)
Record-Breaking DMR Sparks Banner Day for Panthers @ Bay Area Relays
March 28th, 2026
Pleasanton, CA - Led by senior stand-out Tucker Presnell and junior star Djali de Chalus, the boys Distance Medley Relay team ran 10:26.93 – shattering an almost 20 year old school record on Saturday at the Bay Area Relays. The team – Tucker, Djali, Ian Kopchik and Alejandro Diaz-Cepeda - shaved nearly 7 seconds off of the old record while simultaneously vaulting themselves to the top of the 2026 North Coast Section leaderboard. Their run highlighted a record-breaking day from several Panthers who continued their outstanding 2026 season.
~ Click Here To See All The Photos From The Meet ~
Djali de Chalus Runs To Victory in the Boys DMR
Record-Breakers (l to r): Ian Kopchik, Tucker Presnell, Djali de Chalus, Alejandro Diaz-Zepeda
“I was really pleased with how the guys ran today,” said first year boys distance coach Gabe Arias-Sheridan. “We really didn’t back off much this week. We have our eyes set on really running fast the next two weeks at Stanford in Arcadia so for us to post this time on a hot day after the training week we’ve had makes me think we can go a lot faster.”
Record-Breaker Corinne Jones
Record-Breaker Kira Gant Hatcher
Riding the emotional surge of the boys relay team, many other Panthers seemed especially inspired on Saturday. Cal-bound senior Kira Gant Hatcher broke the meet record while winning the long jump (19’ 3¼”) before running the fastest 100 meters of her life and eclipsing the elusive 12 second barrier. She crossed the line in 11.94 seconds, which now ranks her #5 on the school’s all-time list.
Sophomore Evelyn Bird
Returning All-State teammate Corinne Jones also had a fine day on Saturday. She had a lifetime best in the long jump (19’0¾”) , finished 2nd in the high jump with a season-best tying 5’4”, all before winning and establishing a new meet record in the triple jump (39’ 11¾”).
F/S 4 x 800 Record-Breakers (l to r:) Caty Ruppert, Danielle Mendler, Jessie Ruppert, Evelyn Bird
Junior Paula Devine, the newest talented face on the Panther track team, won the girls mile in a meet record 5:06.44. She now sits as one of the fastest milers in the NCS Bayshore Area and one of the dozen or so fastest in the entire North Coast Section! The future certainly looks bright for this emerging star.
Khalil Pearson Passes to Nicolas Preas
Junior Sprinter Kaylin Hollines
Both the girls and boys frosh-soph distance teams also impressed their coaches. Nico Cadelago, Nicolas Preas, Kai Sullivan, and Khalil Pearson combined to run very impressive distance medley and 4 x 800 relays - finishing 3rd overall in both events. Coach Gabe had very kind words for the performance of this quartet. 
Senior Adrian Hall
The girls frosh-soph team – Caty Ruppert, Evelyn Bird, Danielle Mendler, and Jessie Ruppert – finished 2nd in the distance medley in the morning before coming back in the hot sun of the afternoon and establishing a new meet record and winning the 4 x 800. Coach Denis Mohun, like Coach Gabe, was seen leaving the meet with quite the big smile on his face.
Record Breaker Paula Devine
Junior Sprinter Kamryn Levy
Other highlights from the meet included:
~ Junior Kaylin Holiness‘s PR 12.90 in 100 m
~ Junior Aluzio Zarnowiecki’s all-time best also in the 100m
~ Senior Mika Mazin (4:42) and junior Zach Potter (5:20) both running lifetime bests in
the open mile
~ The boys frosh-soph 4 x 100 team of Khalil Pearson, Adam Steiner, Liam Levine and Brayden White running nearly as fast (46.85) as the varsity 4 x 100 relay (46.63) did just one week ago. Good job to that group.
Junior Zach Potter
Boys F/S 4 x 100: Khalil Pearson to Adam Steiner
Next weekend, the Panthers will split their squads and participate in two separate meets. One group will compete in the highly competitive and highly prestigious Stanford Invitational on April 3rd and 4th. The meet will feature most of the top talent from Northern California and beyond. The other group will compete in the Eastbay Invitational, hosted by California High School (Danville). Both meets will provide great opportunities for athletes to continue their successes and establish new lifetime bests. Good luck to all the Panthers competing next weekend.
From Veterans to Newcomers, Panthers Deliver Statement Meet in TCAL Debut
March 24th, 2026
Berkeley, CA - The Panther track and field team open their 2026 TCAL season on Tuesday at home against their crosstown rival Albany Cougars, as well as Richmond and Emery high schools.
~ Click Here To See All The Photos From The Meet ~
“As a group, we were really excited to finally compete here at home,” said head coach Jeff Rogers. “For a lot of our athletes, they’ve been training for weeks and weeks now and this was their first meet to show what they could do and where their hard work has gotten them.”
Leading the way was a mix of older established athletes as well as a bevy of younger, talented up-and-comers. Familiar names like Kira Gant Hatcher (100 and long jump), Corinne Jones (triple jump and high jump), and Djali de Chalus (800 meters) won their events handily. However, many others shined just as bright on Tuesday.
Junior Alejandro Diaz-Zepeda made his 400 meter debut, running a lifetime best 52.54 to win the varsity boys race. Senior Maleah Bey, who was a NCS Meet of Champions finalist in the 100m hurdles in 2025, made her season debut by winning the girls varsity race in 16.71. Senior Elia Kudemus also had a very nice day, according to Coach Rogers. She finished 2nd in the high jump, 2nd in the triple jump, 2nd in the long jump and establishing a new lifetime best in the 100 meters (13.58).
Khalil Pearson continued his fine sophomore campaign, winning the Varsity boys triple jump (41’0”) and 200 meters while also competing in the 100 and the long jump. Khalil and Elia were the only athletes to compete in 4 events.
The boys distance team had a nice day, according to coach Gabe Arias- Sheridan. Lifetime bests were posted by Djali (2:01), Kai Sullivan (2:06), Nico Cadelago (2:09), Nicolas Preas (2:12), Reid Smithwick (2:16), and Lukas McAndrew-Kvaerno (2:21).
However, maybe the story of the day happened in the girls 1600 when newcomer Paula Devine – who also competes on the Saint Mary’s swim team – shocked most of the trackside bystanders when she - running in her first race as a Panther - recorded the 4th fastest time in school history in the event! Her 5:07.51 has only been bested by former Panthers and future Cal runners Bridget Duffy & Gabi Rios-Sotelo and future UNLV Running Rebel Spencer Moore.
The Panthers throws squad – led by Zach Lenihan, Xavier Slocum and Rowan Zuber - also had a very nice meet. All 3 throwers established personal bests in the discus. It should also be noted that junior Kamryn Levy also competed in the shotput for the very first time and won! Her her winning throw, 29’7”, is now the leading mark in the TCAL this season and and ranks as one of the better throws in the entire Bayshore area division of the North Coast Section!
Other meet highlights included:
- Personal bests for Adam Steiner, Liam Levine, Desmond Panlilio, and Kevin Pineda in the 100 meters.
- Personal bests for Bruno Middleton and Haakon Miller in the 400 meters.
- A Personal best for Jessie Ruppert in the 800 meters
The next meet for the Panthers is this Saturday, March 28th when the Panthers will travel to Foothill High School in Pleasanton for the Bay Area Relays.
Panthers Shake Off Rust, Surge to Fast Times and Records in Season Return
March 21st, 2026
San Ramon, CA - After two weeks away from competition—sidetracked by final exams and Enrichment Week—the Saint Mary’s track and field team returned Saturday with something to prove. By day’s end, the rust was gone, replaced by blistering times, personal bests, and even a few record-breaking performances.
~ Click Here To See All The Photos From The Meet ~
Double Winner Kira Gant Hatcher
Split between two of the Bay Area’s most competitive meets, Saint Mary’s made its presence felt. Sprinters and jumpers headed to the San Ramon Sprint Festival, while distance runners took on the Dublin Distance Fiesta. Both meets featured elite competition—and the Panthers didn’t just show up, they delivered.
Sophomore Khalil Pearson
In San Ramon, the spotlight belonged to Kira Gant Hatcher. The future California Golden Bear and defending NCS long and triple jump champion wasted no time reasserting her dominance, sweeping both horizontal jumps with season-best marks. She soared to 19’4” to win the long jump, then returned later to eclipse 40 feet in the triple jump for her second win of the day.
School Record-Holder Mia Monroe
But Kira wasn’t alone. Sophomore standout Mia Monroe nearly rewrote the school record books twice in one day. She began her 2026 season with an electrifying 11.75 in the 100 meters—just .01 shy of the school record set in 2019 by former Panther and UCLA Bruin Sophia Alexander. Later, Mia made sure there would be no near-miss in the 200. She powered around the curve and down the homestretch to a 24.32 finish, breaking the school record of former California State hurdle champion Trinity Wilson by .05. Mia now ranks 5th in California in the 100 and 7th in the 200.
Corinne Jones
Add in All-State jumper Corinne Jones and junior sprinter Kaylin Hollines, and the Panthers assembled a formidable quartet in the 4x100 relay. With minimal time practicing exchanges, the group still managed a scorching 48.05—good for third-fastest in the North Coast Section this season.
4 x 100 Relay: Mia Monroe to Kira Gant Hatcher
“I was really pleased with that group today” said head sprint coach Terry Burke. “We only worked on exchanges this week, so just getting the baton around clean was an accomplishment. To run that fast this early—it’s exciting. This group has a lot of potential.”
Junior Sprinter Alejandro Diza-Zepeda
Jones added a personal best of her own, clearing 5-4 in the high jump to place second. Across the board, Saint Mary’s sprinters showed growth, with personal bests from Alejandro Diaz Cepeda (11.43), Brayden White (11.80) and Kaylin Hollines (13.03) in the 100; Khalil Pearson (23.77), Bruno Middleton (24.67) and Hollines (26.42) in the 200.
Senior Jumper/Sprinter Elia Kudemus
Meanwhile in Dublin, the distance squad proved just as sharp. Junior Djali De Chalus led the charge in the 3200 meters, clocking a lifetime best of 9:12.48 to place fifth in a loaded field. He was backed by a strong pack: Tucker Presnell (9:23), Mika Mazin (9:48), Kai Sullivan (9:49), and freshman Nico Cadelago, who flirted with the 10-minute barrier but finished in 10:00.88. For all but Tucker—who posted a season best—the performances marked new lifetime bests.
Senior Sprinter Keowyn Warner
On the girls’ side, the momentum continued in the 800 meters, where Caty Ruppert, Evelyn Bird, Danielle Mendler, and Jessie Ruppert all notched lifetime bests—efforts that reportedly left distance coach Denis Mohun smiling.
l to r: Kaylin Hollines, Mia Monroe, Kira Gant Hatcher, Corinne Jones
The Panthers won’t have to wait long to build on the momentum they showed on Saturday. They return to action Tuesday at home against Albany, Richmond, and Emery high schools. The first running event starts at 3:30.
Berkeley Bound!
Kira Gant Hatcher Signs National Letter of Intent with the California Golden Bears
March 3rd, 2026
Berkeley, CA - Standout sprinter and defending California State Triple Jump Champion Kira Gant Hatcher has signed her national letter of intent to compete for the California Golden Bears, officially committing to continue her academic and athletic career in Berkeley.
Widely regarded as one of the area’s premier talents, Kira’s accomplishments are vast: TCAL league titles, NCS Open Division Championships, State Championships, and now the golden opportunity to join the storied CAL program, compete at the highest level of NCAA track and field, and attend one of the most highly regarded universities in the world! Congratulations to Kira and her family.
Gold, Silver, Meet Records and Lifetime Bests All On Display @ Skyline Invitational Season Opener
February 28th, 2026
Kira Gant Hatcher
Oakland, CA - On Saturday, blessed by unusually warm, balmy late February weather, Saint Mary’s Track & Field opened at the 20th annual Skyline Invitational. By meet’s end, the Panthers had amassed two individual wins, one meet record, three silver medals, eight top 10 finishes, and a slew of personal records (PR‘s) which made it obvious that this group was excited and ready to start their 2026 season.
~ Click Here To See All The Photos From The Meet ~
Middle Distance Star Djali de Chalus
Leading the way were a trio of Panther stars whose talent and prowess have them on form charts and prediction lists up and down the state of California. 2025 North Coast Section and California State triple jump champion Kira Gant Hatcher led the way, winning both the long and triple jump while establishing a new meet record and California state best in the process. Her 39’11” triple jump win was the new meet record, eclipsing the previous record held by her older sister Kali in 2017.
Returning All-State Jumper Corinne Jones
Kira also narrowly missed the meet record in the long jump, leaping 18’7”. The meet record was 18’8”. Kira also placed 5th in the 100m - running 12.34 – which was the fastest she’d ever run. According to Coach Rogers, “For Kira, Skyline is merely the prelude to what we expect will be an illustrious, memorable season.”
Junior Sprinter Alejandro Diaz-Zepeda
Teammate and last year‘s 4th place state triple jump medalist Corinne Jones also had a very solid start to her 2026 season. She finished second in both the triple (38’4”) and long jump (18’3½) , narrowly missing her PR in the long jump but also suggesting that she will be a force in this, her second season of track.
Freshman Nico Cadelago
Junior Djali de Chalus, himself and All-State Cross Country runner this past fall, battled courageously down the homestretch in the boys 1600, finishing a scant .28 seconds from victory. Still, his 2nd place finish was a lifetime best (4:19.02) and now places him 4th on the schools all-time list. Look for this ultra-talented junior to run even faster this season. 
Junior Weightman Rowan Zuber
Senior teammate Tucker Presnell also battled amongst the leaders for the first three laps before relenting, but still managed to finish 7th overall. According to distance coach Gabe Arias-Sheridan, both Djali, Tucker, and senior Ian Kopchik (out sick) seem to be on track to have phenomenal 2026 seasons. As well, Coach Gabe praised the efforts of sophomore Kai Sullivan (4:36), and freshmen Nico Cadelago (4:47, 2:14) and Nicolas Preas (5:00, 2:15). All ran lifetime bests and had exceptionally good days. Both Nico and Nicolas PR’d in both the 1600 and 800 meters.
400 Heat Winner Sabrina Jackson
Several of coach Terry Burke’s sprinters also recorded impressive PR‘s. Junior Alejandro Diaz-Zepeda ran 11.54, improving his previous best by .2 of a second. Fellow Junior, Aluzio Zarnowiecki (11.89) also ran impressively as did sophomore Brayden White, who smashed his personal best in the 100 by .7 of a second and his 200 best by 1.5 seconds! 
Freshman Nicolas Preas (top) and Junior Bruno Middleton (bottom)
On the girls side, Coach Burke made Spencer special mansion of the huge improvement shown by junior Kaylin Hollines.
Sprinter Kaylin Hollines
Her 13.15 in the 100 and 26.75 in the 200 were, as Coach Burkes said, “Significantly faster than what she ran a year ago and are a testament to her dedication to off-season training and her hard work and commitment. I was really happy with how she competed today.” Fellow junior Sabrina Jackson also ran a nice opening season 400 according to the longtime sprint coach.
l to r: Natalie Iazzetti, Sihiri Kinchen & Gabi Espino
l to r: Danielle Mendler, Gianna Hernandez & Zoe Jennings
Other notable performances came from freshman Noah Roder, who finished sixth overall in the boys triple jump after having only recently joined the track team. Finally, senior Elia Kudemus - fresh off a spectacular fall flag football season and a solid varsity girls basketball season -showed her toughness and supreme conditioning as she was the only Panther to compete in the maximum four events at Skyline. She long jumped, triple jumped, high jumped and ran the 100 meters!
Change AND Continuity Both Part of Optimistic Outlook For 2026 Track Team
February 13th, 2026
Over the past 40 years, the Saint Mary’s College High School campus has undergone a host of significant changes. Since 1988, dozens of Presidents, Principals, Athletic Directors and Head Coaches have led and gone. New buildings have been built, old ones refurbished, and even older ones removed. The schools’ colors have changed; the mascot has been re-imagined; new athletic leagues have been formed, and girls have been added to the previous all-boys student body. Yet, the one thing that hadn’t changed… that year after year remained a constant, steady reminder of continuity and familiarity was the presence of Jay Lawson at the helm of the Panther track & field program. For 36 years, Coach Lawson and his staff built the Panther track team into one of the most successful programs in the entire State of California. Scores of league, North Coast Section and State Championships… along with National High School All-Americans are all part of the long, storied resume of Coach Lawson. However, like everything in life, change and transition are inevitable and so it is that this 2026 track & field season will the first since the George H.W. Bush Era that the Saint Mary’s track & field will be without their hall of fame coach.
Still, the pride and talent of the athletes as well as the experience and expertise of the longstanding coaching staff should make this – the 2026 season – and future seasons bright and successful. We had a chance to talk with coaches Rogers, Burke, and Mohun about their insights and expectations for the upcoming season.
Coach Jeff Rogers (Jumps)
Q: You’ve been coaching track at Saint Mary’s since 1997 and in that time the one constant for you has been Coach Lawson. We’ve heard you two been referred to as the “dynamic duo”. Now he’s stepped down. What are your feelings about losing your longtime partner?
A: Well, as a coach, it’s not a joyous occasion for me that’s for sure. Jay and I have been wed to this program for years and have put in a lot of time and effort into making it a great experience for a lot of families. Personally, the program and the sport has also given us a lot - which includes a close personal relationship. So, while it feels a bit lonely and weird not having him on the track everyday, I’m happy that he’s at peace with moving on and pursuing life outside of track. His dedication, passion, expertise and know how, of course, can never be replaced but our staff is committed to carrying on the standards and pursuing the excellence that he spent his career building.
Q: Ok, so given the loss of Coach Lawson, will we see any major changes to the program – it’s philosophy, structure or organization?
A: Not really. We have an excellent, experienced, knowledgeable coaching staff who believe in our program’s philosophy and who do a great job coaching the athletes on the track and in the field. We’ve always understood that there are no short cuts, no easy ways to achieve success in our sport. The key to success is to believe in something, commit to it, and then work consistently hard at it. We’ve always tried to make that our building block and constantly emphasize that to the athletes. This year’s staff and our approach is no different.
Q: Tell us then, which athletes in particular should we keep our eyes on?
A: Well, first of all both Coach Burke and Coach Sutphin have stepped up and taken over the sprints, hurdles and relays programs quite admirably. They spent much of the winter break leading the training and conditioning of most of our top athletes and I think the results will be seen very soon. In terms of individual athletes, of course our top returner is Kira Gant Hatcher who was the 2025 California State Champion in the triple jump and returns as not only the top athlete in that event but also one of the best long jumpers in California. So look for Kira to have a dynamic, star-studded senior season. Her jumps teammate, Corrine Jones, came out last year as a sophomore and ended up 4th at the State Championships in the triple jump. She’s also a huge long and high jump threat so don’t be surprised to see Corinne grab plenty of press and headlines this season as well. Sophomore sprinter Mia Monroe and senior hurdler Maleah Bey were both NCS Meet of Champions medalists last year… as were distance runners Djali de Chalus and Tucker Presnell so we expect all of them to go well again this year. Fellow senior distance runner Ian Kopchik had a great cross country season and will shine this spring. After that, we have a host of young up-and-comers who are looking to break out this season.
Q: Speaking of the “up-and-comers”, can you elaborate on who those athletes maybe?
A: I’ll let some of the other coaches tell you about the athletes they’re coaching, but generally look to the boys distance and girls jumps, sprints & hurdles to be the strength of our team. In my group, sophomore Khalil Pearson had a really good freshman season and is someone who will get much better. Same for sophomore Mayari Negron-Gonzales and senior Elia Kudemus. Then, distance guys like Mika Mazin, Adrian Hall, Kai Sullivan, Scott Sullivan and freshman Nico Cadelago have all been training very well with our new distance coach – Coach Gabe. I expect they’ll all have very good seasons. Also, look for our boys throwers to be vastly improved. Coach George has spent his life in football but is also a former track man who knows his way around the field and the weightroom. He’s looking forward to working with guys like Xavier Slocum, Zach Lenihan, Rowan Zuber and Khalil Chaney so I expect he’ll have those guys ready to compete and throw far.
Coach Terry Burke (Varsity Sprints/Hurdles)
Q: So you get the giant task of taking over for Coach Lawson. Tell us a bit about yourself and your plans and goals for this upcoming season.
A: Thanks for the added pressure (chuckles) but I of course I shouldn’t be surprised. As Coach Rogers said, there is no replacing Coach Lawson. He’s been an institution around here and his legacy speaks for itself. For me, I’m really excited about being here at Saint Mary’s and about the upcoming season. I’ve known both Coach Rogers and Coach Lawson for over 30 years now and am quite familiar with how things have been done here. I, too, have an extensive coaching background. I’ve coached in high school (Redwood), college (Cal & San Francisco State), and have worked with many post-collegiate, open and Olympic level athletes. I’ve essentially spent most of my adult professional life in the world of track & field and feel confident that I can work well with the athletes and continue the great tradition that Saint Mary’s has.
In terms of my plans and goals, I was on campus last year as the primary hurdles coach and worked extensively with some of the short sprinters so I’m very familiar with the team and the athletes. My goals are to continue to work with athletes biomechanically – emphasizing their movement and muscular adaptation to help improve their biomechanics as well as their power, explosiveness and technique. I also want to continue their growth as responsible athletes and leaders. Those two qualities are particularly important to me.
Q: As far as the athletes you’re working with, who are you excited about?
A: I’m actually excited about all of them! So far they’ve been cooperative and eager to work and learn. Our girls have a couple of outstanding sprinters in Kira and Mia who both should enjoy plenty of success this year. Maleah, as Coach Rogers said, made the Meet of Champions final last year in only her first year of hurdling so her season outlook is promising. Then, Kamryn Levy, Sabrina Jackson, Kaylin Hollines, and Fiona Groth-Reidy have all been training consistently and are on the road to big improvements this year.
On the boys side, we lost a lot in our senior class last year. Still, I’m excited to see how Alejandro Diaz-Zepeda, Keowyn Warner and Aluzio Zarnowiecki progress this season. So far, they look pretty good. After those three, there a host of newcomers and underclassmen who may surprise and grab some of the headlines.
Coach Denis Mohun (Girls Distance)
Q: There’s been a lot of talk about how your girls distance team is shaping up. Tell us how you’re feeling about the group this year.
A: I really like what I’m seeing from the distance girls so far. They spent most of the off-season with Coach Gabe and the boys working a lot on their core and overall strength and flexibility. They also did a lot of running so they’re coming into the season fit and in shape. Our group will be led by sophomores Caty Ruppert and Evelyn Bird who both are coming off tremendous cross country seasons. Both of them should run really strong in the 1600 and 3200. Jessie Ruppert also
looks healthier than she’s been in awhile so I expect she’ll run much faster than she did last year. We’re hoping Olivia Chu will get healthy and resume her training which will make our group even faster.
Q: Like all the event areas, there are usually some athletes that are on the cusp of breaking through and making a mark. Do you have anyone you feel that way about?
A: Yeah, for sure. I really like the dedication and tenacity of sophomore Zoe Jennings and junior Gianna Hernandez. Both are working hard and showing the type of dedication that translates into fast times. Also, sophomore Danielle Mendler is a talent who may run some 800’s this year. Watch for her.