Lions Continue Building Momentum
De Anza College track & field turned in a series of standout performances last week at two different events.
At the annual Pat Ryan Invitational, the Lions were led by dominant efforts in the men's throws and a winning performance in the women's 4x400 relay.
The Mountain Lions were led by a powerful showing in the throws, where Ryan McGlashan captured the men's shot put title with a mark of 15.42 meters, leading a strong De Anza presence in the event. Teammate Liam Brennan added a third-place finish at 13.83 meters, giving De Anza two athletes on the podium.
Brennan returned in the discus to deliver one of the top performances of the meet, winning the event with a throw of 52.35 meters. McGlashan followed with a second-place finish at 46.22 meters, securing another one-two finish for the Mountain Lions in the throws.
On the women's side, De Anza's 4x400 relay team delivered a statement performance, winning the event in 4:02.26. The quartet of Junya Zeng, Sarah Morales, Naomi Seastrom, and Emma Ulloa combined for a controlled and competitive race to secure the victory over a strong field.
Individually, Zeng and Morales also contributed in the open 400 meters, both finishing under 60 seconds, continuing to show progress early in the season.
In distance events, De Anza saw solid performances in the men's 3000m steeplechase, where Roee Biluar led the way with a winning time of 10:37.12, followed closely by Jerry Dang in second, as the Mountain Lions placed multiple athletes near the top of the standings.
Across the meet, De Anza athletes continued to build momentum with competitive marks in sprints, distance, and field events, showing depth and progression as the season moves forward.
The Mountain Lions will look to carry that momentum into their next competition as they continue developing toward the championship portion of the season.
Pignataro Moves to No. 2 All-Time, Bernal Hits State Mark
The De Anza College women's distance squad delivered a historic performance the Oxy Distance Carnival and Spring Break Classic, highlighted by a near school-record effort and multiple state-qualifying marks.
Siena Pignataro led the way in the 10,000 meters, finishing second overall in 38:11.60, a mark that moves her to No. 2 all-time in De Anza program history. Pignataro aggressively chased the school record throughout the race, coming just seconds short while securing the 3C2A State "A" standard and establishing herself as one of the top distance runners in the state this season.
In the steeplechase, Nathaly Bernal turned in a breakthrough performance, running 13:04.42 to earn the 3C2A State "B" standard. Bernal's race marked a significant step forward as she continues to develop in one of the sport's most demanding events.
Competing against a deep field of four-year programs and elite competition, both athletes rose to the occasion and delivered performances that position them well heading into the championship portion of the season.
"These were high-level efforts across the board," said De Anza Head Coach Andy Ponce de Leon.
"Siena put herself in elite company in our program history and wasn't afraid to go after the record. Nathaly stepping into a state mark in the steeple is a big-time breakthrough."
The Mountain Lions will look to build on this momentum as the season progresses, with both Pignataro and Bernal now firmly in the mix at the state level.