COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Cal State Bakersfield track & field program completed its 2025 season at the NCAA West First Round at E.B. Cushing Stadium. Bakersfield had Thomas Richardson, Javier Toro, and Makiah Parker represent the university at the regional stage this week. 

Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Marcia Mansur-Wentworth said, "I am beyond proud of these athletes, they are Bakersfield Grit personified. Tom [Richardson] went out with a great performance. Javier [Toro] and Makiah [Parker] will be back at NCAA's next year with experience."

Senior Thomas Richardson closed out an impressive career with a 27th place finish in the hammer throw on Wednesday, having been ranked 46th going into the day. He finished fourth among Big West athletes. It was his first appearance at the NCAA West First Round meet. Richardson marked a 62.17m (203-11), his second-best throw of his career. He will end his career with a personal best of 62.31m (204-5), which ranks sixth on the CSUB all-time list.  

Two-time NCAA regional qualifier Javier Toro placed 36th in the hammer throw with a mark of 60.96m (200-0). Toro ends his season third on the all-time list for Bakersfield. His PB of 64.88m (212-10) ranked fifth in the Big West this year. He finished in the top three at 10 different meets this spring. He will be back next year for his final season as a Roadrunner.  

Freshman Makiah Parker capped off a historic rookie season in the blue and gold. What might be the best freshman performance the program has seen in the Division I era; Parker completed her first NCAA regional meet. She finished 46th in the 100m with a time of 11.71 and ran a 24.74 in the 200m, good for 46th overall.  

Parker became the first CSUB freshman in the Division I era to win an individual title in any conference championship meet when she placed first in the women's 200m final at the Big West Track & Field Championships. The Texas native also went home with a silver medal in the 100m, becoming the first CSUB athlete to capture two medals in a single Big West championship meet. 

Mansur-Wentworth added, "I can't recall a freshman who has had as great of a year as [Makiah Parker] did in my 30+ years of coaching."

This Spring, Parker broke school records in both the 100m and 200m. Those two records were previously set in 1983 and were the longest sitting records for CSUB. In her young career, she also set indoor school records in the 60m and 200m and is on the all-time list for the 300m and 400m. She was awarded Newcomer of the Year at this year's ROWDYs.  

~GoRunners.com~