SAN FRANCISCO – UCLA jumps standout Isaiah Holmes was voted the Pac-12 Men's Field Athlete of the Year and the Men's Freshman of the Year, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Holmes garnered the accolades after winning the Pac-12 title in the high jump and was the runner-up in the long jump. The freshman also scored in the triple jump to total 22 points on the meet.
The Roseville, Calif., native is the first to win both the league's Field Athlete and Freshman of the Year awards in the same season and joins former Bruins hurdler Kevin Craddock in 2006 as winners of the Conference's Freshman of the Year award.
Holmes downed the defending NCAA Champion in Randall Cunningham Jr., to win the conference title in the high jump in wet, windy conditions at Historic Hayward Field. Despite the inclement weather, Holmes cleared 6-11.50 to win the event.
Earlier in the day, the CIF California State Champion in the long jump leaped a collegiate personal best 25-11 to finish as the runner-up. The mark by Holmes is ninth all-time in school history. The freshman also came back to place fifth in the triple jump.
On the season, Holmes has leaped 25-11 in the long jump, cleared 7-2.50 in the high jump and recorded a best of 50-7.50 in only two meets in the triple jump.
Holmes and the Bruins will next compete at the NCAA West Regional Championships in Austin, Texas. The meet is scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 25.