WALNUT, Calif. (May 16, 2026) – Memories were made and remarkable accomplishments were achieved on the final day of the 2026 women's track and field season at the 2026 California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) State Championships where Maya Natarajan ran to a gold medal performance and Madi Thai set a new school Heptathlon record.

A historic year for Natarajan concluded the exact same way it started; atop the podium. After a thrilling cross country season in which the sophomore went undefeated, earning the title of Western State Conference (WSC) champion, 3C2A SoCal Regional champion and 2025 women's cross country 3C2A State champion, she pulled on the Blue and White for track and field season where she again climbed to the top spot in the 5,000m with a run of 18:11.29 to win by over eight and a half seconds. Between the WSC Championships and today, Natarajan shaved off over 52 seconds of race time. Earlier in the day Natarajan also ran the 1,500m, coming up just short of another title, and finishing as the state Runner-Up in a time of 4:47.51. The 5,000m was the final race in the illustrious career of Natarajan.

In her first season of track and field for the Raiders, Thai made a lot of noise. None was more heard than her performance this weekend in the Heptathlon where the set a new school record by accumulating 4447 points to break a 40-year old record (4279), which was set in 1986 by Renee Hembree. Thai soared to a first place High Jump of 1.72m before Long Jumping to second place with a best mark of 5.37m. She went on to run the 200m in 25.72 for third place and ran to fifth in the 800m (2:31.12). She rounded out the seven-event competition with eighth in Shot Put (8.89m), 10^th in the 100m Hurdles (16.00) and 12^th in Javelin (16.99m). Additionally, the freshman went on to compete as an individual in the High Jump, clearing 1.60m to take fifth in the field.

Lily Cohen also competed in her first 3C2A State meet, throwing her way to an eight-place finish in the Discus with a best-mark of 39.46m. The mark was just off of her season and personal best of 39.74m, which was achieved at the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals, which secured the first year Raiders thrower a spot in the state championships meet.  

The lady Raiders combined for 28 points to place 10^th overall in the team standings.

Both Cohen and Thai will return to the track and field in 2027 while Natarajan graduates and moves on to her next adventure and endeavors.

Results: 3C2A State Championships Results

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