NEWBERG, Ore. — In an interview on Dec. 23, 2025, Newberg High School senior Sophia Castaneda was celebrating an official commitment to the University of Michigan when she was asked about her goals for the upcoming season.
“I’m looking forward to a big personal-record race time, and I really want to chase down the state record,” she said in the December story.
During the Secure Storage Summit Invitational on May 2, she did just that.
Castaneda is now Oregon’s record holder in the 400-meter dash, clocking 52.17 seconds. The previous record — 52.83 seconds — was set by Josie Donelson of Lake Oswego High School in 2024.
“I remember watching [Donelson] break the record when I was an underclassman and thought to myself that I’d like to break a record one day,” Castaneda said. “I was about a second behind her, so I felt like I could do it.”
The time also ranks her seventh among women’s 400-meter sprinters nationally this year.
“It’s a super special feeling,” she said. “I know a few of the girls that are ahead of me, and I’m racing against a few of them [at the Brooks PR Invitational in June].”
Newberg Track and Field coach Brandon Ramey said Castaneda is a special talent not only for her natural gifts but also her work ethic — and that’s what makes her a state record holder.
“I think what a common misconception is to just assume she is just naturally fast and doesn’t have to work to get where she is,” Ramey said. “It’s completely the opposite. Sophia is the hardest-working, most disciplined athlete I’ve ever coached. Combine that with a humility that is sometimes lost with great athletes, and you get Soph.”
Castaneda is quick to return the praise. The two have been working together since her freshman year, with Ramey coaching her in both track and field and weight training.
“He’s been such a huge help and always been with me for the past four years,” she said. “He’s my weights coach, he’s my running coach — he’s my GOAT (an acronym for Greatest of All Time).”
She will have more opportunities to chase a sub-52-second time in the coming weeks. Newberg High School’s track and field schedule includes three meets before the OSAA State Track and Field Championships, set for May 28–30 in Eugene at Hayward Field. Nike Outdoor Nationals follows June 18–22 at the same venue.
After accomplishing her big milestone for the season with a handful of races left in her high school career, she said she’s focused on one theme.
“My dad and I were just talking about this and I think I really just want to go out there and have fun,” she said. “But, of course, I’m going to try and PR again. Let’s see how low I can go.”
The Summit Invitational has been an important meet for Castaneda. As a freshman, she broke her first school record there. This year, she also won the 200-meter sprint in a personal-best 24.41 seconds and helped break the school record in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 48.33 seconds alongside teammates Mary McLearn, McKinley Howard, and Sophia “Phia” Carpenter.
“The weather was perfect for racing,” she said. “There is always a storm looming, and we did have to cancel an event because of lightning. But it was a really great day.”
Howard also took second in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 45.99 seconds.
Senior pole vaulter Caleb Lofdahl broke the school record with a vault of 16 feet, earning the top spot in the men’s event. Steeplechaser Nolan Barber won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in 6:45.28, and hurdler Benjamin Bondurant ran the 300-meter hurdles in 40.04 seconds, finishing second.
Check NHS Track and Field’s Athletic.net page for full results and more updates.
