May 14, 2001
2001 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday-Saturday, May 16-19, 2001
Choc Sportsman Oval at the SDSU Sports Deck
San Diego, Calif.
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Aztecs To Host Mountain West Conference Championships
In the midst of perhaps its finest season in at least a decade, the San Diego State women's track and field team welcomes the Mountain West Conference to the Choc Sportsman oval at the SDSU Sports Deck this week, as the Aztecs host the league's 2001 Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 16-19. The action gets underway on Wednesday and Thursday with the women's heptathlon and the men's decathlon. Individual qualifying begins on Friday, with event finals scheduled for Saturday.
In the team competition, all eight conference schools will be represented on the women side, while six squads will comprise the men's team competition (SDSU and UNLV do not sponsor men's track and field).
The Format
The Mountain West Conference will crown individual as well as team champions. Eight places in each event will be counted in the final team scoring with the points awarded in descending order as follows: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Tickets, Please
A four-day, all-session ticket costs $12.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. Single-session tickets can be purchased for $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for children.
Participating Teams (Women)
Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah, Wyoming
Participating Teams (Men)
Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
Championship Results
World Wide Web: Complete results will be made available via the world wide web at www.goaztecs. com as soon as possible following the conclusion of each day's competition. Results will also be made available via the Mountain West Conference web site, www.mountainwestconf.com.
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, May 1612:30 p.m. Heptathlon1:00 p.m. Decathlon
Thursday, May 1712:00 p.m. Decathlon1:30 p.m. Heptathlon
Friday, May 1811:00 a.m. Men's Javelin - Trials/Finals1:00 p.m. Women's Javelin - Trials/Finals3:00 p.m. Men's Long Jump - Trials/Finals3:00 p.m. Men's Discus - Trials/Finals3:00 p.m. Men's Steeplechase - Finals3:15 p.m. Women's Steeplechase - Finals3:30 p.m. Men's 1500m Run - Qualifying3:40 p.m. Women's 1500m Run - Qualifying3:55 p.m. Men's 110m HH - Qualifying4:00 p.m. Women's Pole Vault - Trials/Finals4:05 p.m. Women's 100m HH - Qualifying4:15 p.m. Men's 400m Run - Qualifying4:25 p.m. Women's 400m Run - Qualifying4:35 p.m. Men's 100m Dash - Qualifying4:40 p.m. Women's 100m Dash - Qualifying4:45 p.m. Women's Long Jump - Trials/Finals4:50 p.m. Men's 800m Run - Qualifying5:00 p.m. Women's Discus - Trials/Finals5:00 p.m. Women's 800m Run - Qualifying5:15 p.m. Men's 400m IH - Qualifying5:25 p.m. Women's 400m IH - Qualifying5:35 p.m. Men's 200m Dash - Qualifying5:40 p.m. Women's 200m Dash - Qualifying5:45 p.m. Men's 10,000m Run - Finals6:25 p.m. Women's 10,000m Run - Finals
Saturday, May 1910:30 a.m. Men's Hammer - Trials/Finals12:00 p.m. Women's Hammer - Trials/Finals1:00 p.m. Men's Pole Vault - Trials/Finals1:00 p.m. Women's High Jump - Trials/Finals1:00 p.m. Men's Triple Jump - Trials/Finals1:30 p.m. Men's Shot Put - Trials/Finals2:00 p.m. Men's 4X100 Relay - Finals2:05 p.m. Women's 4X100 Relay - Finals2:10 p.m. Men's 1500m Run - Finals2:15 p.m. Women's 1500m Run - Finals2:25 p.m. Men's 100m HH - Finals2:30 p.m. Men's High Jump - Trials/Finals2:30 p.m. Women's Triple Jump - Trials/Finals2:35 p.m. Women's 100m HH - Finals2:45 p.m. Men's 400m Dash - Finals2:50 p.m. Women's 400m Dash - Finals2:55 p.m. Men's 100m Dash - Finals3:00 p.m. Women's Shot Put - Trials/Finals3:00 p.m. Women's100m Dash - Finals3:05 p.m. Men's 800m Run - Finals3:10 p.m. Women's 800m Run - Finals3:25 p.m. Women's 400m IH - Finals3:35 p.m. Men's 400m IH - Finals3:45 p.m. Men's 200m Dash - Finals3:50 p.m. Women's 200m Dash - Finals3:55 p.m. Men's 5000m Run - Finals4:15 p.m. Women's 5000m Run - Finals4:35 p.m. Men's 4x400 Relay - Finals4:45 p.m. Women's 4x400 Relay - Finals5:00 p.m. AWARDS CEREMONY
Welcome Back To The "Aztrack"
This week's conference meet will mark the second time in five years that the Choc Sportsman Oval, a.k.a. the Aztrack, will play host to a league championship. San Diego State also hosted the 1997 Western Athletic Track and Field Championships. However, the only thing similar about this year's venue will be the name as the old Aztrack has been replaced by the SDSU Sports Deck. The state-of-the-art Sports Deck, which sits atop a three-story parking structure, was completed just prior to the 2000-01 school year and features a world-class running surface.
Looking Back: San Diego State At The Outdoor Championships
San Diego State finished fifth at the inaugural Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championship last year in Provo, Utah, despite sending a relatively small squad (several seniors opted to redshirt the 2000 outdoor campaign in order to close out their Aztec careers on the new Aztrack). Since 1994, SDSU has posted just two upper division team finishes in conference meets, placing third in 1998 and fourth in '99. The Aztecs also finished seventh twice (1995 and '96) and ninth (1997) once.
This Year May Be Different: Team-Scored Meets Seem To Agree With Aztecs
Despite its lack of success on a team level in recent years, San Diego State should enter this week's Mountain West Championships brimming with confidence as the Aztecs are undefeated outdoors as a team in 2001. SDSU captured the six-team All-Women Invitational held on the Sports Deck, April 14th, posting wins over MWC foes UNLV and Utah. Two weeks later, the Aztecs won the Cal/Nevada State Championships, knocking off Pacific-10 Conference powers UCLA and California in the process.
Climbing The Mountain
As it heads into this week's Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships, San Diego State athletes have posted the league's top mark in 8-of-21 events. Aztecs occupy either the second or third position in six others. Promise Mose is the only Aztec to hold down the top spot in two different events, running the conference's best time in both the 200 meters and 400 meters this season.
SDSU Becoming Hurdle Factory
After sending a hurdler to the NCAA Championships in each of the last three years, head coach Rahn Sheffield is on the brink of sending two more in 2001 as both junior Daveetta Shepherd and senior Marisa Robinson have already posted provisional qualifying times. On the conference level, Aztecs occupy four of the top nine spots in the 100-meter hurdles.
Mose Named Mountain West Athlete Of The Week
San Diego State senior Promise Mose was named Mountain West Conference Women's Track Athlete of the Week by the league office for her performance at the Cal/Nevada State Championships. The owner of the Mountain West's best times this season in both the 200 meters and 400 meters, Mose helped account for 38 of SDSU's 102 points at the meet, winning the 400 meters and placing second in the 200 meters as an individual and also running on both the SDSU 4x100 and 4x400 relay squads, which placed first and second, respectively. Mose's winning time of 54.40 in the 400 meters stands as the fastest time in the conference at that distance this year, while SDSU's relay times of 45.57 and 3:40.38, respectively, were not only league-bests, but each time also ranks as the sixth-fastest in Aztec history.
Soaring To New Heights
Aimee Crabtree continues to solidify her spot in the SDSU record book. The senior upped her school and conference record once again at Cal/Nevada, clearing 13-02.25 to take second. The vault was second of the season over 13 feet. It was also her fifth NCAA provisional qualifying height of the year. In eight pole vault competitions thus far in 2001, Crabtree has come away the winner four times. She also owns three second-place finishes and a sixth.
She's The Nation's Best
San Diego State's Aja Frary had a monster weekend at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), posting the top collegiate point total in the nation this year and finishing third overall in the heptathlon. Frary finished the seven-event competition with a career-best score of 5,657 points.
Frary's point total, which automatically qualified the senior for both the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships as well as the USA Track and Field national meet later this year, was a new San Diego State record in the heptathlon, eclipsing Carrie McLaughlin's 18-year-old total of 5,620 (1983). The mark is also a new Mountain West Conference benchmark and stands as the fifth-best point total in the world in the heptathlon this year.
At Cal/Nevada, Frary transferred her heptathlon prowess to the individual events, wracking up points in the 100-hurdles, 400-hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay and long jump. In fact, her time of 60.58 in the 400-hurdles (an event she rarely runs) was the ninth-best in SDSU history and the fourth-fastest in the MWC this year.
List Of NCAA-Qualifying Aztecs Continues To Grow
San Diego State senior Marisa Robinson added her name to the list of Aztecs hoping for an invitation to Eugene, Ore., for the 2001 NCAA Championships at the Texas Invitational, running a season-best and NCAA provisional qualifying time of 13.52. It is the second fastest time run in the 100 hurdles in the MWC this season after teammate Daveetta Shepherd's 13.42 (also run at the Texas Invite). Since the start of the year, Robinson has shaved nearly 1.5 seconds off her 100-hurdles time.
In addition to Robinson, Aimee Crabtree (pole vault), Tricia Gutierrez (pole vault) and Daveetta Shepherd (100-meter hurdles) have also posted NCAA provisional marks. Aja Frary (heptathlon) is the only SDSU athlete to have automatically qualified.
Shepherd Hurdles The Competition
San Diego State's newcomer of the year just may be junior Daveetta Shepherd. Shepherd, who has shaved nearly 1.25 seconds off her 100-meter hurdles time since the start of the season, continues to improve each week. In fact, the junior has lowered her 100 hurdles time in five consecutive meets. Overall, Shepherd has three wins in the event this season, including a big win at the Cal/Nevada Championships. Her best time on year, however, came at the Texas Invitational (13.42).
Middle Distance Magic
Though she is yet to set any new personal bests this season, Kylie Edwards appears to be well positioned for a strong run at both the Mountain West Conference 800 and 1500 meters as well as an NCAA berth in each event. Coming out of the Texas Invitational where she won the 1500 meters, the junior owned the conference's second-best time in the 800 meters (2:09.72) and the league's third-fastest time in the 1500 meters (4:27.00). Her 4:27.00 in the 1500 at the USC Invitational tied a personal best and ranks fourth on SDSU's outdoor records chart.
Smedley Continues to Shine
After missing the SDSU All-Women Invitational with a hamstring injury, sophomore Melinda Smedley has returned to the lineup the last two weeks and looks as strong as ever. The owner of the MWC's fastest 100-meter time this season, Smedley has run her two best times in the event the past two weeks, running 11.82 at Mt. SAC and 11.80 at Cal/Nevada. In fact, Smedley's time at Cal/Nevada improved her No. 7 mark in the SDSU history books in the 100 meters.
We Haven't Seen This In A While
After not competing in the throws a year ago, San Diego State has a legitimate shot of putting up some points in those events this season thanks to redshirt freshman Candace Hill. The Hoover High School product, who spent 2000 at Arizona State, has already elbowed her way into the Aztec record book in the discus with her throw of 145-11.00 in the Florida humidity in Gainesville. The throw ranks sixth-best all-time at SDSU and eighth best in the conference this season. The MWC's top-5 throws in the event all came at altitude, suggesting that Hill could do some damage on even footing at the conference meet on the SDSU Sports Deck. She also ranks among the MWC's best in the shot put with a season-best throw of 42-05.25 at the Aztec Invitational.
Senior Send Off
The 2001 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships will be the final home meet for seven Aztec seniors. They are: Aimee Crabtree, Meriah Earle, Aja Frary, Sophia Hawker, Promise Mose, Marisa Robinson, and Marisa Taylor.
Head Coach Rahn Sheffield
Now in his 16th year with the San Diego State coaching staff and his 10th as head coach, Rahn Sheffield has played an integral part in rewriting the Aztec track history books. A graduate of SDSU with a bachelor's degree in industrial arts and a champion track competitor himself, Sheffield has gained a reputation as one of the best coaches at taking athletes with raw talent and developing them to their full potential.
Since his arrival on Montezuma Mesa, Sheffield's athletes have rewritten SDSU's top-10 lists, claiming 10 separate school records. The Aztecs also dominated the PCAA/Big West Conference, setting six of eight records in the sprinting events. In 1991, his first year as head coach, SDSU won four events, set three conference records and placed second at the WAC Outdoor Championships. All of this earned Sheffield Coach-of-the-Year honors in the conference.
Sheffield's coaching ability has given him worldwide recognition. He has been named one of the top hurdle/sprint coaches four times by the United States Olympic Development Committee. Sheffield's unique hurdling technique, the "rotation", has changed the outlook on hurdling. Using two of his athletes, the Olympic Development Committee compared this technique to the ultimate 400 meter hurdle model. Sheffield's athletes' performance was proven to be superior to that of the ultimate model.
This season, Sheffield chalked up yet another honor as he was named Coach of the Year by the Cal/Nevada Coaches Association after leading SDSU to its first ever Cal/Nevada meet title.
The foundation for Sheffield's coaching achievements can be traced back to his own days as an athlete who had the talent and the heart to win. These are the traits that Sheffield tries to instill in his athletes. His career started at Crenshaw High School in the Los Angeles area when he won the AAU Age-Group Nationals. This was followed by a stellar career at East L.A. Junior College, where he became conference champion in the 400-meter hurdles and pole vault. He entered SDSU and wasted no time in winning the PCAA crown in the 400-meter hurdles, defeating Dee Dee Cooper, the second-ranked hurdler in the world. Sheffield later became one of only five Aztecs to become a two-time All-American and at one time ranked seventh in the nation and 21st in the world.
Sheffield's athletic expertise is not limited to track and field. He was also a member of the three-time conference champion Crenshaw High School football team. There he was named most valuable player and awarded the Mitchell Watson Memorial Award - the highest honor accorded athletes at Crenshaw. He also played on a state champion football squad at East L.A. Junior College. Considered the best athlete ever coached by Jim Brown at Crenshaw High School, Sheffield expects nothing less than 100 percent from his athletes.
UPDATED AZTEC PROFILES
Aimee Crabtree
Pole Vault, Triple Jump
Senior * Pocatello, Idaho (Idaho State)
* The favorite to win the MWC's pole vault competition.
* San Diego State and Mountain West Conference record holder in the pole vault with a leap of 13-02.25 at the Cal/Nevada State Championships.
* Has won 4-of-8 pole vault competions on the year. Placed second in three of the four others.
* Has posted NCAA provisional qualifying vaults in six of eight competions.
* Earned All-America honors in the pole vault in 1999.
* Redshirted 2000 outdoor campaign after placing second at the conference indoor meet.
Kylie Edwards
800 Meters, 1500 Meters
Junior * Geelong, Australia (LaTrobe University)
* Enters conference meet as one of the favorites in both the 800 and 1500 meters and could qualify for NCAAs in both events.
* Owns the league's No. 2 time in the 800 (2:09.72) and No. 3 time in the 1500 (4:27.00) this season. Both times are SDSU bests this season.
* Time in the 1500, set at the USC Invitational, is forth-best at SDSU.
* Has posted three wins on the year, two in the 800 and one in the 1500.
Aja Frary
Heptathlon, 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay
Senior * Seattle, Wash. (Washington State)
* One of the country's most versatile athletes and SDSU's 2001 MVP.
* Owns nation's top point total in the heptathlon, 5667.
* Point total is an SDSU and MWC record as well as an NCAA automatic qualifying mark.
* Also ranks in the top 10 in the MWC in the 800 meters (10th), 100 hurdles (4th), 400 hurdles (4th), high jump (8th) and long jump (2nd).
* A vital cog in both of SDSU's conference-leading relay squads.
* Won the 2000 MWC indoor pentathlon before redshirting the outdoor portion of the schedule.
* Won the 1999 WAC indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon and was runner-up in the heptathlon at the 1998 WAC outdoor championships.
Tricia Gutierrez
Pole Vault
Junior * Yorba Linda (Cal State Fullerton)
* Could push Crabtree in the pole vault.
* Cleared 12-07.50 at the Aztec Invitational for lone NCAA provisional qualifying height of the season.
* That vault ranks 2nd in the Mountain West Conference.
* Has finished in the top 3 in 5-of-7 competitions.
* Suffered a hyper-extended elbow at Long Beach, April 21, forcing her to miss the Cal/Nevada State Championships.
Sophia Hawker
3000 Steeplechase, 5000 Meters
Senior * San Diego (Grossmont HS)
* SDSU's top distance runner at the beginning of the season.
* Got off to a slow start in 2001, however, due to ...
* Best time in the 3000 SC is 11:47.02, but is new to the event.
* Ran 19:23.05 at Cal/Nevada for top time in the 5000. However, owns a personal best of 17:32.68, the 10th-fastest in SDSU history.
Candace Hill
Discus, Shot Put
Freshman * San Diego (Hoover HS)
* A local product out of Hoover High School who is SDSU's first legitimate thrower in over two seasons.
* Could score in both the discus and the shot put.
* Ranks eighth in the Mountain West in the discus and 14th in the shot put with all her throws coming at sea level.
* Season-best of 145-11.00 in the discus at the Florida Relays ranks No. 7 on SDSU's outdoor records chart.
* Has three top-3 finishes in the discus and a pair in the shot, including wins in both events at the SDSU Spring Quad Meet.
Jini Hogg
200 Meters, 400 Meters, 4x400 Relay
Sophomore * San Francisco (International Studies Academy)
* SDSU's second-best 400-meter performer this year with a time of 56.43 at the Florida Relays. Time ranks sixth-best in the MWC.
* Has four top-5 finishes on the season, including a second in the 400 meters at the SDSU Spring Quad meet.
Leslie Miller
Heptathlon, 100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles, Long Jump
Sophomore * Humble, Texas (Humble HS)
* Missed most of the early portion of the season with a quad injury.
* Is nearly back to 100 percent and could be a threat to score in the heptathlon, 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles.
* This week's meet will be just her third attempt at the heptathlon.
Promise Mose
200 Meters, 400 Meters, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay
Senior * Richmond, Va. (Kennedy HS)
* The Mountain West Conference's top long sprinter.
* Ranks No. 1 on the league in both the 200 and 400 meters.
* Top time in the 200 meters is less than 4/10s of a second off an NCAA provisional qualifying mark, while her best time in the 400 is just 7/10s off the qualifying standard.
* Has five wins on the season, four of which have come in the 400.
* Is a key member of both of SDSU's conference-leading relay teams.
Marisa Robinson
100 Meters, 100 Hurdles
Senior * Missoula, Mont. (Arkansas)
* Ranks second in the Mountain West Conference in the 100 hurdles.
* One of two Aztecs to provisionally qualify for NCAAs in the 100 hurdles with a time of 13.52.
* Has finished first or second in the 100-meter hurdles in seven meets.
Daveetta Shepherd
100 Meters, 200 Meters, 100 Hurdles, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay
Junior* Richmond, Calif. (Barton County Community College)
* The Mountain West's top athlete in the 100-meter hurdles.
* Also ranks fourth in the league in the 100 meters and seventh in the 200 meters.
* Has run a pair of NCAA provisional qualifying times on the year in the 100 hurdles, including a season-best 13.42 at the Texas Invitational.
* Lowered her time in the 100 hurdles in five straight meets to close out the regular-season.
Melinda Smedley
100 Meters, 200 Meters, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay
Sophomore * Stockton (Lincoln HS)
* Ran 11.80 at the Cal/Nevada Championships for the conference's top time in the 100 meters this season.
* Time of 11.80 ranks eighth-best all time at SDSU.
* Also ranks second in the MWC in the 200 meters and eighth in the 400 meters.
* Has posted nine top-3 finishes on the year, five in the 100 meters and four in the 200 meters.
Jennifer Stakiw
800 Meters, 3000 Steeplechase
Sophomore * Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Bishop Mahoney HS)
* A versatile athlete who has competed in the 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, 3000 steeplechase and 400 hurdles.
* Ran a 2:13.10 in the 800 meters at the Texas Invitational for the fifth-fastest time in the conference this year.
* Has finished in the top-5 all three times she has competed in the 800.
* Also owns SDSU's top time in the 3000 steeplechase.
Alicia Stewart
5000 Meters
Sophomore * Costa Mesa (Newport Harbor HS)
* SDSU's top distance runner.
* Owns the Aztecs best time in both the 3000 meters (10:21.00) and 5000 meters (18:09.00).
* Has also competed in the 1500 meters.
Marisa Taylor
Triple Jump
Senior * San Diego (Mesa JC)
* San Diego State's top triple jumper.
* Leaped a personal-best 40-00.50 at the Cal/Nevada Championships.
* Jump at Cal/Nevada is the second-best mark in the Mountain West this season and the sixth-best in SDSU history.