March 1, 2002
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This Week
The San Diego State track and field team opens the outdoor portion of its 2002 schedule this Saturday when it competes in the Trojan Invitational. The event will be held at USC's Cromwell Field. SDSU closed the indoor season last weekend in Colorado Springs at the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships, the team finished in sixth place with 58.50 points.
Saturday's Schedule
Running events begin at 11:40 a.m. with the women's 3000-meter run, while throwing events will get underway at 8:30 a.m. with the women's hammer. Field events at Cromwell Field will start at noon with the women's pole vault. The meet will also include some open events.
The Field
Several schools from Southern California will participate in this weekend's event, including California, Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton.
Recapping The MWC Championships
The highlight of the Aztecs' appearance in the league championships came in the pole vault pit, where Shayla Balentine set a MWC record. The freshman vaulted a first-place mark of 3.84 meters (12-07.25), her second NCAA provisional mark of the indoor season. Junior Leslie Miller placed fifth in the pentathlon with second-place finishes in the 60-meter hurdles and 800-meter run. Junior Melinda Smedley placed-fourth in the 200-meter dash (24.54) and in the 60-meter dash (7.66). Junior Jini Hogg raced to a fourth-place time of of 55.91 in the 400-meter dash and freshman Alisha Lasswell placed fourth in the high jump (1.67m, 5-05.75).
Vaulting To Success
Two SDSU pole vaulters entered the MWC championships looking to improve on NCAA provisional marks. On Jan. 12, two Aztecs, senior Tricia Gutierrez and freshman Shayla Balentine, set school record and NCAA provisional marks at the National Pole Vault Summit, in Reno. Balentine and Gutierrez both vaulted 3.90 meters (12-09.50). At the Wolf Pack Invitational, on Feb. 2, Gutierrez set another NCAA provisional mark with a 3.82-meter (12-06.25) second-place vault. Balentine came in third in the competition (3.72m/12-02.25). Gutierrez's school-record mark bested the record of 12-07.50 she set last season.
Aztec Honors
Senior Tricia Gutierrez's school record and NCAA provisional vault at the National Pole Vault Summit earned her Mountain West Conference indoor track athlete of the week honors for the period ending Jan. 14. The occasion marked her first career athlete of the week award.
Coaching Staff
The Aztecs are led by head coach Rahn Sheffield, who is in his 11th season with the Aztec program. Sheffield is assisted by Jennifer Nanista, Richard Fox, Leslie Coons and Kristi McGihon. Nanista oversees the team's distance corps, Fox works with the pole vaulters, Coons with the throwers and McGihon handles the jumps.
League Leaders
Several Aztecs are listed among the top-5 best indoor times and marks this season in the Mountain West Conference. Senior Tricia Gutierrez and freshman Shayla Balentine are tied for second in the pole vault with a 12-09.50 mark. Junior Jesika Englebretson is fifth in the vault (12-01.25). Junior Melinda Smedley and sophomore Tonnette Dyer are third (24.34) and fourth (24.42), respectively, in the 200-meter dash. Junior Jini Hogg is fifth (55.91) in the 400-meter dash. Junior Leslie Miller has the league's fifth-best score in the pentathlon (3,486).
A Year Ago
SDSU won three events at last year's USC Invitational. Senior Aimee Crabtree won the pole vault with a 12-foot clearing. Senior Aja Frary won flight 3 of the long jump with a 5.87 meter effort and senior Promise Mose turned in a second-place finish in the 400 meters (56.28).
Change In Plans
Earlier this week, the San Diego State track and field program announced a change to its 2002 outdoor schedule. The Aztecs' scheduled home meet against UC Irvine and UC San Diego on Sat., Mar. 9 has been canceled. The team will instead travel to Fullerton for the Ben Brown Invitational to be held March 8-9.
The Outdoor Season At A Glance
Following the Aztecs competition at the Ben Brown Invitational in Fullerton on Mar. 8-9, the team will return to Los Angeles to compete with USC and Tennessee in a 10 a.m. meet on Mar. 16. On Mar. 23, the team will host the Aztec Invitational and on Apr. 13 the All-Women Invitational.