May 18, 2002
COLORADO SPRINGS - The San Diego State track and field team scored 105.33 points and moved up three places on Saturday to finish third with 119.33 points at the McLeodUSA Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Aztecs set school records in the 200-meter dash and 4x100 relay and set four NCAA provisional qualifying marks on the day. The meet was held at the Falcon Track and Field Complex on the Air Force Academy campus.
Melinda Smedley led the way for SDSU in the sprints, racing to a school-record and second-place time of 23.32 in the 200 meters. That time also qualifies her provisionally for nationals. Tonette Dyer followed Smedley in the 200, finishing third with an NCAA provisional time of 23.36.
Dyer and Smedley combined forces with Hollann Givens and Jini Hogg to win the 4x100 relay in a school-record clocking of 44.24, bettering the time of 44.77 set by Hogg, Dyer, Givens and Ryan Peters earlier this season. That time is a conference record and gives the quartet a strong NCAA provisional qualifying time. The automatic qualifier in the 4x100 is 44.00. Those four athletes also placed second in the 4x400 relay, stopping the clock at 3:39.70.
Smedley also placed first in the 100 meters with a time of 11.72. That time is a season best and places her fourth all-time on the school record chart.
SDSU also came on strong in the pole vault, where Shayla Balentine was crowned champion with a 13-1.50 clearance. That height is the best by an Aztec this season, is a MWC meet record and is her ninth NCAA provisional mark of the year. The mark also places her second all-time in the school record book. Patricia Gutierrez placed second (12-3.50).
Other highlights include, Ryan Peters season-best and second-place time of 59.91 in the 400 hurdles, Jini Hogg's third-place finish in the 400 meters (53.08) and Candace Hill's season and college-best mark of 150-2 in the discus, good for third. Megan Schauermann also set a season and career best in the triple jump, with a sixth-place mark of 38-2.25.
Brigham Young won the eight-team event with 193.5 points, followed by Colorado State (147.33).
SDSU will learn on May 23 which of its qualifiers will be given the chance to compete in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Seven SDSU athletes and its 4x100 and 4x400 relay squads having qualified provisionally for nationals. This year's championship meet will be held in Baton Rouge, La., May 29-June 1.
Women's College Track and Field
2002 McLeodUSA MWC Outdoor Championships
Falcon Track and Field Complex
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Air Force Academy
May 18, 2002
Team Scores: 1. Brigham Young, 193.5, 2. Colorado State, 147.33, 3. SDSU, 119.33, 4. UNLV, 98, 5. Wyoming, 95, 6. Utah, 75.33, 7. New Mexico, 57.5, 8. Air Force, 32.
Note: Top eight finishers in finals are counted in team scores. Points are awarded as follows: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Hammer Throw (Finals)
20. Hill, 135-5.00 (41.28m)
Triple Jump (Finals)
6. Schauermann, 38-2.25 (11.64m)
13. Lasswell, 35-4.00 (10.77m)
4x100 Relay (Finals)
1. Givens, Dyer, Hogg, Smedley; 44.24 (School Record) (NCAA Provisional) (MWC Record)
Pole Vault (Finals)
1. Balentine, 13-1.50 (4.00m) (NCAA Provisional) (MWC Meet Record)
2t. Gutierrez, 12-3.50 (3.75m)
5. Englebretson, 12-3.50 (3.75m)
100-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
7. Miller, 14.70
1,500-Meter Run (Finals)
7. Stakiw, 4:52.43
High Jump (Finals)
12. Lasswell, 5-3.00 (1.60m)
Discus Throw (Finals)
3. Hill, 150-2.00 (45.78m)
400-Meter Dash (Finals)
3. Hogg, 53.08
5. Givens, 55.49
100-Meter Dash (Finals)
1. Smedley, 11.72
6. Griffin, 12.24
800-Meter Run (Finals)
6. Stakiw, 2:16.06
400-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
2. Peters, 59.91
8. Miller, 1:02.41
200-Meter Dash (Finals)
2. Smedley, 23.32 (School Record) (NCAA Provisional)
3. Dyer, 23.36 (NCAA Provisional)
6. Hogg, 24.18
7. Givens, 24.27
4x400 Relay (Finals)
2. Smedley, Hogg, Givens, Dyer; 3:39.70