Feb. 27, 2003
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State track and field squad will send 20 of its members to the 2003 Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships, slated for Feb. 27 - March 1, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Aztec contingent is the school's largest ever at the MWC indoor conference meet, which will take place at the Air Force Academy's Cadet Field House for the fourth straight year.
SDSU sophomore Shayla Balentine (Los Osos, Calif.) returns to defend her 2002 pole vault title, which she earned after clearing a meet record 12-3.50. So far this season, Balentine has posted back-to-back school-record jumps of 12-10 at the team's last two meets, both of which were NCAA provisional qualifying marks. The freshman is seeded third for the competition behind New Mexico's Brigid Isworth (13-1.50) and Utah's Brooke LoBue (13-0.25).
This week's meet schedule begins with the pentathlon on Thursday, which will include two Aztecs in senior Leslie Miller (Humble, Texas) and freshman Shanon Meyer (Hesperia, Calif.). On Friday, the finals of the weight throw, long jump, pole vault, 5,000 meters and distance medley relay will be contested, while the majority of the finals will take place on Saturday. Competition begins at 11 a.m. (MST) Thursday, 1 p.m. Friday and finishes up with a 12:30 p.m. start on Saturday.
SDSU placed sixth in team competition at the 2002 MWC meet tallying 58.50 points, after sending just one student-athlete to the championships in 2001 (8th - 8 pts.). The Aztecs finished third with a school-best 89 points at the inaugural meet in 2000.
Aztec Event List
Hollann Givens - 60M, 200M, 400M, DMR
Jini Hogg - 60M, 200M, 400M, 4x440 relay
Jillita Griffin - 60M, 200M
Tonette Dyer - 60M, 200M, 400M, 4x440 relay
Bianca McNair - 60M, 200M, 400M, 4x440 relay
Ryan Peters - 60M, 60 hurdles
Nicole Ireland - 200M, 400M, 60 hurdles, 4x440 relay
Nicole Carmier - 200M, 400M, HJ
Alisha Lasswell - 800M, HJ
Jennifer Stakiw - 800M, DMR
Jamillah Titus - 800M, DMR, HJ
Kylie Edwards - 800M, Mile, DMR
Christal Cuadra - 3,000M, 5,000m
Shanon Meyer - Pentathlon, 60 hurdles, HJ, LJ, TJ
Leslie Miller - Pentathlon, 60 hurdles, LJ
Shayla Balentine - PV
Jesika Englebretson - PV
Julie Hudlow - PV
Megan Schauermann - LJ, TJ
Candace Hill - Shot Put, Weight throw