April 25, 2003
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State track and field squad advanced to its second championship final at the Penn Relays by tallying a school record of 1:32.99 in the preliminaries of the 4x200-meter relay Friday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa. The Aztecs, who also placed third in the college division of the 4x100 (45.24), will now compete in two championship finals Saturday, after also qualifying in the 4x400.
SDSU began the day by taking third in the college division final of the 4x100-meter relay, as Melinda Smedley (Stockton, Calif.), Tonette Dyer (Shreveport, La.), Bianca McNair (Portland, Ore.) and Nicole Ireland (Las Vegas, Nev.) completed the race in 45.24, the team's fifth NCAA qualifying time in the event this season. The Aztecs trailed first place Florida (44.51), while barely being edged by St. Augustine's (45.19).
Just a little over an hour later, the same four Aztecs regrouped for the preliminaries of the 4x200-meter relay, winning their heat with a school record of 1:32.99. The time was the third fastest in the field of 59 schools and easily beat the previous Aztec record of 1:34.97 set earlier this season at the Florida Relays.
Individually, Smedley and Dyer also both competed in the preliminaries of the 100-meter dash, recording NCAA regional qualifying times of 11.76 and 11.80, respectively, but were unable to finish in the top nine to qualify for Saturday's championship final.
San Diego State will now compete in two championship finals at the Penn Relays Saturday, beginning at 2:25 p.m. (EDT) with the 4x200 and finishing with the 4x400 relay at 5:30 p.m. Across town, the rest of the Aztecs are taking part in the two-day Triton Invitational at UCSD, beginning Friday afternoon.
109th Penn Relays - Philadelphia, Pa. (Franklin Field)
April 25, 2003
4x100-Meter Relay - College Division Finals
1. Florida 44.51^ 2. St. Augustine's 45.19^ 3. San Diego State 45.24^ 4. South Carolina St. 45.99^ 5. Middle Tenn. St. 46.54 6. Eastern Kentucky 46.71
4x200-Meter Relay - Prelims: Top 8 (59 participants)
1. Texas 1:31.65 2. Auburn 1:32.79 3. San Diego St. 1:32.99 4. South Carolina 1:33.01 5. Louisiana State 1:33.52 6. Indiana 1:33.70 7. Texas Christian 1:34.93 8. Georgia Tech 1:34.98
100 Meters - Prelims (Places not available)
-. Melinda Smedley 11.76^ -. Tonette Dyer 11.80^
4x200-Meter Relay -
Field for the "Championship of America" Division (Saturday - 2:25 p.m. EDT)
(In order of fastest preliminary time)
1. Texas; 2. Auburn; 3. San Diego State; 4. South Carolina; 5. Louisiana State; 6. Indiana; 7. Texas Christian; 8. Georgia Tech
4x400-Meter Relay -
Field for the "Championship of America" Division (Saturday - 5:30 p.m. EDT)
(In order of fastest preliminary time)
1. Texas ; 2. South Carolina; 3. St. Augustine's; 4. Florida; 5. Miami; 6. Seton Hall; 7. San Diego State; 8. Tennessee State
^ = 2003 NCAA regional qualifying time