April 5, 2003
SAN DIEGO - In windy conditions Saturday at the Matador Track & Field Complex, the San Diego State women's track and field squad came away with five, first-place finishes and five NCAA regional qualifying times/marks at the non-scoring six-team meet at Cal State Northridge.
"Overall, the meet was a good confidence builder for us going into next week's Cal-Nevada championships," said Aztec assistant coach Jennifer Nanista. "The team also did extremely well against one of the nation's top teams in USC, especially considering the weather conditions."
The Aztecs were once again led by junior transfer Nicole Ireland (Las Vegas, Nev.), who was a triple-event winner on the day, capturing the 200 (23.15) and 400 (53.64) meters and running the anchor leg on the team's first place and NCAA regional qualifying 4x100-meter relay (45.78). Ireland posted the fifth-fastest time in school history in the 400 meters and has now qualified for this year's NCAA regionals in a team-best six different events, including the 400.
Ireland was joined in the winner's circle in the track events by one of the team's other newcomers in freshman Jamillah Titus (American Canyon, Calif.), who won the 800 meters with the seventh-fastest time in SDSU history of 2:10.33, beating out her nearest competition by over four seconds.
In the field events, Aztec pole vaulter Shayla Balentine (Los Osos, Calif.) rebounded from a disappointing performance in Florida last weekend with her best jump of the season, clearing 13-00.00 for her third NCAA regional qualifying mark of the year and a first-place finish. Junior Candace Hill (San Diego, Calif.) also continued her consistent performances in the throwing events, logging her fourth NCAA regional qualifying mark in the shot put (45-09.00) and her second in the discus (152-06.00).
San Diego State had six, runner-up finishes, including two each by senior Melinda Smedley (Stockton, Calif.) and sophomore Alisha Lasswell (Kilbride, Ont.) and one by senior Kylie Edwards (Mt. Dundeed, Australia) and junior Brianne Bricker (Riverside, Calif.).
The Aztec return to San Diego next weekend to play host to the prestigious California-Nevada Collegiate Championships, April 11-12, at the SDSU Sports Deck, beginning at 11 a.m. each day.