April 14, 2004
SAN DIEGO - For the second time this season and the fourth time in her career, Aztec senior Tonette Dyer (Shreveport, La.) has been named the Mountain West Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Dyer won the 200 meters last Saturday at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., posting the fourth-fastest time in the world in 2004 of 22.96. She is the first Aztec to ever break the 23-second mark in the 200 meters, shattering the SDSU school record of 23.32, set by former teammate Melinda Smedley in 2002.
Dyer's effort is the best in the NCAA this season and is a `B' qualifying time for this summer's U.S. Olympic Trials. The 22.96 was a career best (non-wind-aided) by 0.40 seconds and is a Mountain West Conference record, beating UNLV's Michele Davis' effort of 23.00 in 2002.
Dyer also placed second this past weekend in the 100 meters with an NCAA regional qualifying time of 11.51 and ran the second leg on the 4x100 relay, which finished sixth with a time of 45.22. On Friday, she was a member of the SDSU's first place 4x200 relay, which logged the second-fastest time in school history, finishing in 1:33.31.
The senior currently ranks in the NCAA top eight in two other events this season, including the 100 meters (7th - 11.42) and the 400 meters (8th - 52.58).
Dyer and the rest of the Aztecs will be back in action this weekend when they head north for the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays, April 14-18, in Azusa and Walnut, Calif.