April 3, 2004
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's track and field team is in fourth place through four events in day one action of the 2004 California-Nevada State Championships in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The defending champion Aztecs currently have 17 points, trailing first place Nevada (35 pts.), second place Cal State Northridge (25 pts.) and third place Long Beach State (17 pts.) at the meet held at Mustang Stadium.
SDSU scored 16 of its 17 points in the pole vault, as junior Shayla Balentine (Los Osos, Calif.) set a school and Mountain West Conference record of 13-3.50, en route to a first-place finish. Balentine beat her own school and conference record that she held with Aimee Crabtree of 13-2.25. Balentine's mark of 13-3.50 currently ranks fifth nationally and is her fourth NCAA regional qualifying effort of the year in as many chances.
The Aztecs also got another outstanding performance from junior pole vaulter Erin Asay (San Diego, Calif.), who came in third with a career best height of 12-11.50, while freshman Cara Walker (Huntington Beach, Calif.) was ninth by clearing 11-11.75.
Junior Megan Schauermann (Vancouver, Wash.) accounted for the team's other point, taking eighth in the long jump with a wind-aided mark of 18-5.75.
SDSU also put itself in a good position to make a run at its third Cal-Nevada title in the last four seasons by running the fastest preliminary time in six events. The Aztecs had four qualify for the finals in both the 200 and 400 meters, while three will participate in the finals of the 100 meters.
Junior All-American Tonette Dyer (Shreveport, La.) ran the best prelim times in both the 100 meters (11.44) and the 200 meters (23.33), while junior transfer Heather Heron (Yakima, Wash.) ran the fastest times in both the 100 (13.39) and 400-meter (59.92) hurdles.
SDSU continues action at the California-Nevada State Championships Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 5:10 p.m.