Feb. 24, 2006
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The San Diego State track and field team finds itself in third place after two days of competition at the 2006 Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. The Aztecs, on the strength of a 1-3-6 finish in the pole vault, completed Friday's action with 31.5 points overall and trail Colorado State (73 pts.) and reigning champion Brigham Young (64.5 pts.) through six scored events.
"Overall, I was extremely pleased with the results today," said SDSU assistant coach Jennifer Nanista. "Everyone gave a solid effort, which should bode well for the outdoor season."
Five event finals were contested Friday, with the Aztecs' best showing coming in the pole vault. Senior Erin Asay won the event with a vault of 13-4.50, marking the second time in three years she has taken home the individual crown. Freshman Dana Jensen and sophomore Monica Pacas also managed to score points for the scarlet and black in pole vault. Jensen placed third with a personal-best clearance of 12-8.75, surpassing her previous mark by nearly six inches. Pacas, meanwhile, finished tied for sixth with a height of 12-0.75.
In other finals action, the distance medley relay team of Lisa Crampton, Mandy Upuu, Nicole Carmier and Sarah Belger took fifth with a time of 12:27.56, while in the long jump, freshmen Shana Watson (18-3.25) and Kristin Olafsdottir (18-1.75) finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
SDSU also received an exceptional performance in the preliminaries of the 400-meter dash as sophomores Brittani Dudley and Mandy Upuu and freshman Nicole Stone advanced to Saturday's finals.
Other Aztecs who qualified for Saturday's finals included Dudley, sophomore Sherraine Pencil and freshman Shana Solomon in the 200-meter dash, freshman Decontee Kaye in the 60-meter hurdles, and juniors Lisa Crampton and Celeste Tyson in the mile run.
"Our sprinters really stepped it up today," coach Nanista added. "For being such a young group and coming in here and performing the way they did, really says a lot. Hopefully, they're not just satisfied with making the finals and will come out with the same fire on Saturday."
SDSU wraps up competition at the 2006 MWC Indoor Championships on Saturday as the final day of action continues from the Albuquerque Convention Center at 10:30 a.m. MST.