March 19, 2006
SAN DIEGO - Building upon its impressive showing from the previous day, the San Diego State track and field team battled through periodic rain showers Saturday to claim victories in eight events on day two of the 28th Annual Aztec Track and Field Classic at the SDSU Sports Deck. The invitational portion of the meet was contested on the final day of competition as individual results were once again featured with no team scoring.
"I was very pleased with everyone's effort today, said Aztec assistant coach Jennifer Nanista. "We were once again forced to compete in less-than-ideal conditions, but we fought through it and there were some pretty good performances out there despite the weather."
SDSU dominated the field events, capturing six of seven individual titles. Leading the way was senior Erin Asay, who recorded an NCAA regional qualifying mark in the pole vault when she cleared 13-0.25 en route to a first-place finish in her first outdoor meet of the season.
Freshman Leanne Taylor continued her early-season success in the throwing category, posting victories in the shot put (45-9) and discus (156-7) -- both personal bests. Taylor's distance in the discus is now fifth on the Aztecs' all-time list, while her mark in the shot put ranks seventh in school history.
Two other freshmen, Decontee Kaye (triple jump - 38-1) and Shana Watson (long jump - 17-1), were also winners for the scarlet and black. Completing SDSU's supremacy in the field was senior Nicole Carmier, who claimed the high jump with a leap of 5-3.
Out on the track, freshman Nicole Stone took the 400 meters with a winning time of 55.72, while sophomore Mandy Upuu emerged triumphant in the 800 with a 2:14.53 clocking. Stone and Upuu also teamed with sophomore Brittani Dudley and freshman Kristin Olafsdottir on the Aztecs' second-place 4x400 relay team (3:46.70). Olafsdottir, meanwhile, logged SDSU's other regional qualifying standard of the day with a third-place effort in the 400 hurdles, crossing the finish line with a time of 1:00.50.
SDSU also received a trio of runner-up finishes from freshman Shana Solomon in the 200 (24.63), junior Lisa Crampton in the 1,500 (4:37.54) and junior Celeste Tyson in the 3,000 (10:17.99).
The Aztecs return to action next weekend when they travel to Tucson, Ariz., for the Jim Click Shootout March 23-25. The meet commences on Thursday with the two-day combined events competition, while the track and field events are slated to get underway Saturday.