Feb. 24, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - On a day that saw its 4x400 relay team break the school record, two athletes provisionally qualify for the national meet and a freshman earn conference outstanding performance accolades, San Diego State ended the 2007 Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships in fourth place with 76 points.
The highlight of the day was the team of Nicole Stone, Sherraine Pencil, Priscilla Chapu and Mandy Upuu breaking the school record in the 4x400-meter relay. The quartet ran with eventual winners TCU (3:40.94) step-for-step, but came up just short in finishing the race in second place with a time of 3 minutes, 41.55 seconds. Their effort was more than two seconds faster Stone, Upuu, Kristin Olafsdottir and Brittani Dudley's time of 3:43.63 established last year.
In the triple jump, SDSU had two athletes provisionally qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Karoline Koehler and Decontee Kaye. The sophomore duo finished in third and fourth place, respectively. Koehler recorded a jump of 41 feet, 11.25 inches to enter the school's record book with the second-best performance. Kaye, meanwhile, leaped 41-6.00.
In addition to being a part of the 4x400 relay, Upuu competed in the 800 and finished with a season-best time of 2:11.37. Her effort marks the fourth consecutive race in which she has posted a faster time and is the second best in program history, just .11 seconds slower than Jamillah Titus' 2:11.26 running in 2003.
At the conclusion of the championships, the MWC recognized freshman Stephanie Bagan as having the women's outstanding performance over the course of the three-day event. The Granite Bay, Calif., native won the pole vault on day two in convincing fashion, clearing 13 feet, 5.25 inches, good for tops in the league and tied for 11th nationally. Her effort was an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and is one of four Aztecs to provisionally qualify this week.
Brigham Young won the team title with 179 points and was followed by Colorado State (122), TCU (116) and San Diego State. Wyoming (47), Utah (45), New Mexico (38), Air Force (21) and UNLV (18) rounded out the standings.
The Aztecs will await word on whether its four athletes qualify for the national meet in Fayetteville, Ark., taking place March 9-10, before kicking off their outdoor campaign at the San Diego City Championships in La Jolla, Calif., on March 10.
2007 Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships
Albuquerque Convention Center (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Final Team Standings
1. Brigham Young - 179 points
2. Colorado State - 122
3. TCU - 116
4. San Diego State - 76
5. Wyoming - 47
6. Utah - 45
7. New Mexico - 38
8. Air Force - 21
9. UNLV - 18