May 11, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State track and field team currently finds itself in third place after eight scored events at the Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs go into the final day of the meet with 45 points, trailing Brigham Young (101) and Colorado State (64).
In the finals of the pole vault, SDSU had two of the top four performers in Dana Van Wagner and Monica Pacas. Van Wagner finished in third place after she matched her personal record of 13 feet, 1.50 inches and was followed by Pacas in fourth with an identical personal-best and NCAA regional qualifying height. Also posting a regional qualifying clearance was Christin Shibley, who vaulted a personal-best 12-5.50 while coming in ninth place. Dana Jensen also got into the act as she also put forth a personal-best effort clearing 12-1.50.
Decontee Kaye posted a runner-up finish with a leap of 20-4.25 in the long jump to tie Aja Makaila Frary for the third-best performance in school history. She and Karoline Koehler both established NCAA regional qualifying marks as Koehler came in third place with a jump of 20-0.25.
In the qualifying races, Mandy Upuu led the Aztec attack as she posted the fastest 800-meter time of any other athlete in the field with her NCAA regional qualifying time of 2 minutes, 8.37 seconds. Teammate Lisa Naucler will join Upuu in Saturday's final after she finished with the fourth-best and NCAA regional qualifying time of 2:08.60.
In both the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter hurdles, the Aztecs qualified three athletes. Shana Solomon completed the 200 with qualifying time of 23.83 and was followed by Sherraine Pencil (24.02) and Koehler (24.35). Meanwhile in the 400 hurdles, Nicole Stone, competing in just her second-ever 400-hurdle event, finished second with a personal-best and NCAA regional qualifying time of 59.43. Also advancing to Saturday's final were Corri Campbell-Fell with a season-best clocking of 1:00.85 and Kristin Olafsdottir (1:01.33).
In the 100-meter dash, Shana Solomon and Koehler moved to the championship race with times of 11.85 and 11.90, respectively. Vonnie Fulford registered a season-best mark of 12.18 in the 100 and followed it with another seasonal record in the 200 with a time of 25.02.
Jackie Duncan posted a season best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as she crossed the finish line in 11:23.42 to finish in sixth place.
San Diego State returns to the track for the fourth and final day of the championships tomorrow beginning at noon PDT.
MWC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
SDSU Sports Deck - San Diego, Calif.
Team Scores
1. Brigham Young - 101 points
2. Colorado State - 64
3. San Diego State - 45
4. New Mexico - 40
5. Utah - 21.5
6. TCU - 14
7. Wyoming - 12
8. Air Force - 11.5
9. UNLV - 3