May 26, 2007
EUGENE, Ore. - The San Diego State track and field team qualified seven athletes in four different events on the second and final day of the NCAA West Region Track and Field Championships at historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. SDSU finished in fifth place with 53 points and was the top finisher among non-Pac-10 schools.
"We were very pleased with how we performed," said assistant coach Jennifer Nanista. "We improved our position in almost every event and we are coming together at right time especially with Nationals right around the corner."
Each event's top five finishers earn the right to advance to the NCAA National Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif., June 6-9. The remaining berths will go to the highest ranking individuals and relay teams not to earn automatic bids.
Shana Solomon became the Aztecs' first national meet qualifier of the day after she put forth a personal-best effort in the 100-meter dash. The sophomore, who ran a lifetime-best 11.62 in the preliminaries on Friday, surpassed that mark by .10 seconds (11.52) to finish in fourth place to secure a spot in the 100 field in Sacramento.
Solomon will be joined in California's state capitol by teammates Sherraine Pencil and Nicole Stone, who each qualified in the 400. For the second straight day, Pencil established a new PR with a second-place clocking of 53.65, while Stone came in fourth crossing the finish line in 54.21.
In the finals of the 200, Pencil and Solomon were among the elite field and both completed the race in the top five to move on to Nationals. Similar to Friday's prelims, the Aztec pair once again set new personal records with Pencil clocking in at 23.58 (third place) and Solomon registering a time of 23.59 (fourth place).
The triple jump had an Aztec feel to it as Decontee Kaye posted a runner-up performance to Stanford's Erica McLain (44-8.00) with a leap of 44-7.00, while Karoline Koehler place third with a personal-best 43-3.75. Both of their efforts earned themselves a trip to the national meet next month as well.
In the pole vault, all four SDSU athletes finished in the top 21 out of a field of 40 competitors. Dana VanWagner and Stephanie Bagan completed the nearly four and a half hour event in a seven-way tie for 14th after they cleared 12-6.00. Meanwhile, Monica Pacas and Christin Shibley vaulted 12-0.00 to finish in a tie for 21st.
Next up for San Diego State is the NCAA National Championships in June. The Aztecs will travel the seven that qualified today and possibly more as at-large bids will be announced at a later date.
NCAA West Region Track and Field Championships
Hayward Field (Eugene, Ore.)
TEAM STANDINGS - 19 events scored (top 5 and San Diego State only)
1. Arizona State - 94 points
2. USC - 74
3. UCLA - 67
4. Stanford - 60
5. San Diego State - 53
TOP 5 and SAN DIEGO STATE ONLY
100-Meter Dash Finals
1. Carol Rodriguez (USC) - 11.20
2. Jessica Onyepunuka (USC) - 11.32
3. Nikki Martin (UA) - 11.49
4. Shana Solomon (SDSU) - 11.52 (personal best)
5. Janice Davis (STAN) - 11.56
200-Meter Dash Finals
1. Carol Rodriguez (USC) - 22.87
2. Jessica Onyepunuka (USC) - 23.27
3. Sherraine Pencil (SDSU) - 23.58 (personal best)
4. Shana Solomon (SDSU) - 23.59 (personal best)
5. Marquita Taylor (UA) - 23.61
400-Meter Dash Finals
1. Deanna Goodwin (CSUN) - 53.56
2. Sherraine Pencil (SDSU) - 53.65 (personal best)
3. Maris Wisdom (UCLA) - 53.84
4. Nicole Stone (SDSU) - 54.21
5. Brook Turner (CAL) - 54.32
Triple Jump Finals
1. Erica McLain (STAN) - 44-8.00
2. Decontee Kaye (SDSU) - 44-7.00
3. Karoline Koehler (SDSU) - 43-3.75 (personal best)
4. Elena Kafourou (BSU) - 42-8.25
5. Cassandra Strickland (CAL) - 42-5.50
17. Shana Watson (SDSU) - 39-8.75
800-Meter Run Finals
1. Alysia Johnson (CAL) - 2:02.12
2. Rebekah Noble (UO) - 2:04.95
3. Kali Baker (UNR) - 2:05.88
4. Zoe Buckman (UO) - 2:06.82
5. Michelle Turner (BYU) - 2:07.17
7. Mandy Upuu (SDSU) - 2:07.72
8. Lisa Naucler (SDSU) - 2:11.36
Pole Vault Finals
1. April Kubishta (ASU) - 13-11.75
2. Kelly Furr (BYU) 13-7.75
3. Gabriella Duclos (UA) - 13-3.75
4. Jackie Nguyen (UCLA) - 13-3.75
5. Stevie Marshalek (UW) - 13-3.75
T14. Dana VanWagner (SDSU) - 12-6.00
T14. Stephanie Bagan (SDSU) - 12-6.00
T21. Monica Pacas (SDSU) - 12-0.00
T21. Christin Shibley (SDSU) - 12-0.00
4x400-Meter Relay Finals
1. UCLA - 3:32.55
2. Arizona State - 3:35.25
3. California - 3:36.62
4. San Diego State - 3:38.22
5. Southern California - 3:38.93
4x100-Meter Relay Finals
1. USC - 44.07
2. Long Beach State - 44.86
3. CS Northridge - 45.12
4. Arizona - 45.14
5. Idaho State - 46.54
-- San Diego State - DNF