March 15, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - San Diego State senior Karoline Koehler and sophomore Stephanie Bagan earned All-America honors for their efforts at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday. Koehler garnered All-America status in the triple jump, while Bagan received national recognition in the pole vault. The two are just the second and third SDSU athletes to become All-Americans in indoor track and field joining Erin Asay in the pole vault back in 2006.
Koehler, making her first appearance at indoor nationals, established a personal record in her final attempt in the triple jump with a leap of 44 feet, 8.25 inches. Not only was her performance good enough for third place, it also broke her own school record of 43-5.00 set earlier this season.
Bagan, meanwhile, improved upon her 2007 showing at nationals by finishing in eighth in the pole vault after she cleared 13-5.25. It was just one year ago at the same venue that the Granite Bay, Calif., native vaulted 13-1.50 and finished in 14th place.
After not placing last year at the NCAA Indoor Championships, San Diego State earned 6.33 points behind the performances of Koehler and Bagan to finish in 33th place among the 63 Division I schools to score points and first among all Mountain West Conference members. SDSU's team finish is the program's best ever during Rahn Sheffield's tenure on Montezuma Mesa, which spans 16-plus seasons.
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
Randal Tyson Track Center (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Team Standings (Top 5 and SDSU only out of 63 scoring schools)
1. Arizona State - 51 points
2. LSU - 43
3. Michigan - 39
4. Texas - 35
5. Stanford - 32
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33. San Diego State - 6.33
Triple Jump (Top 10 of 16)
1. Erica McLain (Stanford) - 46 feet, 7.25 inches
2. Kimberly Williams (Florida State) - 45-4.25
3. Karoline Koehler (San Diego State) - 44-8.25
4. Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) - 44-6.25
5. Nelly Tchayem (UTEP) - 44-0.75
6. Tahari James (Boston) - 44-0.50
7. Tamara Highsmith (Connecticut) - 43-10.75
8. Sarah Nambawa (Middle Tennessee State) - 43-10.50
9. Andrea Linton (LSU) - 43-7.00
10. Seidre Forde (Louisville) - 43-5.25
Pole Vault (Top 10 of 18)
1. Ellie Rudy (Montana State) - 14 feet, 1.25 inches
2. April Kubishta (Arizona State) - 14-1.25
3. Kate Sultanova (Kansas) - 13-11.25
4. Alicia Rue (Minnesota) - 13-11.25
5. Denise vonEynatten (South Florida) - 13-11.25
6. Mallory Peck (Purdue) - 13-9.25
7. Kelley DiVesta (Washington) - 13-9.25
8. Stephanie Bagan (San Diego State) - 13-5.25
8. Melissa Gergel (Oregon) - 13-5.25
8. Tori Anthony (UCLA) - 13-5.25