June 13, 2008
DES MOINES, Iowa - San Diego State sophomore Stephanie Bagan finished in second place in the pole vault at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday night. Bagan, who was runner-up to California's Katie Morgan based on attempts, earns All-America honors after earning the same distinction earlier this year during the indoor season.
The 2008 NCAA West Regional champion cleared the first two bars set at 12-9.50 and 13-1.50, respectively, before needing two attempts to clear 13-5.25. The Mountain West Conference champ then successfully vaulted 13-9.25 to put her in second place among four competitors going into the final round.
After remaining quartet failed to clear the final bar set at 14-1.25, the top four spots were determined by attempts with Morgan taking first after posting four first-attempt clearances. Bagan's one miss coming at 13-5.25 put her in second place and she was followed by Arkansas' Katie Stripling in third and 2007 champion April Kubishta of Arizona State in fourth.
Bagan's placing is the best individual finish for SDSU since Shayla Balentine finished in second place in the pole vault at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Prior to 2005, the Aztecs' best showing occurred in 1985 when LaTanya Sheffield (400 hurdles) and Laura DeSnoo (discus) won their respective events. Bagan becomes the 38th All-American in school history and the 19th for head coach Rahn Sheffield.
In the qualifying round of the triple jump, junior Decontee Kaye leaped 42-1.50, which was good for 10th place in Flight 1, but 18th overall. Unfortunately for the two-time MWC champion, Kaye's effort was not good enough to advance her to Saturday's final as the top 12 athletes advance.
On the first day of the heptathlon where the first four events were contested, junior Kristin Olafsdottir set a personal record in the shot put and found herself in 23rd place with 3,096 points at the end of the day.
To open the seven-competition event, Olafsdottir finished in second place in her heat and 13th overall in the 100-meter hurdles after crossing the finish line in 14.26 seconds. Soon thereafter, the junior cleared 5-3.00 in the high jump to post the ninth-best effort in Flight 2 (22nd overall) and then followed that with a PR of 36-4.00 in the shot put, which was good for sixth place in Flight 1 (20th overall). Then in the fourth and final event of the day, Olafsdottir completed the 200-meter dash in 25.76, to finish second in her heat and 21st overall.
Olafsdottir will look to move up in the heptathlon standings on Saturday when she competes in the final three events (long jump, javelin throw, 800-meter run) beginning at 11 a.m. CT/9 a.m. PT.
As a team, San Diego State is currently in a tie for 18th place with eight points.
Final-day action of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be televised by CBS beginning at 1 p.m. PT.