April 24, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State track and field team opened competition at two different ends of California on Friday. One group of Aztecs lined up on the track in Northern California at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational, while another took the field in Southern California and at the Triton Invitational at UC San Diego.
In the first event of the day for SDSU in Berkeley, co-captain Nicole Stone qualified for the NCAA West Regionals with a season-best time of 1:00.26 in the 400-meter hurdles. Stone finished in fourth place overall in the 12-person field and posted her fastest time of 2009 by .62 seconds.
In the 800-meter run, Amy Brown led the way with an eighth-place time of 2:16.94. Five spots below her was Darien Buc in 13th place after finishing in 2:21.32 and Leigh Rutherford completed the race in 2:26.39.
Fellow distance runner Kristin Glen participated in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as day turned into night and finished in sixth place with a time of 11:24.76.
A couple of events later, Michelle Martinez took her spot on the track and race in the 5,000-meter run where she enjoyed her best race as an Aztec. The sophomore finished with a personal-record time of 18:25.29.
At UCSD, San Diego State had a pair of athletes record personal records in the hammer throw. Maria Rodriguez led all Aztecs with a personal-record toss of 163-01, a distance that bettered her previous PR by more than 12 feet. Robyn Guzman, meanwhile, continued her strong effort as she logged a personal best for the second straight week with a throw of 126-00.
Andrea Martinez and Jeanette McConnell also competed in the hammer and finished with efforts of 159-10 and 158-05, respectively.
Leanne Taylor led the Scarlet and Black in the discus throw with a performance of 153-06 and was followed closely by McConnell, who posted a distance of 153-03. Martinez logged a PR after finishing with a toss of 153-02 and was joined by Eshaunna Robinson (133-09) and Guzman (127-08), who both finished with personal records.
The Aztecs will continue competition at both meets on Saturday in Berkeley and in nearby La Jolla.
Brutus Hamilton Invitational (Berkeley, Calif.)
SDSU Individual Results Only
800-Meter Run
8. Amy Brown - 2:16.94
13. Darien Buc - 2:21.32
18. Leigh Rutherford - 2:26.39
400-Meter Hurdles
4. Nicole Stone - 1:00.26
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
6. Kristin Glen - 11:24.76
5,000-Meter Run
28. Michelle Martinez - 18:25.29
UCSD Triton Invitational (La Jolla, Calif.)
SDSU Individual Results Only
Hammer Throw
15. Maria Rodriguez - 163-01
18. Andrea Martinez - 159-10
22. Jeanette McConnell - 158-05
38. Robyn Guzman - 126-00
Discus Throw
20. Leanne Taylor - 153-06
21. Jeanette McConnell - 153-03
23. Andrea Martinez - 153-02
29. Michele Dannhausen - 149-10
41. Eshaunna Robinson - 133-09
42. Maria Rodriguez - 130-07
44. Robyn Guzman - 127-08
47. Laura Boggeln - 118-09
48. Danielle Lenore - 117-11