Sept. 1, 2010
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State track and field head coach Shelia Burrell has announced her incoming class for the 2010-11 academic year. The second-year coach welcomes 16 new Aztecs to the team.
Heather Arseneau, from Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz., comes to San Diego State after being one of the top pole vaulters to ever come out of Arizona. Arseneau, the Arizona High School State Meet pole vault runner-up, brings a personal-record clearance of 13-0, is the ninth-rated vaulter in the United States and the second-best in the state of Arizona.
"Heather Arseneau's addition to the pole vault squad will help continue SDSU's vaulting presence on the national scene," Burrell said. "She will add depth to a promising freshman vault class."
Hailing from Torrance, Calif., and North Torrance High School, Jasmine Burrell will be a major addition to the Aztec throwing squad. Burrell, the California State Meet shot put champion, has been a standout shot put and discus thrower throughout high school and will arrive on Montezuma Mesa with a PR of 47-7 in the shot put (No. 15 in the U.S., No. 4 in California) and 155-8 in the discus (No. 13 in the U.S., No. 4 in California).
"Jasmine started her track and field career as a sprinter, but picked up the shot put at the age of 13," Burrell said. "Since then she has gone on to become of the most decorated prep shot put and discus throwers in the nation."
Joining Burrell in the throwing events will be Eleveni Fanaika, a junior college transfer from Sacramento City College. Fanaika will land at SDSU boasting a hammer throw of 181-0 and discus toss of 135-5. The transfer held the No. 1 junior college hammer throw in the nation and was the California Community College State Meet runner up in the hammer throw.
"Eleveni will be a great addition to the Aztec throwing squad," Burrell said. "She led the nation in the hammer throw while at Sacramento City and I expect her to great things training under Coach Boldi Kocsor."
Holly Waseloff, another pole vaulter, will compete on SDSU Sports Deck having cleared 12-7 at Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif. The incoming freshman was the No. 17 prep vaulter in the United States and earned a third-place finish at the California Track and Field State Meet.
"We are excited to add Holly Waseloff to the San Diego State Track and Field family," Burrell said. "Holly shows great potential and will help continue the Aztec pole vault tradition."
Allison Reaser is a heptathlete, who carries impressive credentials. The El Segundo High School graduate was the 2010 U.S. Junior Olympics heptathlon national champion and was ranked among the top five multi-event athletes in the United States. Her 300 hurdles time of 42.65 put her at No. 18 in the U.S. and No. 9 in California, while her 400 hurdle mark (62.04) slotted her at No. 44 in the nation and No. 3 in the state of California. In the indoor 60-meter hurdles, Reaser posted the 10th-fastest time in California (8.94). Her long jump of 19-5.25, meanwhile, was the 23rd-best effort in America and No. 7 in the Golden State. Reaser's other personal records include, 12.36 in the 100 meters, 24.65 in the 200 meters, 14.24 in the 100 hurdles, and a score of 5,019 in the heptathlon.
"Allison has a promising future in the heptathlon," two-time Olympic heptathlete Burrell said. "I expect great things from her throughout her time at San Diego State."
A native of San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Nipomo High School, Kelsie Jarratt will be the third pole vault newcomer to arrive at SDSU this year. Jarratt is ranked No. 21 in the United States and has cleared 12-6, while at Nipomo.
"Kelsie is another outstanding addition to the pole vault squad," Burrell said. "She is a solid vaulter who will be a great addition to the Aztec Track and Field team."
Monica Todd will make the short drive south from Mission Viejo, Calif., and arrive at San Diego State after competing at Trabuco Hills High School. She ranked No. 35 in the United States and No. 5 in California in the 400 hurdles (61.80), and No. 84 in America and No. 14 in California in the long jump after leaping 18-10. Todd also enjoyed personal-record performances of 57.92 in the 400 meters, 14.35 in the 100 hurdles, and 43.42 in the 300 hurdles.
"Monica Todd's primary event will be the 400 hurdles," Burrell said. "She had to cut her senior year track season short, but the coaching staff and I are looking forward to working with Monica this season."
A graduate of La Sierra High School in Riverside, Calif., Lima Lefiti is the third of four incoming throwers. Lefiti's personal record in the shot put is 45-1, which put her at No. 37 in the United States and seventh in California. Her discus throw of 127-3, meanwhile, was the 44th-best effort in the Golden State.
"Standing at 6-1 and originally from Samoa, Lima joins our growing throws squad," Burrell said. "She has tremendous potential to develop into a formidable competitor in the shot put. Lima is also an excellent student with a high GPA above 3.0 and wants to major in English."
Hailing from Jamaica, Shanieka Thomas will compete in the jumps for the Aztecs. Thomas cleared 6-0.75 in the high jump, while covering 41-6.50 in the triple jump and 19-4.00 in the long jump. Thomas finished in fourth place at the Jamaican Boys and Girls Championships in 2010 in the triple jump.
"Shanieka will be a welcome addition to our squad in 2010 and will help in all three jumping events," Burrell said. "She will be very competitive on a conference and national level for the Aztecs."
Lawreta Ozoh, who will compete in the sprinting events, will arrive at San Diego State from Nigeria with personal bests of 11.49 in the 100 meters, 23.50 in the 200, and 42-3 in the triple jump. She was a member of Nigeria's winning 4x100-meter relay team at the 2010 African Championships. In 2009, Ozoh competed at the African Junior Championships.
Making the cross-country trip is Maderia Toatley. The sprinter from Stone Mountain, Ga., and Stephenson High School comes to Montezuma Mesa as the Georgia State Meet champion in the 200 meters and the fifth-place finisher in the 400. Toatley posted the United States' 46th-best time in the 200 (24.01), while running 55.87 in the 400 meters.
"Maderia will play a key role on both 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays," Burrell said. "Her addition to the Aztec Track and Field roster will add to an impressive sprint squad which includes newcomers Lawreta Ozoh and Tiara Collins."
Brittany Gonter is the fourth member of the incoming throwing class. Gonter, from Hemet, Calif., prepped at Hemet High School where she had personal bests of 41-0 in the shot put and 128-8 in the discus throw.
Joining the sprinting group of Toatley and Ozoh is Tiara Collins. The Ontario, Calif., product competed at Los Osos High School and recorded personal-record times of 25.56 in the 200 and 57.68 in the 400.
Competing in cross country in the fall and in the middle distances during the track and field campaign will be Hannah Winokur, Amanda Okun and Amy Reaser. Winokur, who went to San Clemente High School, has a personal-best 800 time of 2:16.92. Okun, meanwhile, prepped at Newbury Park High, and Reaser joins her twin sister on the team, Allison, out of El Segundo High.