May 26, 2011
EUGENE, Ore. - Whitney Ashley advanced to the NCAA Championships in the shot put to pace the San Diego State track and field team on the first day of the NCAA Preliminary Rounds (west region) Thursday at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Ashley took 12th of 48 with a throw of 51 feet, 8 ¼ inches to earn the last spot into the championship meet from the west region. Ashley will join the 11 other competitors from the west region and 12 more from the east at the NCAA championship meet, which will take place from June 8-11 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ashley, who was seeded 17th in the region in the event heading into the weekend, earned the spot on her fourth of six throws. Ashley will have another chance to make the NCAA Championships on Saturday, when she competes in the discus throw, where she is ranked 21st in the region.
Allison Reaser, meanwhile, finished 20th in the preliminary round of the 400-meter hurdles to advance to tomorrow's quarterfinal round. Reaser, who ran her second-fastest time of the season in 59.82 seconds, will have to place in the top three of her heat or be one of the next three fastest runners to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Reaser also competed in the long jump, but finished 45th with a leap of 17-09.00. Reaser, however, has already qualified for the championship meet in the heptathlon.
Two other Aztecs were on the track on the first of three days as Josefine Koskinen was 45th in the 800 (2:13.88) and Lawreta Ozoh did not finish in her heat of the 100.
Shanieka Thomas and Alex Evans get things going for SDSU tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. PT in the triple jump. Other athletes set to compete tomorrow include Kelsy Hintz in the pole vault (4 p.m. PT), Reaser in the 400 hurdles (5:20 p.m. PT) and Ozoh in the 200 (5:50 p.m. PT).
NCAA Preliminary Rounds - West Region
Hayward Field - Eugene, Ore.
May 26, 2011
100 Meters: --. Lawreta Ozoh - DNF
800 Meters: 45. Josefine Koskinen - 2:13.88
400-Meter Hurdles: 20. Allison Reaser - 59.82 (advances for Friday's quarterfinal)
Long Jump: 45. Allison Reaser - 17-09.00
Shot Put: 12. Whitney Ashley - 51-08.25 (advances for NCAA Championship meet)