May 25, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas -
Whitney Ashley and Kelsy Hintz each qualified for the NCAA Championships in their respective event to lead the San Diego State track and field team on the second day of the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds Friday in Austin, Texas.
Ashley took fourth of 48 entrants in the discus throw with a toss of 181 feet, 3 inches. As one of the top-12 finishers, Ashley qualified for the NCAA Championships (finals) in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9. It is the second straight day that Ashley advanced to Des Moines in an event after finishing fifth yesterday in the shot put. Ashley, who came into the weekend ranked fifth in the discus in the west region, finished seventh in the discus last year at the NCAA Championships en route to first-team USTFCCCA All-America honors.
Jasmine Burrell joined Ashley in the discus and was 20th with a heave of 164-08. Burrell, who came into the weekend ranked 16th in the event, took 32nd in the shot put yesterday.
Hintz, meanwhile, moved onto the NCAA championship meet in the pole vault for the second consecutive year after tying for ninth of 47 competitors with a mark of 13-08.25. Ten other athletes also cleared 13-08.25, while Oklahoma's Alexandra Acker (13-04.25) won a jump-off over seven others to make up the 12 west region qualifiers for Des Moines.
Teammate Holly Waseloff tied for 20th in the pole vault, clearing 12-10.25. She came into the weekend ranked 48th in the region at 13-00.25.
Allison Reaser, who is already going to Des Moines in the heptathlon, finished 20th out of 27 entrants in the quarterfinal heats of the 400-meter hurdles, like Burrell and Hintz, missing the NCAA Championships by eight places. Reaser's time of 59.02 seconds was 0.91 seconds faster than her time in a preliminary heat yesterday, when she was 23rd in 59.93.
Shanieka Thomas and Alex Evans wrap up things for the Aztecs on Saturday in the triple jump, beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT. Heading into the event, Thomas is ranked second in the region, while Evans is tied for 40th.
2012 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships (Preliminaries)
West Region - Austin, Texas
May 25, 2012 - Day Two of Three
(Top 12 advance to championship rounds in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9, 2012)
400-Meter Hurdles (quarterfinals) (out of 27 entrants)
1. Georganne Moline (Arizona) - 56.42 (qualified for semifinals in Des Moines)
20. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 59.02
Pole Vault (out of 47 entrants)
T-1. Bethany Buell (South Dakota State) - 13-08.25 (4.17m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
T-1. Katerina Stefanidi (Stanford) - 13-08.25 (4.17m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
T-1. Tina Sutej (Arkansas) - 13-08.25 (4.17m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
T-1. Logan Miller (Washington) - 13-08.25 (4.17m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
T-9. Kelsy Hintz (SDSU) - 13-08.25 (4.17m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
T-20. Holly Waseloff (SDSU) - 12-10.25 (3.92m)
Discus Throw (out of 48 entrants)
1. Anna Jelmini (Arizona State) - 188-07 (57.49m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
4. Whitney Ashley (SDSU) - 181-03 (55.26m) (qualified for finals in Des Moines)
20. Jasmine Burrell (SDSU) - 164-08 (50.20m)