Feb. 26, 2013
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Eight San Diego State student-athletes were named to the 2013 all-Mountain West Indoor Track and Field team, the league announced yesterday. To be named to the all-conference team, an athlete must finish in the top of three of an individual or relay event.
Shanieka Thomas, who was named the meet's outstanding women's performer, and Allison Reaser each were named all-conference in three events, while Kristen Brown and Jasmine Burrell earned two all-league selections. Kelsy Hintz, Nicole Oudenaarden, Deyna Roberson and Maderia Toatley also were named all-MW picks.
The eight Aztecs joined head coach Shelia Burrell, who was named the MW Women's Coach of the Year. SDSU won its first-ever MW indoor title and second overall (also 2003 outdoor).
Thomas claimed her second straight indoor triple jump title and third overall (also 2012 outdoor) with a leap of 43 feet, 9 inches (13.33 meters). She also finished second in the 400 meters (55.67) and anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay in 3:42.11, which was the second-fastest time in school history.
Reaser won her third consecutive pentathlon and fifth straight multi-event (also last two outdoor heptathlons) at the MW Championships with a school-record 3,971 points. Reaser also garnered all-conference accolades in the 60 hurdles, where she was third in 8.53, and in the 4x400-meter relay.
Brown, meanwhile, was the only San Diego State athlete to win two individual events at the championships as she won the pole vault on Friday in 13-06.50 (4.13m) and captured the 60 hurdles on Saturday in 8.40. In the prelims of the 60 hurdles on Friday, Brown ran the second-fastest time in school history of 8.28.
Jasmine Burrell was the final Aztec to earn a pair of all-league honors as she won the shot put on Saturday in 51-10.50 (15.81m), which ranks second all-time at SDSU), and was third in the weight throw on Friday in a school-record toss of 64-01.25 (19.54m).
San Diego State's other all-conference selections were awarded to Hintz in the pole vault (tied-second, 13-02.50 (4.03m)), Oudenaarden in the pentathlon (second, 3,969 points), and Roberson and Toatley, who each ran a leg on the winning 4x400-meter relay team.
Brown and Hintz will each compete in Washington's Final Qualifier in Seattle Friday night to try and better their marks and earn a spot on the NCAA Championships from March 8-9 in Fayetteville, Ark. With the top triple jump mark in the country of 46-02.50 (14.08m), Thomas will also be heading to the NCAA Championships.
SDSU's Mountain West Awards
Women's Coach of the Year: Shelia Burrell
Women's Outstanding Performer: Shanieka Thomas
All-Conference Selections
Kristen Brown (pole vault, 60-meter hurdles)
Jasmine Burrell (weight throw, shot put)
Kelsy Hintz (pole vault)
Nicole Oudenaarden (pentathlon)
Allison Reaser (pentathlon, 60-meter hurdles, 4x400-meter relay)
Deyna Roberson (4x400-meter relay)
Shanieka Thomas (triple jump, 400 meters, 4x400-meter relay)
Maderia Toatley (4x400-meter relay)