Feb. 13, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
LIVE RESULTS | MEET INFO/SCHEDULE/HEATS | 2014 AZTEC BEST MARKS
The San Diego State track and field team returns to action this weekend at the prestigious Don Kirby Collegiate Elite in Albuquerque, N.M. The two-day meet, which is hosted by New Mexico, begins on Friday.
The Aztecs, who are still outside the top 25 of the USTFCCCA indoor computer rankings, but are still in the picture at No. 32, will be sending 15 athletes to the meet.
Shanieka Thomas, the defending NCAA outdoor triple jump champion and one of 10 on the preseason watch list for The Bowerman Trophy (top collegian), will make her 2014 debut on Friday in the long jump and will also compete in Saturday's triple jump. Thomas was runner-up in the triple jump at the NCAA indoor championships a year ago and has won the last four MW triple jump titles (2012-13 outdoor, 2012-13 indoor).
Multi-event specialists Nicole Oudenaarden and Allison Reaser are slated to compete in three events apiece. Oudenaarden is scheduled for the 200 meters, long jump and shot put, while Reaser is entered in the 200, 60-meter hurdles and long jump.
Six other athletes are entered in two events apiece, including Kristen Brown in the 60 hurdles and pole vault, Jasmine Burrell and in the shot put and weight throw, Madison Gipson in the 200 and 60 hurdles, Maderia Toatley in the 200 and 400 and Meritzer Williams in the 60 and 200.
Renetia James will make her collegiate indoor debut by competing in the 600, and Chelsea Kruthers and Rachel Roesgen will each run in the mile. At SDSU's last meet at the Howie Ryan Invite & Multi's in Houston, Kruthers set a school record in the mile (5:01.00), while Kruthers ran the third-fastest time (5:08.10) time ever at San Diego State. Additionally, Kruthers (800) and Rosegen (1,600) each ran legs in the school-record distance medley relay (12:05.71).
Four other Aztecs are competing in field events with Mikayla Howden and Ariel Oliver in the weight throw, Brittany Gonter in the shot put and Holly Waseloff in the pole vault.
The Don Kirby Collegiate Elite is once again loaded, featuring athletes from second-ranked Oregon, No. 9 Stanford, No. 13 UCLA, No. 18 Michigan, No. 20 Akron, No. 21 Arizona State and No. 23 Arizona, as well as SDSU and host Lobos. Other teams (women or men) entered are Arkansas State, California, Colorado, Grand Canyon, Illinois State, Liberty, Miami, Mississippi, North Carolina, Northern Arizona, Ohio State, South Florida, USC, Southern Utah, Tec de Monterrey, Texas Tech, UTEP, Utah State, Washington State, Wayland Baptist and Wyoming, along with many professional, club and unattached competitors.
The Albuquerque Convention Center also hosted San Diego State at the Cherry & Silver Invitational last month, and are hosting the USA Indoor Championships (Feb. 21-23) and the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14-15).
The meet kicks off for the Aztecs at 4 p.m. MT (3 p.m. PT) Friday with the weight throw and long jump before closing with the 200 at 8:20 p.m. MT (7:20 p.m. PT). On Saturday, SDSU's competition starts at 10:30 a.m. MT (9:30 a.m. PT) with the pole vault, while the two-day meet will close with the final of the 60 at 3 p.m. MT (2 p.m. MT).
Live results will be available at http://liverunningresults.com/fall13sp14/unmfeb1415/ throughout the meet. Friday's final results and the complete results from the meet will be posted on GoAztecs.com.