May 30, 2014
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Jasmine Burrell and Shanieka Thomas punched a ticket to the NCAA Championships in their respective events to pace the No. 18 San Diego State track and field team Friday at the NCAA West Prelims in Fayetteville, Ark. Burrell made it to the championship meet in the discus throw, while Thomas qualified once again in the triple jump.
Burrell took sixth out of 48 entrants in the discus throw with a heave of 176 feet, 6 inches (53.81 meters) to become one of the 12 qualifiers for the NCAA Championships, which will take place in Eugene, Ore., from June 11-14. Her clinching mark came on the final attempt of six throws. It will be Burrell's first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships.
"The big 'to do' today was getting Jasmine Burrell into the (finals) in the discus," head coach Shelia Burrell said. "I'm so very happy for her. She was negatively impacted last year by the rain in Austin (Texas) and to see her qualify for Eugene this year after the work she has put in is very satisfying."
"My ultimate goal coming in was to win the (regional) meet," Jasmine Burrell said. "But since I didn't, I'm overjoyed that I qualified for nationals. I worked hard to get here and I just wanted to keep that focus throughout the meet. I knew (on the last throw) that I had it. I gave whatever energy I had left in that one and I couldn't be happier."
Thomas, who has won each of the past two NCAA Championships in the triple jump (2014 indoor, 2013 outdoor) after taking second in the previous two (2013 indoor, 2012 outdoor), advanced to her third straight NCAA Outdoor Championships and seventh overall (also 2011-14 indoor) by winning the event today with a leap of 44-09.75 (13.66m). That was the best mark in the history of the meet.
"Shanieka got better with each jump," Shelia Burrell said. "Our focus here was to qualify and now we focus on getting her ready for some tough competition in Eugene."
"Going to nationals for a third straight year means a lot to me because it will be my last day competing as an Aztec," Thomas said. "I'm eternally grateful to God, my family, well wishers and my Aztec family for their support, love and encouragement. Since this will be my last NCAA championship, I want to leave a mark so that everyone will know I was there."
The Aztecs have now already qualified five athletes into the championship meet in Eugene later this month, including Nicole Oudenaarden and Allison Reaser in the heptathlon, Kristen Brown in the pole vault, Jasmine Burrell in the discus throw and Thomas in the triple jump.
"SDSU is well represented by the five women who made it to Eugene (so far)," Shelia Burrell said.
"I look forward to competing in Oregon with the rest of my teammates," Thomas said. "The ultimate goal is to make my family, well wishers and the my Aztec family proud of my collegiate track and field journey at SDSU."
Brown, who yesterday earned her spot to Eugene in the pole vault, moved onto Saturday's quarterfinals of the 100-meter hurdles by taking third in her heat with the 12th-fastest time of 13.67 seconds. Brown, one of 24 to qualify for the quarterfinals, will need to finish either in the top three of her heat or be one of the next three-fastest finishers to earn a trip to Eugene in the 100 hurdles. The three heats are slated to start at 7:20 p.m. CT Saturday.
Reaser, who yesterday ran the third-fastest 400 hurdles in school history at 57.80 in the first round, was 22nd today in the quarterfinals in 59.72. She also came in 41st in the first round of the 100 hurdles (14.14) and 45th in the opening round of the 200 (24.86).
Meritzer Williams, meanwhile, was 32nd in the first round of the 200 in 24.34 and also failed to advance.
"Today was a good day for the Aztecs," Shelia Burrell said. "Williams and Reaser didn't quite get their legs under them today but both gave it their best effort."
The quartet of Brown, Reaser, Thomas and Williams will look to finish in the top 12 Saturday in the 4x100 relay at 6:15 p.m. CT, while Brown will also look to do the same in the quarterfinal round of the 100 hurdles at 7:20 p.m. CT.
2014 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships (Preliminaries)
West Region - Fayetteville, Ark.
May 30, 2014 - Day Two of Three
(Top 12 advance to championship rounds in Eugene, Ore., from June 11-14)
200 Meters (first round) (out of 48 entrants)
1. Kamaria Brown (Texas A&M) - 22.95 (qualified for Saturday's quarterfinals)
32. Meritzer Williams (SDSU) - 24.34
45. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 24.86
100-Meter Hurdles (first round) (out of 48 entrants)
1. Sharika Nelvis (Arkansas State) - 12.98 (qualified for Saturday's quarterfinals)
12. Kristen Brown (SDSU) - 13.67 (qualified for Saturday's quarterfinals)
41. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 14.14
400 Hurdles (quarterfinals) (out of 24 entrants)
1. Janeil Bellille (Texas A&M) - 55.41 (qualified for semifinals in Eugene)
22. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 59.72
Triple Jump (first round) (out of 48 entrants)
1. Shanieka Thomas - 44-09.75 (13.66m) (qualified for finals in Eugene)
Discus Throw (first round) (out of 48 entrants)
1. Shelbi Vaughan (Texas A&M) - 194-00 (59.14m) (qualified for finals in Eugene)
6. Jasmine Burrell (SDSU) - 176-06 (53.81m) (qualified for finals in Eugene)