Jan. 29, 2015
SAN DIEGO -
2015 SDSU BESTS | MEET PAGE | HEAT SHEETS
The San Diego State track and field team returns to action this weekend at the prestigious Armory Track Invitational in New York. The Armory, often considered a Mecca for track and field athletes around the world, will host the meet and will feature 71 collegiate teams, along with an elite section and a high school section.
The meet will be contested at the New Balance Track & Field Center - a 60,000-square-foot arena with its Olympic caliber track - located in the heart of Washington Heights. The NBTFC boasts one of the world's fastest tracks, along with ancillary field stations, a four-sided videotron and seating for 4,000 spectators. This weekend's meet will be one of more than 100 track meets that the center will host as more than 125,000 athletes of all ages participate and visit The Armory each year. The National Track & Field Hall of Fame is also located inside The Armory.
The Aztecs are sending 15 athletes to the meet, including 10 who will compete in at least two events apiece. Those 10 include Micha Auzenne (60m and 60h), Jazmen Bunch (60m and 200m), Jasmine Burrell (shot put and weight throw), Madison Gipson (200m and 60h), Simone Glenn (60m and 200m), Ellison Grove (500m and 800m), Tyra Lea (200m and 400m), Kira Moreland (60m and long jump), Elaine Ribeiro (mile and 3,000m) and Karsen Sper (60h and long jump).
Bonnie Draxler, who was named the Mountain West Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 20 after winning the pole vault in her first-ever college meet at the NAU Friday Night Duals, will also compete in the event this weekend, along with Kortney Ross and Karen Snapper. Rachel Alesi and Ariel Oliver, meanwhile, are each throwing the shot put.
SDSU is also expected enter a team in the 4x400-meter relay.
San Diego State starts its portion of the meet Friday with the shot put at 10:30 a.m. ET, ending the day with the Will Nesbitt Women's Pole Vault at 5:30 p.m. ET. Saturday commences with the 3,000-meter run at 8:55 a.m. ET and concludes with the finals of the 60 hurdles (if an Aztec qualifies) at 4:33 p.m. ET.
SDSU is coming off a solid showing in its opener on Jan. 16 at the NAU Friday Night Duals, where three athletes picked up individual wins and six made the school's all-time top-10 list. The wins came from Grove in the 800 (2:16.72), Draxler in the pole vault (13-08.25 (4.17m)) and Burrell in the weight throw (63-11.75 (19.50m)).
Following this weekend's festivities, San Diego State heads to Albuquerque, N.M., in back-to-back meets. The Aztecs will first compete at the Don Kirby Elite on Feb. 13-14 and will follow two weeks later at the MW Indoor Championships from Feb. 26-28.