April 15, 2016
AZUSA, Calif. - Ashley Henderson ran the fourth-fastest 100-meter dash in the country to pace the San Diego State track and field team Friday at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif.
Henderson clocked a time of 11.24 seconds to finish as the top collegian and second overall out of 99 entrants. The time is the second fastest in program history, only trailing Aztec Hall-of-Famer Tonette Dyer's 11.20, set in 2004. Heading into the weekend, only three other athletes in the nation had gone than Henderson's wind-legal 11.24.
Earlier in the day, Henderson teamed with Jazmen Bunch, Simone Glenn and Micha Auzenne in the winning 4x100-meter relay team with a time of 45.45, beating out 17 other teams.
"This was the second time Ashley (Henderson) ran an Olympic Trials qualifying time," head coach Shelia Burrell said. "She started the day by bringing us from behind in the 4x100 to win after a bad hand-off earlier. To be the only collegian in the fast heat of the 100 and step up with a good, clean race was a great feeling. (Assistant coach) Michelle (Freeman) and I think the 200 is her better event, which shows how talented she is and how much potential she has."
SDSU also got a win from Bonnie Draxler in the pole vault, clearing 13 feet, 3 ½ inches (4.05m), defeating 39 other entrants. Karen Snapper added a fifth-place showing in the event with a mark of 12-04.00 (3.76m) with Sara Curran coming in 10th (11-10.00 (3.61m).
Auzenne and Sierra Brabham-Lawrence finished second and fourth, respectively, in the 100-meter hurdles. Auzenne clocked a time of 13.47, while Brabham-Lawrence was fourth in 13.55. Madison Gibson also came in seventh in the event in 13.83.
Tyra Lea took an impressive fourth in the 400 out of 72 runners in collegiate personal record (PR) of 54.90. Gipson also PR'd in the 400, taking fifth in 54.98.
"Madison (Gipson) ran the best race she has since she's been here. They both ran good races and are understanding how good they can be. I'm looking forward to seeing them at the conference championships."
Je'Neal Ainsworth logged a fifth-place effort in the triple jump with a leap of 38-11.75 (11.88) in an event that started with 43.
Simone Glenn came in ninth out of 106 entrants in the 200 in 23.91, while Ellison Grove finished 11th out of 118 in the 800 in 2:09.07.
Starlynn Singleton and Jelena McNown added top-10 finishes in the long jump with Singleton taking ninth in 18-10.00 (5.74m) and McNown coming in 10th in 18-08.50 (5.70m).
On Thursday night, the Aztecs also had throwers in action at the Cal State LA Twilight Open. In the hammer throw, Victoria Dickerson came in fourth with a toss of 173-11 (53.00m), while Freja Liljedahl was fifth in 170-11 (52.10m). In the discus throw, Alexa Evans led the way with a big mark of 182-06 (55.62m) with former SDSU athlete and 2012 NCAA champion Whitney Ashley won the meet with a U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying mark of 202-03 (61.65m).
"We're trying to get ready for the conference championships, but we also want to qualify as many as we can for the (NCAA West) Prelims and advance them to the (NCAA) Finals," Burrell said. "I think that we are now starting to get a taste what it takes to do well. We just have to keep training smart and keep progressing for the championship meets."
SDSU returns to action next weekend with the two-day Triton Invitational at UC San Diego in La Jolla, Calif., beginning at 9:30 a.m. PT Friday.
Bryan Clay Invitational
Azusa, Calif.
April 15, 2016
Team Results
No team scores
Individual Results (SDSU and winner of each event only)
100 Meters (out of 99 entrants)
1. Desiree Henry (adidas) - 11.06
2. Ashley Henderson (SDSU) - 11.24 (No. 2 all-time at SDSU)
16. Simone Glenn (SDSU) - 11.89
17. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) - 11.90
19. Jazmen Bunch (SDSU) - 11.98
69. Kira Moreland (SDSU) - 12.87
200 Meters (out of 106 entrants)
1. Desiree Henry (adidas) - 22.98
9. Simone Glenn (SDSU) - 23.91
13. Jazmen Bunch (SDSU) - 24.15
24. Tyra Lea (SDSU) - 24.66
31. Sierra Brabham-Lawrence (SDSU) - 24.99
36. Lakin Hatcher (SDSU) - 25.14
400 Meters (out of 72 entrants)
1. Geisa Coutinho (Brazil) - 51.86
4. Tyra Lea (SDSU) - 54.90
5. Madison Gipson (SDSU) - 54.98
24. Lakin Hatcher (SDSU) - 57.31
800 Meters (out of 118 entrants)
1. Shelby Houlihan (Nike/Bowerman TC) - 2:03.88
11. Ellison Grove (SDSU) - 2:09.07
1,500 Meters (out of 192 entrants)
1. Calli Thackery (New Mexico) - 4:14.99
59. Ellison Grove (SDSU) - 4:36.66
98. Rachel Roesgen (SDSU) - 4:43.52
150. Cali King (SDSU) - 4:56.27
100-Meter Hurdles (out of 59 entrants)
1. Christie Moerman (Legacy Athletics) - 13.30
2. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) - 13.47
4. Sierra Brabham-Lawrence (SDSU) - 13.55
7. Madison Gipson (SDSU) - 13.83
14. Karsen Sper (SDSU) - 14.29
23. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) - 14.86
400-Meter Hurdles (out of 59 entrants)
1. Gianna Woodruff (Unattached) - 57.63
34. Jasmine Young (SDSU) - 1:04.73
4x100-Meter Relay (out of 18 teams)
1. San Diego State (Jazmen Bunch, Simone Glenn, Ashley Henderson, Micha Auzenne) - 45.45
Pole Vault (out of 40 entrants)
1. Bonnie Draxler (SDSU) - 13-03.50 (4.05m)
5. Karen Snapper (SDSU) - 12-04.00 (3.76m)
10. Sara Curran (SDSU) - 11-10.00 (3.61m)
16. Katherine Magill (SDSU) - 11-04.25 (3.46m)
20. Courtney Jackson (SDSU) - 11-04.25 (3.46m)
--. Marissa Berry (SDSU) - NH
Long Jump (out of 62 entrants)
1. Aasha Marler (New Mexico) - 19-08.75 (6.01m)
9. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) - 18-10.00 (5.74m)
10. Jelena McNown (SDSU) - 18-08.50 (5.70m)
16. Kira Moreland (SDSU) - 18-00.50 (5.50m)
--. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) - Foul
Triple Jump (out of 43 entrants)
1. Jazzelena Black (South Dakota State) - 43-08.75 (13.33m)
5. Je'Neal Ainsworth (SDSU) - 38-11.75 (11.88m)
Cal State LA Twilight Open
Los Angeles, Calif.
April 14, 2016
Team Results
No team scores
Individual Results (SDSU and winner of each event only)
Discus Throw (out of 35 entrants)
1. Whitney Ashley (Nike) - 202-03 (61.65m)
7. Alexa Evans (SDSU) - 182-06 (55.62m)
12. Rachel Alesi (SDSU) - 160-11 (49.04m)
13. Anushi Desai (SDSU) - 151-03 (46.10m)
15. Coryne McKenney (SDSU) - 144-10 (44.14m)
Hammer Throw (out of 17 entrants)
1. Monique Griffiths (Unattached) - 215-03 (65.60m)
4. Victoria Dickerson (SDSU) - 173-11 (53.00m)
5. Freja Liljedahl (SDSU) - 170-11 (52.10m)