May 1, 2016
STANFORD, Calif. -
The San Diego State track and field team won four events Sunday at the prestigious Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford, Calif.
The individual wins came from Ashley Henderson in the 200-meter dash, Micha Auzenne in the 100-meter hurdles and Bonnie Draxler in the pole vault. Henderson and Auzenne also teamed up with Starlynn Singleton and Simone Glenn to win the 4x100-meter relay.
In all, SDSU posted five all-time top-10 marks, highlighted by Henderson, Draxler and the 4x100 team.
Henderson ran a huge personal record (PR) in the 200 in a winning time of 22.64 seconds, beating out 22 other entrants. She ran 0.52 seconds faster than her previous-best time of 23.16 and closed in on Tonette Dyer's 2004 school-record time of 22.34. The 22.64 is the third-fastest wind-legal time in the country this year, according to TFRRS.org.
"Ashley Henderson's 200 today was huge accomplishment," head coach Shelia Burrell said. "She is still young and figuring out how good she can be. She keeps getting better and is representing San Diego State in a great way. She still has so much in the tank and I can't wait to see what she can do."
"I was definitely happy with (the 200)," Henderson said. "Breaking 23 (seconds) was my goal, but I still want to go low 22's. I'm slowly, but surely building to that and getting better each race. I'm very encouraged with my running and I'm gaining more confidence to prepare me for competing with the best."
Earlier in the day, Henderson anchored the winning 4x100-meter relay team to a time of 44.36, the second fastest in school history (school record is 44.24). The 44.36 is the 19th-fastest time of the season (TFRRS).
"We have five student-athletes - Ashley Henderson, Micha Auzenne, Simone Glenn, Starlynn Singleton and Jazmen Bunch - to pool together that can run sub-44 (seconds) if everything goes right," Burrell said. "It was a solid time considering we are still working on our handoffs. I think we can do big things over the next couple of meets."
"We have a lot of potential (in the 4x100)," Henderson said. "We are still working on our handoffs, but once we have them down I think we can go really far this season."
Auzenne added a win in the 100-meter hurdles (13.47) and a runner-up showing in the 100 (11.68).
Draxler also had a career day in the pole vault, winning the event with a mark of 14 feet, ¾ inches (4.29m). The mark is the third-best ever by a San Diego State athlete and ranks 18th in the country (heading into the weekend according to TFRRS). Karen Snapper also came up big with the ninth-best pole vault (13-06.25 (4.12m)) in program history, good enough for fourth in the competition.
"I am so happy for our pole vaulters," Burrell said. "Bonnie (Draxler) has been jumping 14 feet regularly in practice and to finally do it in a meet setting was huge. Karen (Snapper) still has a lot of potential and we think she can eventually clear 13-10."
"When I first cleared 13-10, my collegiate PR, that was exciting," Draxler said. "But to set a lifetime PR later was amazing. I've been working hard in practice and it was nice to put it together today. My goal is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. I'm really happy right now."
The other all-time Aztec top-10 mark came from Ellison Grove in the 800. The sophomore ran to a time of 2:07.74, which ranks sixth all-time at SDSU.
"Ellison (Grove) is the `little engine that could,'" Burrell said. "She has tons of potential and her training is really coming around. I'm looking forward to her running something special at (the MW Championships)."
Glenn added a fourth-place effort in the 200 (23.73) and a fifth in the 100 (11.85), while Madison Gipson clocked a fourth-place showing in the 100 hurdles in 14.07. Tyra Lea led San Diego State in the 400, taking eighth in 55.61.
Alexa Evans led the throwers, taking fourth in the discus throw with a heave of 166-06 (50.75m) and taking seventh in the shot put (44-04.75 (13.53m). Rachel Alesi was sixth in the discus at 165-06 (50.44m).
In the jumps, Je'Neal Ainsworth posted a fourth-place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 39-02.25 (11.94m) and Karsen Sper was fourth in the high jump (5-03.25 (1.61m)). Lisa-Anne Barrow, meanwhile, came in ninth in the long jump at 18-07.75 (5.68m).
The Aztecs next compete at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships in Fresno, Calif., from May 11-14.
"The last three meets were very good for us in terms of seeing where we are at," Burrell said. "The Mountain West is tough and keeps getting better. We've got to go into (the MW Championships) and compete. We know that it's going to be a fight and we're ready for the challenge."
Payton Jordan Invitational
Stanford, Calif.
May 1, 2016
Team Results
No team scores
Individual Results (SDSU and winner of each event only)
100 Meters (out of 15 entrants)
1. Leya Buchanon (Oklahoma) - 11.64
2. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) - 11.68
5. Simone Glenn (SDSU) - 11.85
8. Jazmen Bunch (SDSU) - 11.98
12. Kira Moreland (SDSU) - 12.64
200 Meters (out of 23 entrants)
1. Ashley Henderson (SDSU) - 22.64 (No. 2 all-time at SDSU)
4. Simone Glenn (SDSU) - 23.73
9. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) - 24.45
14. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) - 25.09
400 Meters (out of 21 entrants)
1. Daye Shon Roberson (Oklahoma) - 51.42
8. Tyra Lea (SDSU) - 55.61
9. Madison Gipson (SDSU) - 55.79
11. Lakin Hatcher (SDSU) - 57.17
800 Meters (section 6) (out of 7 entrants)
1. Susan Aneno (Middle Tennessee State) - 2:07.10
2. Ellison Grove (SDSU) - 2:07.74 (No. 6 all-time at SDSU)
100-Meter Hurdles (out of 14 entrants)
1. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) - 13.47
4. Madison Gipson (SDSU) - 14.07
9. Karsen Sper (SDSU) - 14.61
4x100-Meter Relay (out of 6 teams)
1. San Diego State (Starlynn Singleton, Simone Glenn, Micha Auzenne, Ashley Henderson) - 44.36 (No. 2 all-time at SDSU)
Pole Vault (out of 14 entrants)
1. Bonnie Draxler (SDSU) - 14-00.75 (4.29m) (No. 3 all-time at SDSU)
4. Karen Snapper (SDSU) - 13-06.25 (4.12m) (No. 9 all-time at SDSU)
9. Marissa Berry (SDSU) - 12-04.50 (3.77m)
High Jump (out of 8 entrants)
1. Rachel Reichenbach (Stanford) - 5-07.25 (1.71m)
4. Karsen Sper (SDSU) - 5-03.25 (1.61m)
5t. Kassidy Ellis (SDSU) - 5-01.25 (1.56m)
Long Jump (out of 19 entrants)
1. Daryth Gayles (Stanford) - 20-03.75 (6.19m) (wind-aided)
9. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) - 18-07.75 (5.68m)
10. Jelena McNown (SDSU) - 18-05.75 (wind-aided)
11. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) - 18-05.25 (5.62m)
15. Kira Moreland (SDSU) - 17-04.25 (5.29m)
--. Karsen Sper (SDSU) - Foul
Triple Jump (out of 9 entrants)
1. Jannell Hadnot (New Mexico) - 42-00.75 (12.82m)
4. Je'Neal Ainsworth (SDSU) - 39-02.25 (11.94m)
Shot Put (out of 12 entrants)
1. Jessica Woodard (Oklahoma) - 52-05.25 (15.98m)
7. Alexa Evans (SDSU) - 44-04.75 (13.53m)
12. Kassidy Ellis (SDSU) - 35-06.50 (10.83m)
Discus Throw (out of 11 entrants)
1. Valarie Allman (Stanford) - 193-05 (58.96m)
4. Alexa Evans (SDSU) - 166-06 (50.75m)
6. Rachel Alesi (SDSU) - 165-06 (50.44m)
Hammer Throw (out of 14 entrants)
1. Ida Storm (Unattached) - 219-02 (66.81m)
10. Freja Liljedahl (SDSU) - 175-04 (53.44m)
12. Victoria Dickerson (SDSU) - 163-07 (49.87m)
Javelin Throw (out of 11 entrants)
1. Mackenzie Little (Stanford) - 175-08 (53.54m)
10. Kassidy Ellis (SDSU) - 109-01 (33.26m)