May 19, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
Thirteen San Diego State athletes qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Preliminary Rounds, the NCAA announced today. The 13 qualifiers are the most by the Aztecs since the NCAA implemented the new region system (west and east) in 2010.
The 13 SDSU student-athletes qualified for the preliminary championships by being a top-48 declared athlete in an event in the west region. The top-12 finishers in each event at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, which will take place from May 26-28 in Lawrence, Kan., will then advance to the NCAA championship meet in Eugene, Ore., from June 8-11.
Five San Diego State athletes will be going to Lawrence in multiple events, including both Ashley Henderson and Simone Glenn in the 100-meter dash, the 200 and the 4x100. Rachel Alesi (shot put, discus throw), Micha Auzenne (100 hurdles, 4x100) and Starlynn Singleton (100, 4x100) also qualified in two events apiece.
Henderson leads the way as she is ranked first in the west region in the 200, third in the 100 and anchors the 4x100, which is seeded ninth. All three times - 22.44 in the 200, 11.01 in the 100 and 44.30 in the 4x100 - came last weekend at the MW Championships in Clovis, Calif. The 11.01 in the 100 prelims would have been a school record had the wind been under 2.1 mph at the start (it was at 4.0 mph), while the 22.44 in the 200 finals would have ranked second (wind was at 2.3 mph). She went onto win all three events (4x100 was the second-fastest time in school history) en route to being named the Women's Outstanding Performer of the Meet. Henderson has already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in both the 100 and 200.
Glenn, meanwhile, is seeded in a tie for 29th in the 100 (wind-aided 11.50) and 35th in the 200 (wind-aided 23.56), and will be expected to run the second leg of the 4x100.
Alesi comes into the weekend ranked 10th in the discus throw and 46th in the shot put, both marks which has her sixth and fifth, respectively, all-time with the Aztecs. Her best throws this season are 180 feet, 1 inch (54.89m) in the discus and 49-09.25 (15.17m) in the shot put.
Auzenne checks in a 15th (tied) in the 100 hurdles, clocking a wind-aided time of 13.18 seconds Saturday at the MW Championships. A two-time defending MW 100-hurdles champion, she will most likely run the third leg of the 4x100 as well.
Singleton enters the meet tied for 43rd in the 100 with a wind-aided time of 11.60 and is slated to lead off the 4x100.
SDSU will also send three pole vaulters to Lawrence, led by Bonnie Draxler (14-00.75 (4.29m) and her No. 8 ranking. Karen Snapper (13-06.25 (4.12m)) and Marissa Berry (13-03.50 (4.05m)) are also tied for 21st and tied for 40th, respectively.
Alexa Evans is seeded eighth in the discus after posting a throw of 182-06 (55.64m) at the Triton Invitational on April 22.
Madison Gipson is ranked 15th in the 400 hurdles after recording a two-second PR of 58.02 in a victory at the MW Championships on Saturday.
Other NCAA West Prelims qualifiers for San Diego State are Je'Neal Ainsworth in the triple jump (tied for 28th, 41-04.50 (12.61m)), Sierra Brabham-Lawrence in the 100 hurdles (tied for 29th, wind-aided 13.36) and Ellison Grove in the 800 (38th, 2:07.74).
The Aztecs are coming off a runner-up finish at the MW Championships last weekend.
SDSU Qualifiers in NCAA West Region (NCAA Prelims)
100 Meters
3. Ashley Henderson - 11.01w
T29. Simone Glenn - 11.50w
T43. Starlynn Singleton - 11.60w
200 Meters
1. Ashley Henderson - 22.44w
35. Simone Glenn - 23.56w
800 Meters
38. Ellison Grove - 2:07.74
100 Hurdles
T15. Micha Auzenne - 13.18w
T29. Sierra Brabham-Lawrence - 13.36w
400 Hurdles
15. Madison Gipson - 58.02
4x100-Meter Relay
9. San Diego State - 44.30
Pole Vault
8. Bonnie Draxler - 14-00.75 (4.29m)
T21. Karen Snapper - 13-06.25 (4.12m)
T40. Marissa Berry - 13-03.50 (4.05m)
Triple Jump
T28. Je'Neal Ainsworth - 41-04.50 (12.61m)
Shot Put
46. Rachel Alesi - 49-09.25 (15.17m)
Discus Throw
8. Alexa Evans - 182-06 (55.64m)
10. Rachel Alesi - 180-01 (54.89m)