Feb. 21, 2018
Championship Central | Performance List |Start List | ="" target="_blank">FloTrack ($) | Live Results | Meet Preview
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State heads back to Albuquerque, N.M. for their third consecutive meet at the Albuquerque Convention Center. They competed at the New Mexico Team Invitational four weeks ago and at the Don Kirby Invite two weeks ago. The Aztecs will be going for their second MW indoor title in the last six years (2013), fifth overall since 2013 and sixth in program history. Last year, SDSU took third in the indoor championships and then won the outdoor championships. This is the fourth consecutive year the indoor championships have taken place in Albuquerque, N.M.
The MW Championships represent the last chance for athletes to qualify for the NCAA Championships, which are March 9-10 in College Station, Texas. The Aztecs enter the weekend ranked ninth in the loaded West Region and will be going against a deep field. New Mexico is ranked 11th in the nation, while Colorado State (fourth), New Mexico (sixth), Wyoming (seventh) and Utah State (eighth) all rank in the top 10 of the women's Mountain Region Rankings.
SDSU will send a group of 14 athletes, including Asia Smith, who is competing in four events, the pentathlon, 60m hurdles, the long jump and the high jump. Three Aztecs will compete in three events: Lisa-Anne Barrow (4x400, 200 & long jump), Callista Fletcher (4x400, 60 & 200), Jalyn Harris (4x400 200 & 400), and Lakin Hatcher (4x400, 200 &400). Two athletes will compete in two events: Je'Neal Ainsworth (60 & triple jump) and Ashley Henderson (60 & 200). Other Aztecs competing include Marissa Berry (PV), Bonnie Draxler (PV), Cindy Flores (800), Jelena McNown (long jump), Hannah Taylor (high jump), Angela Wilson (800) and Jasmine Young (400).
Ashley Henderson has won the championship in the 200 the past two years and won the 60 a season ago to earn the MW Indoor Track and Field Most Outstanding Performer award. She enters the weekend with the 7th best time in the nation in the 60 this season (7.19). Bonnie Draxler also figures to make noise at the championships. She won the pole vault championship in 2015 & 2016 and tied the SDSU and MW record two weeks ago, clearing 14' 1.25", which is tops in the MW this season and 10th in the nation. The Aztecs will also look to defend their title in the 4x400 relay, an event they won with a school record time of 3:40.16 last year, although only one of those runners is still on the team.
On Thursday, the Aztecs kick off the meet in the pentathlon where Asia Smith will represent the Aztecs, competing in the 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800. On Friday, the day starts with the long jump at 1 p.m., followed by the pole vault at 2 p.m. The qualifying rounds of the 60 hurdles, 400, 60-meter dash, 800 and 200 are also on Friday, beginning with the 60-meter hurdles at 2:00 p.m. The 400 meters is slated for 2:30 p.m., and the 60-meter dash is on tap for 3:00 p.m. The 800 will take place at 3:30 p.m., and the Aztecs' day closes with the 200 meters at 4:30 p.m. Saturday kicks off with the pole vault finals and the triple jump with both events beginning at 11:30 a.m. The finals of the 60 hurdles, 400, 60-meter dash, 800 and 200 will occur is 20-minute increments, starting with the 60-meter hurdles at 12:20 p.m. SDSU closes the meet with the 4x400-meter relay at 2:30 p.m. The awards ceremony will immediately follow completion of the events.
The meet will be streamed by FloTrack, but requires a subscription to view. Full results will be posted on GoAztecs.com when they become available.
Bonnie Draxler Ties SDSU & MW Indoor Pole Vault Record
Bonnie Draxler tied the school record in the pole vault, clearing 14-01.25 (4.30m) on the final day of the Don Kirby Collegiate Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. Draxler tied the school and Mountain West record set by Stephanie James at the 2010 Mountain West Championships. She took second place to Anicka Newell, who competed for Canada in the 2016 Olympics. Draxler's mark is also the tenth best in the nation this season and she remains undefeated against collegiate competition.
A Look Back at the Don Kirby Collegiate Invitational
Ashley Henderson also had another strong performance, finishing the 60-meter dash in 7.19 seconds, just 0.02 seconds off her school record set last year. Henderson had the top time in the 60-meter semi-finals with a time of 7.20. She then improved her time by 0.01 seconds in the finals, but was barely edged out by Oregon's Makenzie Dumore (7.18). Je'Neal Ainsworth also cracked the record book posting the seventh best mark in the triple jump (40-01.50,12.23m) to claim ninth place. The Aztecs closed out the meet with a strong performance in the 4x400 relay. Jalyn Harris, Lakin Hatcher, Simone Glenn and Lisa-Anne Barrow finished in 3:45.28, which earned them seventh place and the ninth best time in program history. Day one was highlighted by Ellison Grove's No. 2 finish in the 600 and Lisa Anne Barrow's long jump of 19-09.75, a top-ten mark in program history. Grove's time of 1:33.41 was just 0.07 seconds behind the first place finisher, Linnea Saltz out of Central Arizona. Lisa Anne Barrow had the fifth best long jump, clearing 19-09.75, which is tied for the sixth best jump in program history. She finished third amongst collegiate athletes. Barrow also won her section in the 200 with a season-best time of 24.33. Jalyn Harris continued her strong freshman campaign with a seventh place finish out of 54 entrants in the 400, running a season-best time of 56.09. Lakin Hatcher finished in 19th with a time of 56.94.