CLOVIS, Calif. – The Aztecs track and field team will enter the final day of the Mountain West Outdoor Championships in second place. Bonnie Draxler took home the pole vault title and Nyjari McNeil (800m) and Maya Brosch (400m hurdles) each had the top time in their preliminaries.
In total, 11 track athletes qualified for Saturday's finals. In addition, the Aztecs have a great chance to pick up big points in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. SDSU has won the last three 4x100 relays and are the reigning champ in the 4x400.
Led by Draxler, the Aztecs took four of the top five spots in the pole vault to earn 27 points. Draxler won her sixth Mountain West championship (2nd outdoor) after clearing 13-07.00 (4.14m). Freshman Alysia Allen set a new PR and took second after clearing 13-03.00 (4.04m). Marissa Berry and Kaitlin Heri each vaulted 12-11.00 (3.94m) to secure fourth and fifth place.
The underclassmen duo of Nyjari McNeil (2:08.59) and Sakura Roberson (2:08.98) had the top two times in the 800 meter prelims and will look to bring home SDSU's first outdoor title in the 800 since 1995 Saturday. Also in the 800, Danielle Scott set a new PR with a time of 2:14.08. Scott has improved her time in each of her last five races.
Sophomore Maya Brosch had the top time in the 400m hurdles prelims, finishing in 1:00.26. Freshman Nia Collins (4th) will join her in Saturday's finals after finishing in 1:01.91.
SDSU also picked up points in the high jump and long jump. In the high jump, Asia Smith and Sara Absten, fresh off their heptathlon both earned top four finishes. Smith cleared 5-06.50 for third place and Absten tied her PR from Thursday (5-05.25) to finish in fourth.
In the long jump, Lisa-Anne Barrow picked up four points with a fifth-place finish in the long jump after clearing 19-07.00.
Sophomore Callista Fletcher and freshman Danae Dyer each qualified for the finals in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. Fletcher took second in the 200 (23.54) and fourth in the 100 (11.56) while Dyer finished in sixth in the 200 (24.30) and eighth in the 100 (12.09). Dyer also advanced to the finals in the 100m hurdles after finishing with the fifth best tine (13.84).
Lisa-Anne Barrow won her heat in the 400 meter dash with a time of 55.10 and Jalyn Harris finished in 54.41. Barrow won the 400 last year and Harris took third.
THE NOTE I
Bonnie Draxler won her sixth Mountain West Championship, all in the pole vault (four indoor, two outdoor).
THE NOTE II
Freshman Nyjari McNeil won the 800m run prelims and sophomore Sakura Roberson had the second-best time. The Aztecs haven't had a student-athlete win the conference title in the 800m run since 1995 (Kristy Mathews).
UP NEXT
Saturday will feature the finals for the javelin, triple jump, discus and high jump as well as all the track events. Last year the Aztecs were in 11th place entering the final day and won their fourth championship in the last six years.
Mountain West Championships – Day Three
Clovis, Calif. – Veterans Memorial Stadium
Team Scores (Top Five Through Seven Events)
1.Colorado State – 49
2. San Diego State – 39
3. Utah State – 34
4. UNLV – 32
5. Wyoming – 28
100m Dash Prelims
1. Jerayah Davis (Wyoming) – 11.34q (-0.3)
4. Callista Fletcher (SDSU) – 11.56q (-0.3)
8. Danae Dyer (SDSU) – 12.09q (-0.8)
200m Dash
1. Jessica Ozoude (CSU) – 23.33q (+0.0)
2. Callista Fletcher (SDSU) – 23.54q (+0.0) – (Won Heat No. 2)
6. Danae Dyer (SDSU) – 24.30q (+0.0)
12. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) – 25.02
13. Kasey Ebb (SDSU) – 25.08
14. Lakin Hatcher (SDSU) – 25.44
400m Dash Prelims
1. Lauren Gale (CSU) – 52.68q
3. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) – 55.10q (Won Heat No. 2)
4. Jalyn Harris – 54.41q
11. Kasey Ebb (SDSU) – 56.34
14. Lakin Hatcher (SDSU) – 57.35
800m Run Prelims
1. Nyjari McNeil (SDSU) – 2:08.59q
4. Sakura Roberson (SDSU) – 2:08.98q (Second best time)
20. Danielle Scott (SDSU) – 2:14.08 – PR
100m Hurdles Prelims
1. Destinee Rocker (CSU) – 13.32q (-0.7)
5. Danae Dyer (SDSU) – 13.84q (-0.6)
10. Asia Smith (SDSU) – 14.23 (-0.7)
400m Hurdles Prelims
1. Maya Brosch (SDSU) – 1:00.26 - PR
4. Nia Collins (SDSU) – 1:01.91
Pole Vault Finals
1. Bonnie Draxler (SDSU) – 13-07.00 (4.14m)
2. Alysia Allen (SDSU) – 13-03.00 (4.04m) - PR
4. Marissa Berry (SDSU) – 12-11.00 (3.94m)
5. Kaitlin Heri (SDSU) – 12-11.00 (3.94m)
High Jump Finals
1. Alyssa Hirschi (USU) – 5-07.75 (1.72m)
3. Asia Smith (SDSU) – 5-06.50 (1.69m)
T-4. Sara Absten (SDSU) – 5-05.25 (1.66m) – T-PR
Long Jump Finals
1. Jerayah Davis (Wyoming) – 20-07.00 (6.27m) (-0.1)
5. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) – 19-07.00 (5.97m) (+0.0)
9. Asia Smith (SDSU) – 18-09.75 (5.73m) (-0.7)
16. Hannah Taylor (SDSU) – 17-11.50 (-0.5)
17. Sara Absten (SDSU) – 17-09.75 (-0.6)
Shot Put Finals
1. Brenn Flint (USU) – 54-03.75 (16.55m)
9. Erica Grotegeer (SDSU) – 42-09.50 (13.04m)
11. Jordyn Bryant (SDSU) – 41-06.50 (12.66m)
14. Asia Smith (SDSU) – 40.03.50 (12.28m)
Hammer Throw Finals
1. Kelcey Bedard (CSU) – 209-10 (63.96m)
17. Cari Acosta (SDSU) – 150-11 (45.99m) - PR
Aztecs In Second Place Entering Final Day of MW Championships
