San Diego State opened the 2022 outdoor season at two meets on Friday. The Aztecs sprints and field team spent the day at the San Diego Collegiate Challenge, while the distance team competed at the Astro Al Distance Classic on Friday night.
"We competed a partial squad today across both meets and used them as training meets" head coach Shelia Burrell said. "Highlights of the day are our pole vaulters, our throwers, and Sakura Roberson who all put down solid opening marks. We are looking forward to continuing our preparation for the Aztec Invitational in a few weeks."
The Aztecs had 16 podium finishes at the San Diego Collegiate Challenge. In typical San Diego State fashion, the Aztecs dominated the pole vault competition. SDSU had five athletes competing in the event, and they swept the podium. Ashley Callahan won the event, clearing 13-7.75 (4.16m), while Kaitlin Heri also cleared that height, she did so with more misses through the earlier rounds, giving Callahan the win. Corey Friedenbach rounded out the podium for the Aztecs, she vaulted 13-01.75 to place third.
The Aztecs also dominated the shot put, with four athletes placing in the top five of the event. Onyi Anigbogu won the event with a throw of 42-11.75, edging out Navy's Jordynn Hutchinson by three inches for the title. Felicia Crenshaw (3rd place, 41-10.50), Erica Grotegeer (4th place, 41-09.25), and Jenna Fee Feyerabend (5th place, 40-06.00) rounded out the top five.
In addition to the pole vault, the Aztecs placed highly in the discus throw. Grotegeer followed up her strong performance in the shot put with a winning throw of 158-9 (48.39m), while Felicia Crenshaw finished in second place with a throw of 152-10 (46.59m), her second podium place of the day. SDSU had athletes place in the top three in three other field events, including the triple jump, high jump and hammer throw. In the triple jump Vanessa Spizewski placed third for the Aztecs, jumping 37-09.25 (11.51m), in the high jump Sara Absten cleared 5-03.75 (1.62m) to place second, and in the hammer throw Crenshaw threw 151-01 (46.05m) to place third.
As for the track events on Friday at the San Diego Collegiate Challenge, the Aztecs had six individuals earn spots on the podium of their respective events. Sakura Roberson came in first in the 800m run for the Aztecs, winning the event by over a second and finished in 2:10.07 to claim the win. Rhea Hoyte came in second in the 100m dash, setting a new PR of 12.33 in the process. Absten and Fee Feyerabend came in second and third respectively in the 100m hurdles, each claiming their second podium finish of the day. Hoyte earned her second podium of the day in the 200m dash, where she finished in third place, running 24.93. Nyjari McNeil also finished third in the 400m dash with a time of 56.60.
The Aztecs also had the distance team in action on Friday night at the Astro Al Distance Classic, hosted by Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif.
Lauren Harper got things started for the Aztecs with a win by 0.06 of a second in the 3000m steeplechase. Harper out-leaned Joanna Halfhill of Army to take the win at the line in 11:33.73, while Halfhill crossed the line in 11:33.79.
San Diego State had four athletes compete in the 1500m run, with Jessica Kain finishing top amongst all Aztecs. She ran 4:28.15, earning her second place in the event.
Up Next: The Aztecs are back in action next Saturday at the Ross & Sharon Irwin Invitational in Point Loma, Calif. and the Franson Classic in Azusa, Calif.
First Place and SDSU Result San Diego Collegiate Challenge:
100m Dash
1. Idara Ibekwe (UCSD) 12.29 (-0.6)
2. Rhea Hoyte (SDSU) 12.33 (+1.4) – PR (won her heat)
100m Hurdles
1. Katherine Halbert (Navy) 14.11 (-2.1)
2. Sara Absten (SDSU) 14.91 (-2.1)
3. Jenna Fee Feyerabend (SDSU) 15.11 (-2.1)
16. Ruthie Grant-Williams (SDSU) 17.16 (-2.1)
200m Dash
1. Idara Ibekwe (UCSD) – 24.69 (-0.8)
3. Rhea Hoyte (SDSU) – 24.93 (-0.8)
5. Nyjari McNeil (SDSU) – 25.53 (-0.8)
400m Run
1. Maxine Schultz (UCSD) – 55.70
3. Nyjari McNeil (SDSU) – 56.50
400m Hurdles
1. Amari Jenkins (UCSD) – 1:02.43
5. Carina Clark (SDSU) – 1:04.12
800m Run
1. Sakura Roberson (SDSU) – 2:10.07
Long Jump
1. Molly Chapman – 18-00.25 (5.49m) (+0.2)
8. Ruthie Grant-Williams (SDSU) – 15-09.50 (4.81m) (+0.2)
Triple Jump
1. Giulia Mesa (Navy) – 38-09.00 (11.81m)
3. Vanessa Spizewski (SDSU) – 37-09.25 (11.51m)
High Jump
1. Lauren Pritchard (UCSD) – 5-05.75 (1.67m)
2. Sara Absten (SDSU) – 5-03.75 (1.62m)
7. Simone Johnson (SDSU) – 4-11.75 (1.52m)
10. Dejanae Thompson (SDSU) – 4-07.75 (1.42m)
Pole Vault
1. Ashley Callahan (SDSU) – 13-07.75 (4.16m)
2. Kaitlin Heri (SDSU) – 13-07.75 (4.16m)
3. Corey Friedenbach (SDSU) – 13-01.75 (4.01m)
6. Elizabeth Funk (SDSU) – 12-02.00 (3.71m)
14. Madison Martin (SDSU) – 9-08.50 (2.96m)
Shot Put
1. Onyi Anigbogu (SDSU) – 42-11.75 (13.10m)
3. Felicia Crenshaw (SDSU) – 41-10.50 (12.76m)
4. Erica Grotegeer (SDSU) – 41-09.25 (12.73m)
5. Jenna Fee Feyerabend (SDSU) – 40-06.00 (12.34m)
10. Ruthie Grant-Williams (SDSU) 31-06.00 (9.60m)
Hammer Throw
1. Autumn Nicholas – 168-8 (51.43m)
3. Felicia Crenshaw (SDSU) – 151-01 (46.05m)
5. Zoe Brosch (SDSU) – 141-00 (42.99m)
Javelin Throw
1. Renny Murphy (Navy) – 146.02 (44.56m)
4. Jenna Fee Feyerabend (SDSU) – 115-08 (35.27m) - PR
10. Sara Absten (SDSU) – 83-08 (25.51m) - PR
Discus Throw
1. Erica Grotegeer (SDSU) – 158-09 (48.39m)
2. Felicia Crenshaw (SDSU) – 152.10 (46.59m)
8. Onyi Anigbogu (SDSU) – 122-10 (37.46m)
First Place and SDSU Result, Astro Al Distance Classic
800m Run
1. Anna Tovkach (Army)
4. Alex Lomeli (SDSU) – 2:15.35
5. Jessica Kain (SDSU) – 2:15.52 - PR
1500m Run
1. Trinity Ruekas (CSUF) – 4:24.38
2. Jessica Kain (SDSU) – 4:28.15
5. Emily Burd (SDSU) – 4:34.39
9. Alex Lomeli – 4:37.21
17. Bailey Watts (SDSU) – 4:53.39
3000m Steeplechase
1. Lauren Harper (SDSU) – 11:33.73
5. Natalie Regalado (SDSU) – 12:10.14
6. Isabelle Davis (SDSU) – 12:18.46
8. Taylor Lustyan – 12:35.00
5000m Run
1. Greta Karinauskaite (CBU) – 16:16.58
14. Carlene Masar (SDSU) – 17:07.54 – PR
28. Amber Elias (SDSU) – 18:12.60
29. Naomi Smitham (SDSU) – 18:15.18
32. Vanessa Cabello (SDSU) – 18::19.53
41. Paige Comiso (SDSU) – 20:11.70
Aztecs Open Outdoor Season at Two Meets
