INDIANAPOLIS – Fourteen members of the Aztec track and field team and two relay teams have qualified for NCAA West Preliminary Championships, the NCAA announced.
The top 48 student-athletes in each individual event and the top 24 relay teams were selected to compete in the preliminary rounds of the NCAA Championships, held May 24-27 in Sacramento, California (West region) and Jacksonville, Florida (East region).
This is the eighth consecutive season the Aztecs have had at least 10 student-athletes qualify for regionals. In total, SDSU will have 13 athletes competing in individual events, eight in track events and five in field events, while both the 4x100m relay team and the 4x400m relay team qualified.
Jada Moore, fresh off winning two events at the Mountain West Championships last week, qualified in the 100m dash. Aisha Watt earned a spot to compete in the 200m dash after earning a silver medal at the championships, finishing in 23.38. The Aztecs also had two other athletes qualifying in the sprint events. Danae Dyer, who won the 100m hurdles at the MW Championships, qualified for the meet in the 100m hurdles. Additionally, Charlize James, who came in second in the 100m hurdles at the outdoor championships, qualified and will be competing in Sacramento.
In the mid-distance events, Shaquena Foote qualified in the 400m run after a first place finish last weekend. Alex Lomeli, who finished third at the MW Championships and became the second fastest all-time in the 800m run by running 2:05.36, qualified for regionals in the event. Rhea Hoyte, fresh off a first place showing in the 400m hurdles at the MW Championships, earned a spot in regionals in the event.
Jessica Kain will represent the Aztecs in the 1500m after finishing second with a mark of 4:18.43 to qualify and earn a regional spot.
Based off their times from the outdoor championships, the Aztecs will have both a 4x100m relay team and a 4x400m relay team compete at NCAA West Regionals. The Aztecs swept both relays last weekend, with the 4x100 team finishing in 44:08 to break the facility record and becoming the fifth fastest all-time at SDSU while the 4x400 team finished in 3:34.97, the 10th best in SDSU outdoor history.
As for the field events, one Aztec pole vaulter earned a trip to Sacramento as Ashley Callahan qualified for regionals. Callahan took the Mountain West crown last weekend with a vault of 13-07.75. Simone Johnson, who placed second at the MW Championships last weekend, qualified for regionals in the event, while Jenna Fee Feyerabend will compete in the high jump. Fee Feyerabend has also qualified for finals of the heptathlon after winning the event with a PR of 5752 points and the third best mark all-time at SDSU. The heptathlon finals will begin June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
As for throws, Felicia Crenshaw will compete in the discus throw after a qualifying throw of 52.02 at this year's outdoor championships while Thalia Wilson competes in the javelin throw, qualifying with a mark of 47.41.
The top 12 in each event will advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
SDSU NCAA West Region Qualifiers
Jada Moore – 100m Dash
Aisha Watt – 200m Dash
Shaquena Foote – 400m Dash
Alex Lomeli – 800m
Jessica Kain – 1500m
Danae Dyer – 100m Hurdles
Charlize James – 100m Hurdles
Rhea Hoyte – 400m Hurdles
Jenna Fee Feyerabend – High Jump, Heptathlon
Ashley Callahan – Pole Vault
Simone Johnson – Triple Jump
Felicia Crenshaw – Discus Throw
Thalia Wilson - Javelin Throw
4x100m Relay (Watt, Moore, Dyer, Foote)
4x400m Relay (Bentley, Hoyte, Watt, Foote)
14 Aztecs to Compete at NCAA West Prelims
