SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women's track and field team started their season in New Mexico on Saturday at the Dr. Martin Luther King Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico. Shaquena Foote headlined the season opening meet with a school record in the 400m Dash.
One of the final events of the day for the Aztecs, Foote posted a time of 53.30 in the 400m dash to break the school record that stood untouched for 20 years (Tonette Dyer, 2003 – 53.51). She was the fastest among all collegiate competitors, and second overall finishing behind Lanae-Tava Thomas of Preeminance Sports and ahead of Candace McLeod of PUMA. The time is also nearly a half second improvement on her personal best in the event.
In addition to her school record, the Jamaica native ran a 23.47 to win the unseeded 200m dash. The time improves on her PR by two-hundredths of a second and ranks third-fastest in San Diego State indoor history.
Hannah Waller also had a tremendous day to begin her season, moving into the SDSU all-time top three in both the 60m dash and long jump. In the 60m, she ran a 7.26 to win her heat, qualify for the final, and move into number two on the program's all-time list. Her time was less than a tenth of a second behind Aztec legend Ashley Henderson for the program record.
Similarly, she won her flight, qualified for the finals, and moved into number three on the all-time list for long jump with a mark of 6.16m (20-02.50). It is the furthest jump by an Aztec since 2014 and a six-inch improvement on her personal best.
Charlize James also moved into third on one of SDSU's all-time lists, finishing the 60m hurdle with a time of 8.23 seconds. It was the fastest among all collegiate competitors, finishing second overall behind Team USA's Talie Bonds who ran an 8.15 for the win. James' second-place finish came on the heels of an 8.34 in the preliminaries. The sophomore bested her PR in both races on Saturday.
San Diego State had seven student-athletes make their collegiate debuts in New Mexico. Of them, Lidia Major and Jordan Leveque etched their names into the record books. Major ran in the 600m race, posting a time of 1:37.23 for the eighth-fastest time in program history finishing 12th overall in the event. Leveque competed in the second flight of pole vault and became the 21st different Aztec to clear 3.82m (12-06.25) to finish 11th overall.
Aji Mbye also impressed in her collegiate debut, finishing third overall in both the unseeded 60m and 200m races. She won her heat in the 60m with a time of 7.50 and won her heat in the 200m with a time of 24.29.
The final SDSU event of the day was the triple jump where Xiamara Young, making her Aztec debut, had a jump of 12.47m (40-11) on her first attempt of the afternoon. That mark kept her in the top spot through every competitor's first three attempts and gave her a pass in all three of her attempts in the finals. She ultimately finished second as Sela Pastrana of Premier Elite claimed the victory in her final jump of the day. Young's 40-11 was still tops among all collegiate competitors and puts her at number eight on San Diego State's all-time list.
Overall, the Aztecs had eight new program top ten times on the day and 19 new personal bests set. Placement-wise, the Scarlet and Black had seven top fives, and four events with the top collegiate finisher.
Up next for San Diego State is a trip to the pacific northwest to compete in the UW Invitational in Seattle, Wash. It will be the Aztecs' first full two-day meet of the season taking place on Friday and Saturday.
Dr. Martin Luther King Invitational First Place and SDSU Results
60m (unseeded)
1. Symoria Adkins – 7.46 (UT-Rio Grande Valley)
3. Aji Mbye – 7.50 (PR, collegiate debut)
11. Olivia Hicks – 7.63 (PR, collegiate debut)
19. Charlize James – 7.71 (PR)
60m prelims (invitational)
1. Hannah Waller – 7.26 (No. 2 all-time)
13. Jada Moore – 7.53
18. Jada Pierre – 7.61 (SDSU debut)
60m final (invitational)
1. Rhasidat Adeleke – 7.15 (JRS Sports Management)
8. Hannah Waller – 15.23
200m Dash (unseeded)
1. Shaquena Foote – 23.47 (No. 3 all-time)
3. Aji Mbye – 24.29 (PR, collegiate debut)
5. Jada Moore – 24.48
19. Olivia Hicks – 25.14 (PR, collegiate debut)
22. Rhea Hoyte – 25.22
400m Dash
1. Lanae-Tava Thomas (Preeminence Sports)
2. Shaquena Foote – 53.30 (school record)
600m
1. Olivia Baker – 1:27.55 (Atlanta Track Club Elite)
12. Lidia Major – 1:37.23 (No. 8 all-time, collegiate debut)
60m hurdles prelims
1. Talie Bonds – 8.15 (Team USA)
3. Charlize James – 8.34
17. Jada Pierre – 8.81 (SDSU debut)
24. Sameerah Evans – 8.97
31. Rhea Hoyte – 9.11 (PR)
60m hurdles final
1. Talie Bonds – 8.15 (Team USA)
2. Charlize James – 8.23 (No. 2 all-time)
High Jump
1. Trinity Tomlinson – 5' 11.5 (Texas)
21. Maya Gorman – 4' 11.75 (PR)
Pole Vault
1. Ka'Leila Abrille – 13' 6.25 (UCLA)
5. Ashley Callahan – 13' 0.25
11. Jordan Leveque – 12' 6.25 (PR, collegiate debut)
15. Lily Mulligan – 12' 0.5 (PR, collegiate debut)
19. Kayla Tassara – 11' 0.75 (SDSU debut)
Long Jump
1. Ackelia Smith – 22' 1 (Texas)
6. Hannah Waller – 20' 2.5 (No. 3 all-time)
12. Maya Gorman – 17' 4.25 (PR)
24. Xiamara Young – 18' 3.25 (PR, SDSU debut)
42. Thaila Wilson – 17' 1.25
46. Giselle Galles – 16' 8.5 (PR, collegiate debut)
Triple Jump
1. Sela Pastrana - 41' 2.25 (Premier Elite)
2. Xiamara Young – 40' 11 (PR, No. 8 all-time, SDSU debut)
15. Sameerah Evans – 37' 6.5
Foote’s School Record Highlights Season Opener
