San Diego State to Split Squads this Weekend

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State track and field team will split squads across two meets this weekend. The Aztecs will send six athletes to UC Irvine’s Steve Scott Invitational on Friday night in Irvine, California, while 17 athletes are currently entered in events at Arizona’s Desert Heat Classic on Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.

Scheduled to compete at the Steve Scott Invitational on Friday include Samantha Wood in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (6:30 p.m. PT), Tatum Zinkin in the invitational 800 (7:40 p.m. PT), Presley Bennett and Maddie Heller in the invitational 5,000 (8 p.m. PT), and Lauren Harper and Sara Jones in the invitational mile (8:40 p.m. PT).

The Steve Scott Invitational is named after one of the most prolific athletes in UC Irvine history. From 1974-78, Scott was a six-time All-American in track and cross country for the Anteaters. He won six NCAA indoor and outdoor track titles, and still holds the school and Big West Conference record in the 1500m with a time of 3:36. Scott was also a three-time U.S. Olympian, while holding the American record in the mile for over 25 years. He is a member of both the UC Irvine and USA Track & Field Hall of Fame.

At the Desert Heat Classic on Saturday, Takiyah Blue (200 and 400), Shaquena Foote (200 and 400), Olivia Hicks (100 and 200), Aji Mbye (100 and 200) and Mikaela Warr (100 and 200) are each entered in two events apiece.

Laraigh Allen is running the 200 in Tucson, Emily Couch is set for the 400, and both Sophia Wolf and Zinkin are entered in the 800. SDSU will also have a heavy presence in the hurdle events, including Charlize James, Jada Pierre and Mia Reid competing in the 100 hurdles, and Anna Mager in the 400 hurdles. San Diego State will also run a 4x100-meter relay. Set for field events in Tucson are Maya Gorman and Pavana Nagaraj in the long jump, Alyssa Alumbres in the triple jump and Keira Bennett in the hammer throw.

The hammer will kick things off for the Aztecs at noon PT Saturday with the triple jump closing the field events at 6:30 p.m. PT. On the track, the 100 hurdles starts off SDSU’s day at 4:45 p.m. PT with the 800 ending the night at 8:45 p.m. PT.

The Desert Heat Classic is the fourth of five meets for the Wildcats at Roy P. Drachman Stadium. Considered one of the fastest and most functionally designed complexes in the country, the stadium has played host to several major track and field meets. The list includes four Pac-12 Championships (1985, 1995, 2003 and 2019), the 1987 TAC Junior and Intermediate Championships and the 1983 WCAA Championships.

Entering the weekend, Mbye has the fastest 100 in the Mountain West at 11.52 seconds. She also anchored the 4x100 relay on March 22 to a time of 44.29, which matches UNLV for the fastest time in the league, and is tied for fourth in the 200 (wind-aided 23.58).

Foote is ranked second in the MW in the 400 (52.74) and tied for fourth in the 200 (wind-aided 23.58), Harper is second in the 800 (2:05.00), and both Jordan Leveque and Kayla Tassara are tied for second in the pole vault at 13-00.25 (3.97m).

Other top-5 marks in the league so far include Pierre in the 100 (3rd, 11.63) and 100 hurdles (5th, 13.58), Nagaraj in the long jump (3rd, 20-09.00 (6.32m)), Wolf in the 800 (4th, 2:06.67), James in the 100 hurdles (4th, 13.43) and Mager in the 400 hurdles (5th, 59.27).

SDSU’s next event following this weekend is the Franson Last Chance Meet, set for May 8-10 in Azusa, California. The Mountain West Outdoor Championships is slated for May 15-17 in Clovis, California.