Jan. 18, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State men's and women's track and field teams opened its respective 2003 indoor seasons Saturday at the Northern Arizona Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz, combining to claim five individual titles and both relay events. Freshman Lewis Banda (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) had a hand in two titles, winning the 400 meter dash and anchoring the 4x400 meter relay.
Banda, in his first collegiate competition, clocked a 46.86 in the 400 meter race to take the win, just ahead of teammate Jason Barton (So., Phoenix, Ariz.). Barton registered a 47.09 in the runner-up effort. Banda also combined with Steve Fitch (Jr., San Ramon, Calif.), Barton and Seth Amoo (So., Palmdale, Calif.) to win the 4x400 meter relay. The quartet completed the event in 3:12.22, easily finishing ahead of second place Northern Arizona. The NAU foursome crossed the line in 3:28.21.
For the women, Katrice Walton (Fr., Detroit, Mich.) opened things up with a 25.37 in the 200 meter dash, placing just ahead of Kandice Tucker (Fr., Tempe, Ariz.), who took second with a 25.91. Joining Walton atop the podium in first place was Joni Smith (Sr., Long Beach, Calif.), the winner of the 400 meter dash (55.07), Seneca Holmes (Jr., Waddlell, Ariz.), first in the preliminaries of the 60 meter hurdles (8.47) and the finals (8.43). Julia Pedersen (So. Grand Forks, N.D.) won the only field of the event of the day for the Sun Devils, capturing the open shot put event with a heave of 48-feet, 2.50-inches. Rounding out the winning for the day was the 4x400 meter relay team with a time of 3:44.58. ASU slipped past Arizona, who finished second in 3:45.63.
Also having solid days for the Sun Devil men was Trevell Quinley (So., Tracy, Calif.). Quinley took second in the long jump with a mark of 24-1.5. On the women's side, Cassandra Reed (So., Avondale, Ariz.) took second in the 400 meter run (56.24), Simone McElroy (Fr., Hazelcrest, Ill.) placed second in the high jump (4-7.75) and Tiffany Greer (Sr., Powder Springs, Ga.) was the runner-up in the long jump (19-0.75). Sandra Orsund (Jr., Plymouth, Ind.) finished in the Top 3 in two events: second in the weight throw (50-3.25) and third in the shot put (45-10.50).
The Sun Devils return to the track on Feb. 1 when they travel to the Boise State Invitational in Boise, Idaho, and the Husky Invitational in Seattle, Wash.