Jan. 17, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State track and field program opened its 2004 indoor competition slate Saturday at the Springco/Northern Arizona Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz., with several wins on both teams and numerous marks that rank among the best in school history. The women won five events and the men captured gold in four as the newcomers to the team shined bright in their first competition with the maroon and gold.
Along with their five wins, the women added five runner-up finishes and one third place while the men added the same. Jacquelyn Johnson (Fr., Yuma, Ariz.) got her career off to a hot start by winning the preliminaries and finals of the 60m hurdles while also provisionally qualifying of the NCAA Championships in March and recording the third-fastest time in the event in school history at 8.40. Teammate Rindy Germaine (So., Mesa, Ariz.) added to the list with the No. 5 time in program annals at 8.97, finishing second to Johnson in the race.
Also for the women, Kandace Tucker (So., Irving, Texas) won the 200m dash and improved her career best time to 24.08, moving her to No. 3 all-time at ASU. Jennifer Kowacz (Jr., Goodyear, Ariz.), who transferred to ASU from NAU during the off season, returned to her former school and won the shot put with a throw of 15.86m (52-0.5). Her mark met provisional standards for nationals and made her No. 2 on the all-time ASU list. Kowacz also recorded the No. 4 weight throw in school history at 16.30m (53.5.75). Highly touted freshman Jessica Pressley (Elk Grove, Calif.) made an immediate impact for the team as well by winning the weight toss at 18.13m (59-5.75). Her mark also was the second-best in school history.
Pole vault made its official return with a trio of men and women competing in the event. On the women's side, Michelle Lang (Fr., Phoenix), who tied for seventh, took the No. 3 spot on the list with a clear of 3.30m (10-10.5). For the men, Brandon Glenn (Fr., Avondale, Ariz.), in his first collegiate competition, finished sixth at 5.20m (17-0.75) and took the No. 3 position on the all-time lists, one spot ahead of his current coach, Ron Barela.
On the men's side of competition, the 4x400m relay team won again, this time recording a mark of 3:11.63 while two of its members, Kal? Pittman (Jr., Phoenix) rounded out the men's victories by taking gold in the long jump with a leap of 7.08m (23-2.75). Steven Koehnemann (Fr., Chandler, Ariz.), who finished fourth in the 60m dash, rounded out the provisional qualifiers as he clocked a 6.73 in the event. His time also is tied for the fifth-fastest in school history.
Arizona State returns to action on the indoor surface in two weeks with a return trip to Flagstaff, Ariz., for the annual intrastate battle with Northern Arizona and Arizona in the Double Dual, Jan. 31.