Feb. 3, 2007
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - It was a record-setting day at the Mountain `T' Invitational for the Arizona State University track and field program Saturday afternoon in Flagstaff, Ariz., as the Sun Devils set two school records while earning four NCAA automatic berths and three NCAA provisional qualifiers at the meet hosted by Northern Arizona. April Kubishta and Ryan Whiting each set the school standard in one event each to lead the team to another strong showing in the field events.
Kubishta, who entered the weekend tied for the national lead with a clearance and school record of 4.17m (13-08.25), became the first female in the nation this season to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships as she cleared 4.30m. Her mark, which measured 14-01.25 and made her first Sun Devil to clear 14-feet in competition, surpassed the needed 4.20m mark that was set as the automatic standard.
Following her lead was Whiting, who was competing in just his second collegiate meet as a member of the Sun Devil program. Whiting posted a shot put mark of 19.89m (65-03.25) to not only automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships with the best toss of the year so far, but also break a school record set before he was born. Whiting, who was born in November of 1986, broke the previous record of 19.77m (64-10.50) set by Jim Camp in 1986.
Staying with the throwing events, Sarah Stevens recorded another mark that qualified her automatically for the NCAA Championships in the shot put, this time throwing 17.79m (58-04.50). She was joined on the automatic list by Jessica Pressley, who recorded a toss of 20.25m (66-05.25) in the weight throw. Both women also earned provisional qualifications to the national meet as Pressley earned a spot in the shot put with her toss of 15.97m (52-04.75) while Stevens made the weight throw list with a mark of 19.81m (65-00.00). The final provisional qualifier was Latosha Wallace in the 400m dash, running 53.67 in her first race of the season.
Along with Kubishta (pole vault), Whiting (shot put) and Pressley (weight throw), several other Sun Devils posted victories on the day, including Jacquelyn Johnson in two individual events and one relay. Johnson won the 60m hurdles, taking the finals in 8.52aa after winning the preliminary round with a time of 8.55aa. She also won the high jump with a clearance of 1.67m (5-5.75). From there, Johnson ran the third leg of the winning 4x400m relay with Bridgette Williams, Shauntel Elcock and Wallace, clocking a 3:43.56. The final winner was Lisa Navarro, who took the open division over the women's pole vault with a clearance of 3.15m (10-04.00).
The two school records were not the only changes to the all-time Top 5 lists at ASU. On the women's side, Jasmine Chaney improved her fifth-fastest mark in the 60m hurdles to 8.80aa while Wallace's time of 53.67 in the 400m dash also ranks as the fifth-fastest in school history. Stevens' mark of 19.81m in the weight throw ranks as the third-best mark in school annals while Tai Battle recorded the fifth-best mark in the weight throw at 17.66m (57-11.25) while competing in her first meet for the Sun Devils. The men saw Jason Lewis move into the No. 2 position on the weight throw list with his mark of 19.21m (63-00.25).
The Sun Devils return to action next weekend in Flagstaff, Ariz., as they compete in the Mountain `T' Invitational.