Jan. 27, 2012
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Arizona State University track and field teams opened up the Texas A&M Mondo Challenge on Friday as both teams had competitors in the first day of the multi-events as well as relay squads competing in the distance medley relays at the Gilliam Indoor Track Facility in College Station, Texas.
Keia Pinnick set a new career record in the pentathlon, using a surge over the final two events to climb from sixth to second with a final score of 3,981.
Pinnick had the second best long jump of the competition with a mark of 5.91m (19-4.75) and closed out the day by winning the 800-meter run in a time of 2:15.68 to rocket past her competition to finish as the runner-up behind Oregon's Brianne Theisen.
Pinnick's score increased her hold on the second best mark in school history behind Jackie Johnson's school and NCAA record 4,496 points.
In the men's heptathlon, juniors Jamie Sandys and Austin Prince sit third and fourth, respectively, after the first day of competition. Sandys had the third-best jump in the high jump round with a leap of 1.95m (6-4.75) to log a first-day total of 2,901 with Prince right behind him with 2,776. They both trail the leader of the first day, Gray Horn of Florida, who scored 3,376 points on Friday.
The ASU women opened up the DMR with a fourth-place finish in 11:18.45 for the third-fastest time in ASU history in the event. More important about the time was the fact that three of the four members on the relay were freshmen competing in their first collegiate track and field action.
Shelby Houlihan, the Pac-12 Cross Country newcomer of the year opened things off with a 3:23.44 as the leadoff leg running the 1200-meters before handing the baton to the the lone upperclassmen on the team, Kayla Sanchez, for the quarter-mile portion, which she clocked in 53.99.
Freshman Carly Paracholski clocked a time of 2:08.62 for the 800-meter portion in her first collegiate action before fellow freshman Macy Bricks wrapped it up with a 4:52.42 mile.
On the men's side, the team of Nick Happe, Darryl Morales, Mason McHenry and Darius Terry also took fourth in a time of 9:42.84 for the fifth-fastest time in ASU history.
Happe got things started of with a time of 2:58.76 at 1200-meters before the freshman Morales took the quarter-mile out in 47.57. Mason McHenry clocked the fastest 800-meter run of the teams in the relay in 1:47.16 before Terry closed it out with a time of 4:09.36 in the mile.
The event will really get going tomorrow as both team's will compete in a full day of events alongside Oregon as the Pac-12 takes on the Big 12 and the SEC in this unique competition. Events will begin at 11 a.m. CT.
Check back at TheSunDevils.com at the conclusion of the day's events for a full recap of the action.