March 31, 2006
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Members of the Arizona State University track and field team headed to the 2006 Stanford Invitational Friday night to compete in the talent-filled distance carnival and walked away with several solid marks. Amy Hastings led the charge as she reset her school record in the 10,000m run one year removed from the meet she broke the mark to earn one of two Sun Devil automatic berths into the NCAA Championships.
Hastings, the 5,000m indoor national champion, clocked in at 33:17.89 to finish fourth overall and better her previous school record by nearly two seconds. In the same race, Victoria Jackson ran 33:20.58 to place eighth overall and also punch her ticket for the national meet. Jackson's time is the second-fastest in school history and improved her personal best in the event by nearly 44 seconds to become just the fourth Sun Devil to run under 34 minutes in the event.
Three other women attained NCAA regional qualifying marks in their respective events, led by Jenna Kingma in the 5,000m run. Her time of 15:59.15 was the fifth-fastest on the day and stands as the fourth-best in the history of ASU. In the `B' section of the same event, Corey Randall clocked a 16:34.01 to finish fourth in the race while also earning a place in the regional race. The final women's regional mark came from Anna Masinelli in the 3,000m steeplechase as the defending Pac-10 champion ran a 10:36.36 to place 14th overall.
Two men earned a regional qualifying mark with the first coming from Velibor Radejovic in the 5,000m run as he clocked a 14:03.38 to place 12th overall in the event. In the `B' section of the same race, Joey Heller ran 14:06.07 to finish eighth overall and earn a spot in the regional meet. Other men that competed on the day included Jeremy Cramer, who finished 38th in the 10,000m run `B' section in 31:44.81 while Roger Cahill place 20th in 14:17.15 and Eric Dall 24th in 14:21.38 in the `B' section of the 5,000m run.
Whitney Hardt placed third in her heat and ninth overall in the 1,500m run `B' section with a time of 4:30.96, just missing the regional qualifying standard. Cassie Rios rounded out the women's competitors as she placed 19th in the `B' section of 10,000m run in 36:16.42.
Several Sun Devils will compete Saturday at the Stanford Invitational while many of the other members of the team will travel to Tucson for the Arizona International at Roy Drachman Stadium.
2006 Stanford Invitational
Arizona State Results ONLY
Women's 1,500m Run (`B' Section)
9. Whitney Hardt - 4:30.96
Women's 3,000m Steeplechase (`A' Section)
19. Anna Masinelli - 10:36.36 - NCAA Region qualifier
Women's 5,000m Run (`A' Section)
5. Jenna Kingma - 15:59.15 - NCAA Region qualifier & ASU #4
Women's 5,000m Run (`B' Section)
4. Corey Randall - 16:34.01 - NCAA Region qualifier
Women's 10,000m Run (`A' Section)
4. Amy Hastings - 33:17.89 - NCAA Automatic qualifier & ASU record
8. Victoria Jackson - 33:20.58 - NCAA Automatic qualifier & ASU #2 time
Women's 10,000m Run (`B' Section)
19. Cassie Rios - 36:16.42
Men's 5,000m Run (`A' Secion)
12. Velibor Radejovic - 14:03.38 - NCAA Region qualifier
Men's 5,000m Run (`B' Secion)
8. Joey Heller - 14:06.07 - NCAA Region qualifier
20. Roger Cahill - 14:17.15
24. Eric Dall - 14:21.38
Men's 10,000m Run (`B' Section)
38. Jeremy Cramer - 31:44.81