April 17, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - According to the latest release of the Trackwire Top 25 (April 16), the Arizona State University track and field program once again finds its teams among the best in the nation as the Sun Devil women remained No. 1 on the power ranking list while the Sun Devil men climbed three positions to No. 4. The women have held the top spot in all three polls released so far this outdoor season after winning the 2007 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Based on projected points earned at the NCAA meet later this season, the ASU women lead the way with 65 points and are followed in the Top 5 by No. 2 LSU (46 points), No. 3 USC (36) and both Georgia and South Carolina, who are tied for fourth with 33 points. On the men's side, Florida State continues to lead (65 points) and is followed by No. 2 Auburn (42), No. 3 USC (39), No. 4 ASU (36) and No. 5 LSU (34).
Later in the day, the USTFCCCA (national coaches' association) released its rankings for the week with the men climbing 14 positions to No. 5 on the lists while the women continued their hold on the top spot that they have held since the start of the indoor season earlier this year.
Seven individual women and one relay and six individual men and one relay find themselves on the Dandy Dozen, which is the projected Top 12 in each event at the national meet. For the women, Sarah Stevens leads the way as she is ranked in three events, including holding the No. 1 position in both the shot put and discus while standing sixth in the hammer. Her teammate, Jessica Pressley, finds her name on all three lists as well, ranking third in the shot put, second in the discus and ninth in the hammer. Amy Hastings is ranked fourth in both the 5,000m and 10,000m run while Jacquelyn Johnson continues to hold onto top spot in the heptathlon.
On the men's side, freshman Ryan Whiting is the lone Sun Devil ranked in two events as he stands second in the shot put and ninth in the discus. Domenik Peterson is currently ranked sixth in the 200m dash while he also is a part of the seventh-ranked 4x100m relay team. Aaron Aguayo is the long national leader for the men as he holds the top spot in the 3,000m steeplechase.
The Sun Devils will take to the road this weekend as they are set to compete in the UC San Diego Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., on Friday and Saturday.