April 8, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The first day of action for members of the Arizona State University track and field team at the 78th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays came to a close Friday evening with Sun Devil student-athletes winning three events and posting regional qualifying marks in eight events contested at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. ASU also one relay and two individual sprinters advance to the finals of their respective events Saturday.
Trevell Quinley, who finished second this past indoor season at the national meet in the long jump, claimed the event crown at the Texas Relays with a mark of 8.17m (26-09.75) which currently stands as the top mark in the collegiate ranks and fourth-best in the world. His jump also ranks him second on the ASU all-time Top 10 list behind the 8.21m (26-11.25) 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Dwight Phillips recorded in 1999. Just the sixth man in Sun Devil history to break the 26-foot barrier, Quinley did all this in his first outdoor meet of the season.
Also in the jumps, Ryan Zimmerman claimed the triple jump title in the `B' section as he recorded a mark of 15.55m (51-00.25) to earn a spot in the regional meet. Joining Zimmerman as a winner in the `B' section of an event was Travis Jones, who captured the win in the discus with a toss of 53.11m (174-03). Jones also competed in the `B' section of the shot put where he finished fourth with a throw of 16.56m (54-04.00).
Elsewhere in the field, Porchea Carroll finished third in the women's `B' section long jump with a regional-qualifying mark of 5.97m (19-07.00) while Jessica Pressley fouled on her three attempts in the women's `B' section of the discus. Julia Pedersen rounded out the Sun Devils in the field as she placed sixth in the women's `A' section of the discus with a toss of 52.07m (170-10.)
On the track, the men's 4x100m relay of Steven Koehnemann, Domenik Peterson, Seth Amoo and Lewis Banda won their heat with a time of 39.41 and ranks third overall following the preliminary round. The relay, which is comprised of the same four men that finished second in the nation last year on the same track at the NCAA meet, will look to win the event Saturday in the finals. Amoo and Kelvin Love also ran in the open 100m dash with Amoo winning the second heat in 10.50 and Love placing second in the eighth heat at 10.74. Overall, Amoo sits seventh heading into the finals on Saturday while Love finished 26th. Carroll competed in the women's 100m dash and won her heat and also sits seventh overall with a mark of 11.66.
The Texas Relays conclude Saturday in Austin with the Sun Devils sending out two relays, two sprinters and four field event athletes. The men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays will be in action on the track, as will Amoo and Carroll in the finals of the 100m dash. In the field, Brandon Glenn will compete in the men's pole vault while Pressley and Pedersen will join Jennifer Kowacz in the women's shot put.