TEMPE – The Sun Devil track and field team opened the 2018 outdoor season with several personal bests at the first day of the Baldy Castillo Invitational at Sun Angel Stadium.
Arizona State debuted the newly resurfaced Joe Selleh Track to the track and field world when the women's 2,000-meter steeplechase took place under the lights in Tempe.
The inaugural race was fittingly won by a Sun Devil when Courtney Lewis outkicked Texas A&M's Ashton Hutcherson on the homestretch and took the victory in 6:59.25. Anna Pruter took fourth and Billie Jo Dytrt finished in sixth.
"The group did a good job," distance coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. "We've worked really hard over the past few weeks and we've had the opportunity to push training – we got perfect weather to do it – so tonight for them to run a bunch of PRs is a nice start to the season. But it's just a start, and I think that's what people need to take away from it."
The first event of the meet, the women's hammer throw, saw Kaylee Antill finish eighth and redshirt-freshman Samantha Noennig finish 12th in her Sun Devil outdoor debut. Noennig produced a personal best throw of 52.14m/171-0 feet with her third attempt.
In the women's javelin, two Devils advanced to the final from the field of 15 women, and Melanie Johnson took sixth while Jessica Barreira finished eighth. In the same event, North Dakota State's Alyssa Olin set a Baldy Castillo meet record.
The penultimate event of the evening included Bianca Tinoco, who picked up where she left off in the indoor season by running a personal best in the 1,500-meter run and taking third in the race in 4:31.86.
"We want them to leave here tonight and tomorrow knowing that this was just one step in the many great steps we'll have to make to continue to move our program in the right direction," Rasmussen said.
Saturday's action in Tempe gets going at 10 a.m. when Antill and Noennig join two-time national champion Maggie Ewen and 13 other competitors for the women's discus competition.
As for the track events, the first running event of the day will get going at 2 p.m., and the track will be in use until the completion of the 4x400-meter relays scheduled to begin at 6:08 p.m.
Baldy Castillo Invitational | March 16, 2018 | Tempe
Women's Results
1,500 Meters
3. Bianca Tinoco – 4:31.86
13. Angela Saitta – 4:40.14
14. Emily Gallegos-Francksen – 4:40.44
2,000m Steeplechase
1. Courtney Lewis – 6:59.25
4. Anna Pruter – 7:07.89
6. Billie Jo Dytrt – 7:19.29
Hammer Throw
8. Kaylee Antill – 56.90m/186-8
12. Samantha Noennig – 52.14m/171-0
Javelin Throw
6. Melanie Johnson – 44.32m/145-5
8. Jessica Barreira – 43.21m/141-9
Men's Results
1,500 Meters
20. Kevin Wilkinson – 4:00.81
22. C.J. Maree – 4:15.42
2,000m Steeplechase
5. J.P. Nelson – 6:05.88
6. Jackson Lewis – 6:09.69
Arizona State debuted the newly resurfaced Joe Selleh Track to the track and field world when the women's 2,000-meter steeplechase took place under the lights in Tempe.
The inaugural race was fittingly won by a Sun Devil when Courtney Lewis outkicked Texas A&M's Ashton Hutcherson on the homestretch and took the victory in 6:59.25. Anna Pruter took fourth and Billie Jo Dytrt finished in sixth.
"The group did a good job," distance coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. "We've worked really hard over the past few weeks and we've had the opportunity to push training – we got perfect weather to do it – so tonight for them to run a bunch of PRs is a nice start to the season. But it's just a start, and I think that's what people need to take away from it."
The first event of the meet, the women's hammer throw, saw Kaylee Antill finish eighth and redshirt-freshman Samantha Noennig finish 12th in her Sun Devil outdoor debut. Noennig produced a personal best throw of 52.14m/171-0 feet with her third attempt.
In the women's javelin, two Devils advanced to the final from the field of 15 women, and Melanie Johnson took sixth while Jessica Barreira finished eighth. In the same event, North Dakota State's Alyssa Olin set a Baldy Castillo meet record.
The penultimate event of the evening included Bianca Tinoco, who picked up where she left off in the indoor season by running a personal best in the 1,500-meter run and taking third in the race in 4:31.86.
"We want them to leave here tonight and tomorrow knowing that this was just one step in the many great steps we'll have to make to continue to move our program in the right direction," Rasmussen said.
Saturday's action in Tempe gets going at 10 a.m. when Antill and Noennig join two-time national champion Maggie Ewen and 13 other competitors for the women's discus competition.
As for the track events, the first running event of the day will get going at 2 p.m., and the track will be in use until the completion of the 4x400-meter relays scheduled to begin at 6:08 p.m.
Baldy Castillo Invitational | March 16, 2018 | Tempe
Women's Results
1,500 Meters
3. Bianca Tinoco – 4:31.86
13. Angela Saitta – 4:40.14
14. Emily Gallegos-Francksen – 4:40.44
2,000m Steeplechase
1. Courtney Lewis – 6:59.25
4. Anna Pruter – 7:07.89
6. Billie Jo Dytrt – 7:19.29
Hammer Throw
8. Kaylee Antill – 56.90m/186-8
12. Samantha Noennig – 52.14m/171-0
Javelin Throw
6. Melanie Johnson – 44.32m/145-5
8. Jessica Barreira – 43.21m/141-9
Men's Results
1,500 Meters
20. Kevin Wilkinson – 4:00.81
22. C.J. Maree – 4:15.42
2,000m Steeplechase
5. J.P. Nelson – 6:05.88
6. Jackson Lewis – 6:09.69