April 21, 2011
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TEMPE - Starting with this week’s home action, the Arizona State University track and field team will have three ‘regular season’ meets remaining on the schedule and five of its next six competitions in the Copper State, beginning with the Sun Devil Open that will take place Friday and Saturday at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe. While most of the team will remain in town for the Open, several throwers will head to the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., this weekend as well.
STAYING HOME
Including the Sun Devil Open, Arizona State will remain in the state of Arizona to compete in meets over the next six weeks, including two in Tempe and three in Tucson. After this weekend, the Sun Devils will play host to state rivals Arizona and Northern Arizona in the Double Dual on Saturday, April 30. In May, Tucson will host several events, including the Pac-10 Multi Championships (heptathlon and decathlon) on May 6-7, the Pac-10 Championships (all other events) on May 13-14 and the Tucson Elite Throws on May 21.
WEEKLY HONORS
Two Sun Devil women earned weekly honors after last weekend’s performances, including Jasmine Chaney, who was named the Pac-10 Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, and Anna Jelmini, who was ASU Athletics’ Gold Pitchfork recipient. Chaney led the way for the Sun Devils on the track at the Mt. SAC Relays as she had a hand in two wins and finished in the top three in all four races she participated in. The national leader in the 400-meter hurdles, Chaney won the event in 57.71. She also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles (13.51). In the relays, Chaney ran the anchor leg of the victorious 4x100 meter relay that finished in 44.53. She also anchored the 4x400 meter relay to second place in 3:33.22, which currently ranks sixth nationally. Jelmini, in her first collegiate season, continues to lead the nation in the discus (60.49m) and won the elite discus at the 53rd Mt. SAC Relays with a toss of 60.32m, which placed her ahead of three-time Olympian Suzy Powell. Jelmini also took fourth in the elite shot put (second among collegiate competitors) with a toss of 17.24m, which ranks third all-time in ASU history and stands sixth nationally. One day earlier, she improved her personal-best in the hammer with a toss of 54.52m, which moved her up to ninth all-time in ASU history.
THAT’S NOT ALL
On Monday, the 2011 Boston Marathon was held and former Sun Devil All-American Desiree Davilla put on a great showing, finishing second overall in the women’s race in 2:22.38, just two seconds behind the race winner, Caroline Kilel of Kenya. Davila, along with Kara Goucher (fifth) were the lone Americans in the Top 15 of the race that saw Davila take second by six seconds from the third finisher.
IN THE RANKINGS: USTFCCCA TOP 25
The USTFCCCA released its latest outdoor rankings this week where the Sun Devil women have moved into the Top 10 at No. 10 this week, up four spots from the previous listing. The ASU women are currently one of four Pac-10 teams in the national Top 10, which includes No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 USC and No. 8 Arizona while fellow conference members Stanford (17) and Washington State (19) are also in the Top 25. On the men’s side, ASU is not ranked in the Top 25 that has five Pac-10 teams, including No. 6 USC, No. 8 Stanford, No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 UA and No. 24 UCLA.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
In the third installment of the regional index rankings, the Sun Devils rank third in the women’s standings and fourth in the men’s. In the women’s rankings, Arizona leads the West with Oregon in second and ASU, Stanford and USC rounding out the Top 5. On the men’s side of things, Oregon leads the way with UCLA, UA, ASU and Washington completing the Top 5.
WATCH OUT FOR JELMINI
On April 5, the Bowerman Award committee added freshman Anna Jelmini to its watch list, making her one of 10 women the committee is keeping its eye on this season for the award given annually to the top male and top female collegiate track and field competitors. Jelmini, the national leader in the discus and sixth-ranked in the shot put, is the only freshman on the list with also includes two sophomores, one junior and six seniors. Jelmini also is one of three Pac-10 competitors on the list. Last year, Ryan Whiting was one of three men’s finalists for the Bowerman.
TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS
Heading into this weekend’s action, two Sun Devil women remain atop of the NCAA order lists based upon their marks recorded this season. On the track, Jasmine Chaney still leads the nation in the 400m hurdles at 56.61 while Anna Jelmini holds the top mark in the discus at 60.49m.
NATIONAL TOP 10
Along with those two marks, two Sun Devil men and five other women’s marks currently rank among the national Top 10 as well. For the men, Jordan Clarke is sixth in the shot put at 18.81m while Mason McHenry stands 10th in the 800m run at 1:48.44. On the women’s side of things, Chaney is part of the sixth-ranked 4x400m relay (3:33.22) with Alycia Herring, Keia Pinnick and Kayla Sanchez while Pinnick is seventh in the heptathlon (5,455 points) and Samantha Henderson is ninth in the same event (5,424 points). In the field, Jelmini is sixth in the shot put at 17.24m while Christabel Nettey stands fifth in the long jump at 6.38m.
THREE UNDER
At the Mt. SAC Relays, the Sun Devil women’s intermediate hurdle crew swept the Top 3 places in the event with Jasmine Chaney winning in 57.71 while Kayla Sanchez was second (57.76) and Keia Pinnick third (57.97). The times for Sanchez and Pinnick rank sixth and seventh, respectively, in ASU history. With those times, ASU is now the only school with three women to run under 58-seconds in the event so far this year, surpassing the two turned in by Texas.
WHERE IN THE WORLD?
Following the Mt. SAC Relays, three current Sun Devil women hold marks that rank them in the Top 20 on the world lists, including Anna Jelmini, who ranks among the Top 20 in a pair of events. Currently, Jelmini’s toss of 60.49m in the discus ranks her 11th overall while her mark of 17.24m in the shot put stands as the 20th-best overall. The remaining two current Sun Devils on the list include Jasmine Chaney, who is sixth in the 400m hurdles (56.61), and Christabel Nettey, who is tied for 18th in the long jump (6.38m).
MORE WORLD LISTINGS
Several other former Sun Devil competitors also are ranked in the Top 20 in the world, including Desiree Davila, who stands fifth in the marathon following her runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon. Also on the lists are Charonda Williams, who is sixth in the 200m dash (22.85), Lisa Aguilera, who is 19th in the steeplechase (10:12.17), Sarah Stevens, who is sixth in the shot put (17.96m) and Jessica Pressley, who is 14th in the shot put (17.46m).
LEADERS OF THE PAC(-10)
With the Pac-10 Championships just under one month away, four Sun Devils currently lead their respective events, including three women and one man. For the women, Jasmine Chaney leads the way in the 400m hurdles with her time of 56.61 while Keia Pinnick has the top point total in the heptathlon at 5,455. Anna Jelmini is the final women’s leader with her toss of 60.49m in the discus.
OFF THE CHANEY
Looking at the Pac-10 order lists, Jasmine Chaney is certainly among the best in the Pac-10 this year as she ranks in the Top 3 in four individual events and is on two relays holding the same distinction. Individually, Chaney has the best time in the 400m hurdles at 56.61 while ranking third in the 100m hurdles (13.18), 200m dash (23.16i) and the 400m dash (53.37i). Chaney anchors both relays as well, including the second-ranked 4x400m team (3:33.22) and the third-ranked 4x100m relay (44.53).
CLARKE LEADING THE WAY
On the men’s side of things, Clarke is the only Sun Devil ranked in the Top 5 in more than one individual event as he is ranked highly in all three weight events. Clarke leads the Pac-10 in the shot put at 18.81m and is third in the discus at 54.52m. He also is fifth in the hammer at 60.45m.
JELMINI IN THE LEAD
In her first season wearing the team uniform, Anna Jelmini has certainly impressed as she not only ranks among the Top 20 internationally and in the Top 10 among collegiate athletes, she also currently ranks in the Top 2 of the Pac-10 Conference in her best events. Along with leading the discus, Jelmini is currently second in the shot put.
KRAFT LEADS THE WAY
Head Coach Greg Kraft is entering his 15th year as the leader of the Sun Devil program, a tenure that has brought Arizona State back to the top of the standings in both the NCAA and Pac-10 events. Since his hiring, the program has continued to evolve into one of the more well-rounded in the nation with strength on the track and in the field as well as in cross country. Kraft and his staff have worked diligently to reach their goals of championships and success in education and that has not been more clearly seen than in the past five years as the hardware has continued to roll in. His program has annually produced some of the top individuals in the nation with 23 of the program’s 55 individual and relay national titles won since 2004 while both his teams and individual student-athletes have garnered national academic acclaim. Prior to his arrival, the program boasted one NCAA Championship (men’s outdoor track & field, 1977) and one Pac-10 Championship (men’s outdoor track & field, 1981). In the last five years, his Sun Devils have captured four national crowns (2007 women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, 2008 men’s and women’s indoor track & field) and added three Pac-10 Championships (women’s outdoor track & field, 2006-08). Kraft’s teams have finished in the Top 10 of the NCAA Track & Field Championships on 20 occasions in 14 years while the program had done so just 14 times prior to his arrival in Tempe.
LONG TENURE IN TEMPE
As he begins his 15th year at Arizona State, Kraft’s tenure ranks as the second-longest in Sun Devil track & field history and the fourth-longest active streak among all current ASU head coaches. The only coach that has led the track & field program longer than Kraft is legendary coach Senon ‘Baldy’ Castillo, who led the way for 26 years (1954-79). Among current Sun Devil head coaches, Kraft’s 15th year ranks behind John Spini, who is in his 31st year with gymnastics; Sheila McInerney, who is in her 27th year with women’s tennis; and Randy Lein, who is in his 19th year with the men’s golf program.
NEXT TIME OUT
The annual Double Dual will take place in Tempe next weekend on Saturday, April 30, as rivals Arizona and Northern Arizona will invade Sun Angel Stadium for the event. Only athletes in a uniform of the three schools will be able to compete in the scored team event.