Feb. 9, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - The Bronco Invitational came to a close Saturday afternoon with several members of the Arizona State University track and field program recording solid marks, including another school record, one NCAA automatic qualifier and three NCAA provisional qualifiers. The Sun Devil women won four individual events and one relay while the men captured a relay title to close out the meet.
On the women's side, defending indoor national champion Sarah Stevens, making her season debut in the event, hit a mark of 17.11m (56-01.75) to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships in the shot put while winning the event. Jessica Pressley, the defending outdoor shot put champion, recorded an NCAA provisional mark of 16.34m (53-07.50) to place second in her first competition of the season.
April Kubishta recorded the other provisional qualifier as she cleared 3.96m (12-11.75) to win the pole vault while teammate Alana Waterford, who took second, cleared 3.86m (12-08.00) to improve her personal best for the third meet in a row and fourth-best all-time at ASU. Charonda Williams won the 200m in 24.22, the fifth-fastest time in school history while the Sun Devil 4x400m relay team ran 3:43.04 to win. Jacquelyn Johnson won the high jump in 1.73m (5-08.00) to round out the victors.
On the men's side, Jason Lewis hit a mark of 20.94m (68-08.50) to earn an NCAA provisional qualifier in the weight throw and, in the process, broke a 12 year-old school record in the event. The previous mark was set in 1996 by Mika Laiho, who recorded a toss of 20.49m.
ASU's final provisional qualifier came in the 400m dash as Jimmie Gordon lowered his personal-best to 46.72. The men's 4x400m relay also won their race, clocking a time of 3:11.39.
It will be a busy weekend next time as four different locations play host to Sun Devil athletes, February 15-16. On the track, several Sun Devils will head to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Classic, to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational or to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic. The final destination for next weekend will see a trio of current Sun Devils and handful of former athletes head to San Diego for the 2008 USATF Cross Country Championships.