May 28, 2011
EUGENE, Ore. – Thirteen members of the Arizona State University track and field team have advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Final that will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, June 8-11, after successfully finishing among the Top 12 in their respective events at the NCAA West Preliminary Round meet that came to a close Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Overall, nine Sun Devil women and four men will make up the travel party to Drake University in two weeks where they will compete for national titles and All-America honors.
Once again, Jasmine Chaney continued to lead the way for the women as she added three more events to her schedule at the Finals, this time helping both relays advance while also earning a spot in the meet in the 100m hurdles. In the hurdle event, Chaney clocked in at 13.31 and earned an automatic berth into the Final as she posted the ninth-fastest time on the day in the West. Her advancement came one day after she earned a berth in the 400m hurdles for the second year in a row and earned All-America honors with her fourth-place finish last year.
Chaney will be one five women to compete in both the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles in Des Moines and one of two from the West as she will join one athlete from Stanford, one from Penn State and two from Miami (FL). She also will compete in four events in Des Moines as she also anchored both relays to qualifying times that advanced the Sun Devils to the Finals. First up, she joined with Asia Gooden, Kayla Sanchez and Alycia Herring to run 44.68 and finish ninth overall in the 4x100m relay to earn a berth to the Finals before working with Herring, Sanchez and Keia Pinnick to run 3:38.38 to finish 12th and earn the final berth in the 4x400m relay.
The women also saw Anna Jelmini advance to the national meet for the second time this weekend as she punched her ticket in the discus with the top throw in the West at 57.09m (187-03) two days after earning a spot in the shot put. A freshman, Jelmini will head to Des Moines with the top mark in the nation in the discus having thrown over 60-meters numerous times this season while no other woman has done so in the collegiate ranks.
The men added two more individuals to the list of national qualifiers with one coming on the track and one in the field. On the track, Darius Terry battled in the 1,500m run and finished seventh in his heat in 3:45.51 to earn the second to two time qualifiers after both heats produced 10 automatic qualifiers (Top 5 in each heat). His time was the seventh-fastest of the day and punched his ticket to the Finals for the first time in his career. Terry will be joined in Des Moines by Chris Benard as the junior transfer hit a mark of 15.75m (51-08.25) to finish 10th overall in the triple jump and earn one of the 12 berths in the event.
While the women’s 4x100m relay got in as the final qualifier, the men’s relay was not as fortunate as the team of Daniel Auberry, Allante Battle, Kelsey Caesar and Ryan Milus combined to run 40.39 and place 13th overall, making them the first team out. Also competing on the day for the Sun Devils were Cj Navarro in the discus (25th at 46.85m/153-8) for the women and men’s competitors Nick Happe in the 5,000m run (40th at 14:32.22); Jordan Clarke in the discus (20th at 52.55m/172-5) and the 4x400m relay of John Kline, Caesar, Battle and William Henry (DQ). Of that group, both Navarro (hammer) and Clarke (shot put) already had qualified for the Finals in other events.
Those Sun Devils that qualified, along with Samantha Henderson and Pinnick in the heptathlon, will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, in two weeks to compete in the NCAA Championship Finals, June 8-11, at Drake University.
2011 NCAA Preliminary Rounds - West
Sun Devils that Qualified for NCAA Finals (Des Moines) on Saturday
Women
Jasmine Chaney - 100m Hurdles (8th at 13.31)
Anna Jelmini - Discus (1st at 57.09m/187-03)
Arizona State - 4x100m Relay (Gooden, Sanchez, Herring, Chaney)(9th at 44.68)
Arizona State - 4x400m Relay (Herring, Sanchez, Pinnick, Chaney)(12th at 3:38.38)
Men
Chris Benard - Triple Jump (10th at 15.75m/51-08.25)
Darius Terry - 1,500m Run (7th at 3:45.51)
Sun Devils that Qualified for NCAA Finals (Des Moines) OVERALL
Women
Jasmine Chaney - 100m Hurdles (8th at 13.31)
Jasmine Chaney - 400m Hurdles (3rd at 56.90)
Samantha Henderson - Heptathlon (8th on national list)
Anna Jelmini - Discus (1st at 57.09m/187-03)
Anna Jelmini - Shot Put (10th at 15.86m/52-00.50)
Cj Navarro - Hammer (8th at 58.97m/193-05) - mark is #4 all-time in ASU history
Christabel Nettey - Long Jump (10th at 6.16m/20-02.50)
Keia Pinnick - Heptathlon (10th on national list)
Kayla Sanchez - 400m Hurdles (12th at 58.57)
Arizona State - 4x100m Relay (Gooden, Sanchez, Herring, Chaney) - 44.68
Arizona State - 4x400m Relay (Herring, Sanchez, Pinnick, Chaney) - 3:38.38
Men
Chris Benard - Triple Jump (10th at 15.75m/51-08.25)
Jordan Clarke - Shot Put (5th at 18.35m/60-02.50)
Ryan Milus - 100m dash (5th at 10.45)
Darius Terry - 1,500m Run (7th at 3:45.51)
Full Sun Devil Results from Saturday
Women’s 4x100m Relay - Quarterfinal
9. Arizona State (Gooden, Sanchez, Herring, Chaney) - 44.68 - advances to Des Moines
Men’s 4x100m Relay - Quarterfinal
13. Arizona State (Auberry, Battle, Caesar, Milus) - 40.39 - does not advance
Men’s 1,500m Run - Quarterfinal
7. Darius Terry - 3:45.51 - advances to Des Moines
Women’s 100m Hurdles - Quarterfinal
8. Jasmine Chaney - 13.31 - advances to Des Moines
Men’s 5,000m Run - Semifinal
40. Nick Happe - 14:32.22 - does not advance
Women’s 4x400m Relay - Quarterfinal
12. Arizona State (Herring, Sanchez, Pinnick, Chaney) - 3:38.38 - advances to Des Moines
Men’s 4x400m Relay - Quarterfinal
--. Arizona State (Kline, Caesar, Battle, Henry) - DQ - does not advance
Women’s Discus - First Round
1. Anna Jelmini - 57.09m (187-03) - advances to Des Moines
25. Cj Navarro - 46.85m (153-08) - does not advance
Men’s Triple Jump - First Round
10. Chris Benard - 15.75m (51-08.25) - advances to Des Moines
Men’s Discus - First Round
20. Jordan Clarke - 52.55m (172-05) - does not advance