ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—The Arizona State track and field teams wrapped up competition at the Don Kirby Elite Invite on Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center with highlights from the women’s pole vault and men’s shot put competition.
Freshman Haleigh Fritts cleared 4 meters for the first time in her career as she won her section in the women’s pole vault competition, finishing with a mark of 4.02m (13-2.25). The mark was good for sixth overall and is the new No. 5 in the ASU indoor record book.
“I think Haleigh having three PRs in the pole vault, to improve two and a half feet in one meet, that’s ridiculous,” Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft said. “Those are the things you have to have happen in order to be a top-three team in our conference. You have to have your stars be stars, but you also need to have that unlooked-for person to come in and surprise us. That was tremendous and a testament to the enthusiasm and belief that Coach Barela has had in her all year.”
In the men’s shot put competition, redshirt sophomore Thomas Anderson placed third with his personal best throw of 18.97m (62-3.00), which moves him to No. 7 in the indoor record book. Junior Ahmed Hassan placed sixth with a personal best throw of 17.94m (58-10.25), and redshirt senior Kyle Lillie also threw a personal best with a mark of 17.78m (58-4.00).
Junior Josh Dixon set a new best mark in the triple jump at 15.50m (50-10.25), winning his section and placing seventh overall. The mark places him in a tie for No. 7 in the record book with Lenny McGill, who jumped the same distance in 1990. Redshirt senior Bryan McBride jumped a season best 15.33m (50-3.50), and placed eighth overall.
On the track, senior Cameron Taylor won both the 60m hurdles preliminaries and the finals with times of 7.91 and 7.84, respectively.
In the 4x400m relays, the women’s team of senior Sara McDonald, freshman Melese Crozier, junior Kiera Bulluck, and senior Brianna Tate placed second with a time of 3:39.14, while the men’s quad of junior Sterling Winston, freshman Ronny Hall, junior Michael Julian, and redshirt senior Devan Spann ran a season best 3:15.19 in their ninth-place finish.
In the women’s 400m dash, Tate placed third with a time of 53.46, while McDonald followed in 12th at 55.12, and Crozier took 17th at 56.07. In the women’s 800m, redshirt senior Paisley Pettway took 10th with a time of 2:15.98.
Also in the field, redshirt freshman Magdalyn Ewen took fifth in the shot put with her throw of 15.44m (50-8.00), while redshirt senior Alex Hartig followed in sixth at 15.22m (49-11.25), and redshirt sophomore threw a season best of 14.25m (46-9.00), good for 13th overall.
Spann also took third in the 60m dash at 6.69, following his second-place finish in the prelims at 6.72.
“Devan Spann has battled through some foot issues, but he’s been running well in the 60m races, but this is the first time he ran with a turn in the 200m, and he ran 20.82 on Friday and anchored our mile relay today,” Kraft said. “I think that speaks volumes to the toughness he has, but also the character he has. He is such a strong guy and he understand what he needs to do to carry the team.”
At the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor in Seattle, Wash., sophomore Chelsey Totten debuted in the 3000m, placing fourth with a time of 9:36.02. Senior Payton Schutte took 20th at 9:48.39, and senior Shaina Corbin took 45th at 10:07.47.
In the 800m run, redshirt junior Trevor Landry took 28th with his finish at 1:53.37, while junior Ian Roberts ran a personal best 4:10.29 in the mile, for 20th place. Sophomore Cody Brazeal ran 4:13.00 for 31st, while redshirt junior Daniel Wong took 35th at 4:14.01.
The Sun Devils are back in action next week, with a portion of the team traveling to Flagstaff, Ariz., for the NAU Tune-Up on Friday, Feb. 20, while the rest of the squad will make a trip to South Bend, Ind., for the Alex Wilson Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 21.
More Quotes:
Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft:
“When you’re two weeks out from the conference championships, you’re really trying to look at where your team is strong, where you’re weaknesses are, and what we need to do to put the best team out there. We continue to show pockets of depth, particularly on both sides of the throws, I think we have some depth on the men’s side of the jumps, and on the sprints side, our Achilles is that we have good talent up front, but we’re not maturing as quickly as we’d like. I think overall we’re beginning to learn what it takes. When you start the season, everybody feels there is a luxury of time, but we’re in the middle of the indoor schedule now, and for every team in the country, we’re all evaluating our team in preparation for the conference championships.”
“When you look at this weekend, Devan Spann ran a pair of good races in the 60m and the 200m, Cameron won the hurdles race, Thomas Anderson and Ahmed Hassan and Kyle Lillie in the shot put were successful, as was Ryan Leslie in the weight, Bryan McBride and Josh Dixon are getting better. We’re doing well in the distance with are times from the meet in Seattle, so we’re putting together the pieces. On the women’s side, there’s Shelby Houlihan, Brianna Tate, Magdalyn Ewen, who are all favorites at the conference meet. We’re doing what we need to do, but you can never have too many people being successful. The maturation of our team continues. Our job as coaches is to clarify our expectation and maintain a sense of urgency in everything we do.”
Distance Coach Louie Quintana
“The women’s 3000m was great today. Payton and Chelsey ran fantastic, with Chelsey running 9:36, which is a tremendous run for her. Three weeks ago she was running over 10 minutes, so clearly we’re getting better. I was a little disappointed in the men’s mile, I thought we were in better shape than we performed. I think that the biggest thing with our group is that we have to get more reps and train better in practice. With some of the guys, they haven’t really competed, so we need to get them into some more competitive races. We’re going to keep our head up, keep getting after it and be ready for our next meet.”
Pole Vaulter Haleigh Fritts, on clearing 4.02m
“I’m still in shock, I guess. I can’t believe I was jumping at that height to begin with. It was my third PR just at the meet, and I just kept telling myself that I was still in the game for the next height. It was a great day.”
Distance runner CJ Albertson on Friday night’s race
“It was my debut in the 5000m, and I ran 14:08, so it was a good start. I was aiming for running at 14 minutes or under, but I liked my performance from my first race at this distance.”
Arizona State Results
DON KIRBY ELITE INVITE
Women’s 60m Dash Prelims
33. Jasmine Gibbs – 7.76
Women’s 400m Dash
3. Brianna Tate – 53.46
12. Sara McDonald – 55.12
17. Melese Crozier – 56.07
Women’s 800m Run
10. Paisley Pettway – 2:15.98
Women’s 4x400m Relay
2. McDonald, Crozier, Bulluck, Tate – 3:39.14
Women’s Shot Put
5. Magdalyn Ewen – 15.44m (50-8.00)
6. Alex Hartig – 15.22m (49-11.25)
13. Ashley Weber – 14.25m (46-9.00) (season best)
Women’s Pole Vault
6. Haleigh Fritts – 4.02m (13-2.25) (PR, won section, No. 6 in record book)
16. Nicole Kennedy – 3.87m (12-8.25)
Women’s Triple Jump
8. Keyasia Tibbs – 12.36m (40-6.75)
Men’s 60m Dash Prelims
2. Devan Spann – 6.72 (won section, qualified for finals)
Men’s 60m Dash Finals
3. Devan Spann – 6.69
Men’s 60m Hurdles Prelims
1. Cameron Taylor – 7.91 (qualified for finals)
Men’s 60m Hurdles Finals
1. Cameron Taylor – 7.84
Men’s 4x400m Relay
9. Winston, Hall, Julian, Spann – 3:15.19 (season best)
Men’s Triple Jump
7. Josh Dixon – 15.50m (50-10.25) (personal best, won section, No. 7 in record book)
8. Bryan McBride – 15.33m (50-3.50) (season best)
Men’s Shot Put
3. Thomas Anderson – 18.97m (62-3.00) (personal best, No. 7 in the record book)
6. Ahmed Hassan – 17.94m (58-10.25) (personal best)
7. Kyle Lillie – 17.78m (58-4.00) (personal best)
18. Kyle Long – 15.55m (51-00.25)
HUSKY CLASSIC
Women’s 3000m Run
4. Chelsey Totten – 9:36.02
20. Payton Schutte – 9:48.39
45. Shaina Corbin – 10:07.47
Men’s 800m Run
28. Trevor Landry – 1:53.37
Men’s Mile
20. Ian Roberts – 4:10.29 (personal best)
31. Cody Brazeal – 4:13.00
35. Daniel Wong – 4:14.01