DES MOINES, Iowa—Arizona State track and field’s redshirt senior Bryan McBride tied the school record in the high jump on Friday, clearing 2.29m (7-6.00) at the 106th Drake Relays at Drake Stadium.
Competing as one of the only two collegiate competitors in the Beijing WC Preview High Jump, McBride placed second as he set a new personal best and tied the top mark in program history on his first try at that height. Kyle Arney first set the mark in 1977.
“The highlight of the meet was obviously Bryan McBride,” Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft said. “He jumped against a field that had some of the best jumpers in the world, including Erik Kynard, the reigning Olympic Silver Medalist. Bryan had an early miss on the opening bar, but still battled back and jumped extremely well in each of his next attempts, which bodes extremely well as we moved toward the championship portion of our season. It’s very remarkable, what he’s been able to accomplish for us.”
Also competing in a Beijing WC Preview event, senior Shelby Houlihan placed sixth in the 800m run, finishing at 2:02.03.
Both of ASU’s women’s relays qualified for Saturday finals, the 4x400m team of senior Sara McDonald, sophomore LaTroya Franklin, freshman Melese Crozier, and senior Brianna Tate taking sixth at a season best 3:36.05. The 4x100m squad of junior Jasmine Gibbs, Tate, McDonald, and Franklin ran 45.74, finishing eighth overall and earning the final spot in the finals.
Additionally, Gibbs jumped a season best 6.07m (19-11.00) in the women’s long jump, finishing in second.
Though the men’s 4x400m relay team of junior Sterling Winston, freshman Ronny Hall, redshirt junior Cody Moore, and redshirt senior Devan Spann did not qualify for the finals, the quad ran a season best time of 3:15.43.
Also for ASU, the rest of the team opened competition at the Triton Invitational, hosted by UC San Diego. Senior Jessika Byrd led the way in the women’s hammer, throwing a season best 59.45m (195-00), good for sixth overall.
In the women’s discus, redshirt freshman Magdalyn Ewen set a new personal best as she threw 55.20m (181-01), the new No. 9 in the ASU outdoor record book. Redshirt senior Alex Hartig threw 51.93m (170-04), for 13th overall, while junior Ginger Jarchow also set a new personal best as she threw 50.54m (164-02), for 18th.
Competition at both the Drake Relays and the Triton Invitational continues on Saturday.
Quotes
More from Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft
“It was a difficult day with the weather, but our team did a nice job managing with the storms that broke through in the morning, which is a good rehearsal for us once we get to the NCAA Championships, where the weather can be unpredictable.”
“Jasmine Gibbs jumped a season best in the long jump, which was a nice start for us. Brianna Tate and Sara McDonald did a nice job of stabilizing both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams, while Shelby Houlihan did a great job running in an extremely competitive 800m race with a very large field. She really had a chance to get out and race against America’s best, and we’re pleased with the performance.”
“On the men’s side, Isiah Underwood ran a solid leg of the 4x100m relay team and also opened in the 100m dash for us, which bodes well going into the championship portion of the season. As for the 4x400m, we were a little disappointed because we just didn’t race as well as we wanted to, and we have just under four weeks to the Pac-12 Championships where we’re really going to need that event in order to be successful.”
Redshirt Senior Bryan McBride
“It’s been a long road, but I’m glad to have gotten to this point, to finally clear that bar. The atmosphere was great, I haven’t been to Drake in a while, so I didn’t really know what to expect as far as the crowd, but they were in love with the high jump and we love to jump with them there, so it was just an awesome feeling.”
“As far as my clearance, there’s really nothing more I could ask for. It’s a personal best, and having that three meets out from nationals is a great start. I really can’t ask for anything more than that. It’s not easy to go in with these guys that you know are the best in the world, so it gives me a lot of confidence that I can stay composed and do what I came here to do.”
Drake Relays
Arizona State Results
Women’s 100m Dash Prelims
20. LaTroya Franklin – 12.11
Women’s 800m Run Beijing WC Preview
6. Shelby Houlihan – 2:02.03
Women’s 4x100m Relay Prelims
8. Gibbs/Tate/McDonald/Franklin – 45.74 (qualifies for finals)
Women’s 4x400m Relay Prelims
6. McDonald/Franklin/Crozier/Tate – 3:36.05 (season best, qualifies for finals)
Women’s Long Jump
2. Jasmine Gibbs – 6.07m (19-11.00) (season best)
Men’s 100m Dash Prelims
11. Isiah Underwood – 10.79
Men’s 800m Run
8. Michael Julian – 1:51.52
11. Trevor Landry – 1:52.40
Men’s 4x100m Relay Prelims
10. James/Underwood/Middlebrooks/Trotter – 40.73
Men’s 4x400m Relay Prelims
24. Winston/Hall/Moore/Spann – 3:15.43 (season best)
Men’s Long Jump
9. Jamol James – 7.25m (23-9.50)
Men’s High Jump Beijing WC Preview
2. Bryan McBride – 2.29m (7-6.00) (PR, ties school record)
Triton Invitational
Arizona State Results
Women’s Hammer
6. Jessika Byrd – 59.45m (195-00) (season best)
14. Ginger Jarchow – 55.07m (180-08)
15. Magdalyn Ewen – 55.06m (180-07)
20. Ashley Weber – 53.39m (175-02)
Women’s Discus
2. Magdalyn Ewen – 55.20m (181-01) (PR)
13. Alex Hartig – 51.93m (170-04)
18. Ginger Jarchow – 50.54m (164-02) (PR)