TEMPE -- For the 37th-consecutive year, the Arizona State track and field program will host the Sun Angel Classic that hosts arguably the widest variety of athletes in the country. Teenagers, high schoolers, collegiate athletes and professionals will grace the Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium from Thursday through Saturday.
"From a coaching perspective, Jeremy Rasmussen does an unbelievable job in putting this together," said Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft. "We had 3,000 high school entries and 2,000 college/open entries, and there is 2,382 student-athletes in the competition. When you look at that, what Jeremy has been able to coordinate for us and really take to another level, really makes a tremendous impact on our coaching staff being able to focus on our student-athletes. It really starts with what Jeremy has done planning and coordinating this."
The event features 58 high schools, 25 colleges and several countries with competitors participating. Through the efforts of Tim McBurney and others, high school runners, jumpers, and throwers began competing alongside Olympians, National Champions, and NCAA All-Americans before the event evolved to showcase Paraolympians, age-group competitors, and unique aspects rarely featured in track & field events.
More specifically, the Sun Devils will look to use the Sun Angel stage as the first stepping stone in the outdoor season as they return several athletes to the fold. It will be the first time the entire squad is anticipated to compete together and potentially the last for a while.
"Coming into this competition, it really gives us a chance to assemble our team. This will probably be one of the last times prior to the conference meet we'll have our team together as a whole before the dual meet with the U of A. We really need to find out where we are as a team. We've held out certain people because they've been dinged up or it's part of their race plan or competition plan.
"I'm very curious to see how our team responds to the competition."
Senior Jamol James and graduate transfer Reggie Lewis are two of the main athletes returning for the men this weekend in the sprints. James finished first in the 60-meter dash at the MPSF Conference Championships while Lewis came in third. They'll both compete in the slightly longer 100-meter dash event in the outdoor season, while Lewis also runs the 200-meter dash. They'll join fellow sprinters Isaiah Underwood and Brandon Hasson in the 4x100 relay this weekend.
For the women, junior LaTroya Franklin returns for the Devils as a significant puzzle piece to compete in the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay this weekend as well.
Live stream of the Sun Angel Classic can be viewed for free on the Pac-12 digital stream on Friday and Saturday here.
Find heat sheets, schedules, entries and results at our home meet info page here.