April 26, 2002
DES MOINES, Iowa - A pair of freshmen turned in the top marks for Arizona State track and field in day one of the 93rd Annual Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, as Julia Pedersen placed second in the women's discus with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark and Trevell Quinley finished fourth in the men's long jump.
In addition, senior Tony Galaviz won his preliminary heat of the 110m hurdles to qualify for tomorrow's finals. The women's 4x400m relay team and the men's 4x100m relay team finished first and second in their respective preliminary heats to qualify for tomorrow's finals as well.
Pedersen earned runner-up honors in the women's discus with an NCAA PQ and ASU-best effort of 166 feet, 10 inches, surpassing her previous season-best of 152-2. Southern Methodist's Irache Quintal won with a throw of 169-7. Also competing in the event, ASU sophomore Sandra Orsund placed seventh with a mark of 158-4.
Although not quite reaching his season-best effort, Quinley placed fourth in the men's long jump with a leap of 24 feet, three inches. Randy Lewis of Wichita State won the event with a mark of 25-5.25.
Galaviz won the first heat of the men's 110m high hurdles with a time of 14.37 to qualify for the finals held tomorrow. Fellow Sun Devil Chris Morgan placed sixth in heat two with a time of 15.12, but did not qualify for finals.
The women's 4x400m relay team of freshman Cassandra Reed, senior Candida Coulson, sophomore Seneca Holmes and junior Joni Smith won the fourth heat of preliminaries in 3:41.71, guaranteeing a spot in tomorrow's finals. The other ASU relay team to qualify for finals was the men's 4x100m team of junior Luiz Mello, freshman Seth Amoo, junior Lorenzo Parham and sophomore Steve Fitch that finished second in heat three of the prelims in 40.93.
In other field event finals, senior Yolanda Meservey finished seventh in the women's shot put (45-3.75), followed by Pedersen in eighth (45-1.5). In the women's triple jump, senior Olivia Mazzaglia placed 23rd with a leap of 36-9.75, while in the men's discus junior Vince Mosca finished 10th (166-4). Junior Casey Clark tied for 14th in the men's high jump, clearing the bar at 6-8.5.
Also running in preliminary competition, the women's 4x100m relay team of freshman Porchea Carroll, junior Tiffany Greer, Smith and Reed finished fourth in the third heat in a time of 46.35, failing to advance to finals. Carroll also came up short in the women's 100m prelim, finishing fourth in the fifth heat in 12.31.
In the women's 100m hurdle prelims, Holmes placed fourth in heat four with a time of 14.54 and failed to advance to finals. Mello competed in the 100m prelim, also failing to advance with a fourth place finish in the second heat (10.72).
The 93rd Annual Drake Relays wrap up Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa. ASU will also have distance runners competing at the Oregon Invitational in Eugene, Ore., Saturday.