LOS ANGELES—The Arizona State track and field teams wrapped competition at the 2015 Pac-12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday with senior Shelby Houlihan’s successful title defenses in the 1500m and 5000m and redshirt senior Bryan McBride winning the high jump at Drake Stadium.
“As we move forward, we’ve really been leaning heavily on our seniors, Shelby Houlihan was herself today, dominating and really good times in the 1500m and 5000m double, Brianna Tate had a lifetime best in the 400m, Bryan McBride scored 20 points and won his first Pac-12 title in the high jump,” Director of Track and Field Greg Kraft said. “Devan Spann ran the first two open quarters of his career and Michael Ohakwe and Kyle Lille scored for us in the throws. I’m proud of our seniors, and now we have a chance to move forward and go to regionals.”
As a team, the Arizona State women finished in fourth with 72 points, while the men’s team finished in fifth with 75 points. The Sun Devils finished ahead of Arizona on both sides, to put ASU over the Wildcats in each of the three Territorial Cup Series matchups for 2014-15. Not only did ASU go 6-0 in T-Cup, but also swept Arizona in the dual meet on May 2. Oregon swept the team titles with 185 women’s points and 152 men’s points.
“All in all, this group, especially our seniors, went 8-0 against Arizona in the Territorial Cup Series and sweeping the dual meet, so that’s obviously something they can hang their hats on as a team,” Kraft said. “Our expectations are always higher than fourth and fifth, so we have a lot to work on for the future.”
Like the trials, Houlihan led the 1500m finals from wire to wire, finishing in a meet record and season best time of 4:11.06. The Sioux City, Iowa native is now just the second athlete to win three conference titles in the 1500m, joining USC’s Grazyna Oenc, who won in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
“My time in the 1500m (4:11.06) gives me a lot of confidence,” Houlihan said. “It was a 4:11 race and it didn’t feel like it. I had another gear by the end and could have gone even faster if I needed to. It felt really easy and I felt strong the whole way.”
Hours later, Houlihan came back out on the track and closed strong to win the 5000m run finals in a personal best 15:58.45. Houlihan knocked nearly 13 seconds off her previous best, which she set when she won the 2014 Pac-12 title in 16:11.63. The new best moves Houlihan to No. 5 in the ASU outdoor top-10 list.
On the men’s side, McBride won his first-ever title in the high jump with a clearance of 2.19m (7-2.25). As the triple jump finals were scheduled at the same time as the high jump, McBride, decided to stop high jumping and moved on to set a new personal best in the triple jump with a mark of 15.66m (51-4.50). With five points in the long jump on Saturday, McBride joined Houlihan as ASU’s second 20-point scorer at the meet.
“I know our team has been a struggling to put some things together, little things here and there, and while some parts of the team are trying to find their way, it’s good that I can step up and make up for anything I can,” McBride said. “With the 20 points today, Coach is happy with that and I’m happy with that, so I can’t really ask for more.”
Also in the triple jump, junior Josh Dixon added four more points with his fifth-place finish at 15.56m (51-0.75).
Following her third-place finish in the shot put on Saturday, redshirt freshman Magdalyn Ewen picked up 10 more points on Sunday with her finishes in the hammer and the discus. In the hammer, Ewen moved to fifth place on her final throw, which was marked at 57.39m (188-03), and then followed with her second third-place finish of the weekend with a mark of 55.53m (188-03) in the discus.
“Maggie (Ewen) came in with high accolades, she’s going to be one of the women in the future who has to do some heavy lifting,” Kraft said. “As talented as she is, there’s still a process that student-athletes have to go through and she’s not immune from it. I think Shelby as a freshman fell at Regionals and didn’t advance, and she came back to become a national champion. I think that in all my years of coaching, 19 at ASU and 35 overall, the only athlete who that hasn’t happened to was Jackie Johnson. But to start off, we’re very proud of what Maggie did for us this weekend.”
Redshirt senior Alex Hartig added three more points as she threw a season best 52.91m in the discus for six points, while junior Ginger Jarchow added two points from the hammer with a seventh-place finish at 56.12m (184-01).
In the sprints, senior Brianna Tate led the Sun Devils as she took second in the 400m finals with a personal best finish at 51.66. Tate’s time is the No. 2 mark in ASU’s top-10, and also comes in as one of the top-10 marks in Pac-12 history.
Tate also ran on both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, which both took fourth. The 4x100m relay of Jasmine Gibbs, Tate, Sara McDonald, and LaTroya Franklin finished in 44.97, while the 4x400m relay team of McDonald, Franklin, Melese Crozier, and Tate ran a season best time of 3:35.46.
Sophomore Keyasia Tibbs added five points as she jumped a personal best 12.69m (41-7.75) in the triple jump, moving her to No. 3 in the ASU top-10 list. Freshman Darreyl Woodson matched her personal best with a jump of 11.50m (37-8.75).
Senior Cameron Taylor ran a season best 14.01 in the 110m hurdles finals, finishing in third and adding six team points, while redshirt senior Devan Spann added six more points with a third-place finish at 46.36 in the 400m dash finals. Also finishing in third was redshirt senior Michael Ohakwe, who threw 56.55m (185-06) in the men’s discus finals.
Redshirt sophomore Kyle Long added three points in the discus at 53.64m (176-00), while redshirt sophomore Thomas Anderson set a new personal best at 48.38m (158-09).
In the 100m dash finals, Gibbs added two points with her finish at 11.70, while junior Jamol James ran 10.46 for sixth and three points, and junior Isiah Underwood ran 10.59 for eighth and one point. James and Underwood, along with Kyle Middlebrooks and Ronny Hall place fourth in the 4x100m relay at 40.28.
Redshirt junior Cody Moore added two points with a personal-best finish in the 400m hurdles at 52.68, while redshirt junior Trevor Landry picked up a point with his eighth-place finish in the 800m finals at 1:51.21.
Up next, athletes who finish in the top-48 in the region will qualify to compete at the 2015 NCAA West Regional Meet, May 28-30, in Austin, Texas.
Quotes
More from Senior Shelby Houlihan (Three-Time Pac-12 1500m Champion, Two-Time Pac-12 5000m Champion)
“I felt really good today, overall it was just a really great day. I was a little nervous going into the 5000m after the 1500m, my legs were definitely feeling it, but I started out and felt strong, so I focused on what I needed to do, squeezed down that last mile and just felt really strong. I didn’t have much of a race plan going into the 5000m, I wasn’t sure how much I had after the earlier race, but I stayed patient and half way through I knew I could start squeezing it down and that I’d have enough in the end to win it.”
More from Redshirt Senior Bryan McBride (Pac-12 High Jump Champion)
“It felt good today, especially to win the high jump. I was a little sore from long jumping yesterday, so I knew I just had to compete through some things in high jump, and that’s what I did. When I found out I won after clearing 2.19m, I just went to triple jump because I’m here for the team and to get those team points, try to do the best I can. I’m very happy with the way I’ve competed these last two days.”
Redshirt Freshman Magdalyn Ewen (3rd Place Shot/Discus, 5th Place Hammer)
“I think it was really just the adrenalin of the situation in the hammer, the last big chance to get a good mark, and I think I do better under pressure. When it came to it, I knew I was ready, Coach Dumble knew I was ready, everyone was confident, and it was time to do it. The field in the discus was very good, and I’m really happy that I got another top-three finish. I’m glad I’ve been able to contribute so much to the team this year, and I hope that in the future I can finish higher, score more points, and do even better for the team.”
Senior Cameron Taylor (3rd Place, 110m Hurdles)
“We come out here to compete with some of the best track programs in the country, so I’m glad I could finish in the top-three in my event. I have some things to work on going into regionals and try to make it to NCAAs. It’s another step in the process to getting better.”
Senior Brianna Tate (2nd Place, 400m Dash)
“I’m feeling really good, I wanted to break 52 seconds in the 400m and that’s what I did today. We had a good chance to run a season best in the 4x400m relay this afternoon, and we did it, which will help us once we move on to regionals and aim for getting a spot in the NCAA finals.”
ASU’s Top Point Scorers
Women
Shelby Houlihan – 20 points (1500m – 10 points, 5000m – 10 points)
Magdalyn Ewen – 16 points (Shot Put – 6 points, Discus – 6 points, Hammer – 4 points)
Men
Bryan McBride – 20 points (High Jump – 10 points, Long Jump – 5 points, Triple Jump 5 points)
Final Team Standings
Women
1. Oregon - 185
2. USC – 182
3. Stanford – 87
4. Arizona State – 72
5. Washington State/UCLA – 64
7. Washington – 63
8. Colorado – 43
9. Arizona – 36
10. Utah – 14
11. Oregon State – 6
12. California – 3
Men
1. Oregon - 152
2. USC – 121
3. Washington – 84.50
4. UCLA – 83
5. Arizona State – 75
6. Arizona – 73.50
7. Colorado – 68
8. California – 66
9. Stanford – 64.50
10. Washington State – 31.50
Arizona State Results
Women’s 100m Dash Finals
7. Jasmine Gibbs – 11.70 (2 points)
Women’s 400m Dash Finals
2. Brianna Tate – 51.66 (8 points, PR, No. 2 in ASU Outdoor Record Book)
Women’s 1500m Run Finals
1. Shelby Houlihan – 4:11.06 (10 points, Pac-12 Meet Record, season best)
Women’s 5000m Run Finals
1. Shelby Houlihan – 15:58.45 (10 points, nearly 13 second PR, No. 5 in ASU Outdoor Record Book)
9. Cristina Juan Torres – 16:34.03 (PR)
13. Chelsey Totten – 16:57.72
16. Jenna Maack – 17.04.35
28. Shaina Corbin – 17:46.96
Women’s 4x100m Relay Finals
4. Gibbs, Tate, McDonald, Franklin – 44.97 (5 points)
Women’s 4x440m Relay Finals
4. McDonald, Franklin, Crozier, Tate – 3:35.46 (5 points, season best)
Women’s Pole Vault
11. Haleigh Fritts – 3.67m (12-0.50)
14. Nicole Kennedy – 3.67m (12-0.50)
Women’s Triple Jump
4. Keyasia Tibbs – 12.69m (41-7.75) (5 points, PR, No. 3 in ASU Outdoor Record Book)
17. Darreyl Woodson – 11.50m (37-8.75) (Matches PR)
Women’s Discus Throw
3. Magdalyn Ewen – 55.53m (182-02) (6 points)
6. Alex Hartig – 52.91m (173-07) (3 points, season best)
Women’s Hammer Throw
5. Magdalyn Ewen – 57.39m (188-03) (4 points)
7. Ginger Jarchow – 56.12m (184-01) (2 points)
11. Jessika Byrd – 53.69m (176-02)
12. Ashley Weber – 53.53m (176-02)
Men’s 100m Dash Finals
6. Jamol James – 10.46 (3 points)
8. Isiah Underwood – 10.59 (1 point)
Men’s 400m Dash Finals
3. Devan Spann – 46.36 (6 points, PR)
Men’s 800m Finals
8. Trevor Landry – 1:51.21 (1 point)
9. Michael Julian – 1:56.44
Men’s 5000m Run Finals
20. Daniel Wong – 14:30.99
25. CJ Albertson – 14:52.80
Men’s 110m Hurdles Finals
3. Cameron Taylor – 14.01 (6 points, season best)
Men’s 400m Hurdles Finals
7. Cody Moore – 52.68 (2 points, PR)
Men’s 4x100m Relay Finals
4. James, Underwood, Middlebrooks, Hall – 40.28 (5 points)
Men’s 4x400m Relay Finals
8. Moore, Hall, Julian, Winston – 3:15.09 (1 point)
Men’s High Jump
1. Bryan McBride – 2.19m (7-2.25) (10 points)
10. Edmond Baker – 2.07m (6-9.50)
Men’s Triple Jump
4. Bryan McBride – 15.66m (51-4.50) (5 points, PR)
5. Josh Dixon – 15.56m (51-0.75) (4 points)
Men’s Discus
3. Michael Ohakwe – 56.55m (185-06) (6 points)
6. Kyle Long – 53.64m (176-00) (3 points)
15. Thomas Anderson – 48.38m (158-09) (PR)
17. Ahmed Hassan – 43.38m (142-04)