SDSU TRACK & FIELD OPENS 2017 WITH STRONG SHOWING

SDSU’s 4x400-meter relay time posted the ninth-best time in program history

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 14, 2017 (Seattle) - San Diego State track and field had a positive start to the 2017 campaign, boasting 10 top five finishers at the UW Preview Saturday at Dempsey Indoor.

San Diego State had a great showing in the 200. Newccomer Rochene Smith was the race runner-up at 24.34, just one-fourth of a second behind winner Alaysha Johnson of Oregon. Senior Starlynn Singleton finished fifth with a 24.82 time.

The Aztecs also had a second-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay while making their mark in the program’s record book. Anchored by newcomer Andrenette Knight, Madison Gipson, Tyra Lea and Monique McPherson posted a 3:46.65 time, just over one-half of a second behind the winning relay team from Washington (3:46.11). That mark is the ninth fastest in SDSU history.

All of San Diego State’s competitors in the 400 finished in the top 12. Lea was the Aztecs’ top finisher at fifth, crossing the finish line in 56.61. Knight was seventh with a 56.83 time. Finishing 10^th was Simone Glenn, recording a 57.45 mark. Gipson’s 57.62 time was good for 12^th.

In the eight-person final of the 60-meter hurdles, which was trimmed from 18 competitors in the preliminary round, Micha Auzenne finished fourth with an 8.40 time, while Knight was eighth (8.69).

The Scarlet and Black had three representatives in the eight-person 60-meter dash final after competing in the 20-person preliminaries. In the finals, Ashley Henderson finished fifth with a 7.37 time, which was matched by Auzenne in sixth. Smith’s 7.58 time placed her eighth. 

McPherson finished 23^rd in the 800 with a 3:00.37 time.

The Aztecs were also solid in the field events. Singleton recorded a second top five finish with a third-place showing in the long jump. Her 18-04.25 mark was a collegiate best. Lisa-Anne Barrow’s 17-09.50 mark put her seventh, while Jelena McNown finished ninth (17-07.50) and, making her collegiate debut in the event, Je’Neal Ainsworth was 13^th (16-10.50).

Ainsworth was the Aztecs’ lone competitor in the triple jump, finishing fifth with a 38-08.75 mark.

In the pole vault, Marissa Berry finished sixth with a 12-00.75 mark. Rachel Craft, Katherine Magill and Sara Curran also competed.

San Diego State returns to action next Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Cherry and Silver Collegiate Invite in Albuquerque, N.M.

UW Preview

Jan. 14, 2017

Seattle, Wash.

Team Results

No team scores

Individual Results

60 Meters Qualification Finals (out of 38 entrants)

1. Sarah Stavig (Washington) - 7.54q

3. Simone Glenn (SDSU) - 7.59q

4. Rochene Smith (SDSU) - 7.59q

17. Kira Moreland (SDSU) - 8.00

27. Tyra Lea (SDSU) - 8.09

400 Meters (out of 44 entrants)

1. Gabrielle Gayles (Stanford) – 55.96

5. Tyra Lea (SDSU) – 56.61

7. Andrenette Knight (SDSU) – 56.83

10. Simone Glenn (SDSU) – 57.45

12. Madison Gipson (SDSU) – 57.62

200 Meters (out of 67 entrants)

1. Alaysha Johnson (Oregon) – 24.09

2. Rochene Smith (SDSU) – 24.34

5. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) – 24.82

4x400-Meter Relay (out of 16 entrants)

1. Washington ‘A’ (Alexis Ford, Carolyn Birkenfield, Whitney Diggs, Imani Apostol) – 3:46.11

2. San Diego State ‘A’ (Andrenette Knight, Madison Gipson, Tyra Lea, Monique McPherson) – 3:46.65

Pole Vault (out of 34 entrants)

1. Kristina Owsinski (unattached) – 13-06.50

6. Marissa Berry (SDSU) – 12-00.75

Rachel Craft (SDSU) – NH

Katherine Magill (SDSU) – NH

Sara Curran (SDSU) – NH

Long Jump (out of 39 entrants)

1. Tara Davis (Plyometric Fusion) – 19-11.75

3. Starlynn Singleton (SDSU) – 18-04.25

7. Lisa-Anne Barrow (SDSU) – 17-09.50

9. Jelena Mcnown (SDSU) – 17-07.50

13. Je’Neal Ainsworth (SDSU) – 16-10.50

Kira Moreland (SDSU) – Foul

Triple Jump (out of 23 entrants)

1. Chaquinn Cook (Oregon) – 41-08.50

5. Je’Neal Ainsworth (SDSU) – 38-08.75

60-Meter Hurdles Prelims (out of 18 competitors)

1. Sasha Wallace (Oregon) – 8.14q

3. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) – 8.30q

7. Andrenette Knight (SDSU) – 8.62

60-Meter Hurdles Finals (out of eight competitors)

1. Sasha Wallace (Oregon) – 7.96M

4. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) – 8.40

8. Andrenette Knight (SDSU) – 8.69

60-Meter Dash Prelims (out of 20 competitors)

1. Hannah Cunliffe (Oregon) – 7.29q

3. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) – 7.40q

6. Ashley Henderson (SDSU) – 7.47q

8. Rochene Smith (SDSU) – 7.52q

12. Simone Glenn (SDSU) – 7.62

60-Meter Dash Finals (out of eight competitors)

1. Hannah Cunliffe (Oregon) – 7.19

5. Ashley Henderson (SDSU) – 7.37

6. Micha Auzenne (SDSU) – 7.37

8. Rochene Smith (SDSU) – 7.58