Sandys, Grant set to compete in Pac-10 Decathlon meet

May 06, 2009

<separator></separator><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/photos/schools/asu/sports/c-track/auto_pdf… Devil Meet Notes</a> (pdf)<separator></separator>The championship season opens this weekend with the Arizona State University track and field team sending a pair of athletes to compete in the 2009 Pac-10 Multi Championships that will be held on Saturday and Sunday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The two men will compete in the decathlon before the rest of their teammates travel to Eugene next weekend to take part in the remaining events of the championships.<separator></separator>IN THE FIELD The two Sun Devils that will compete in Eugene this weekend are both true freshman: <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sandys_jamie00.html">Ja… Sandys</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/grant_duggan00.html">Du… Grant</a>. Sandys will enter the weekend ranked eighth in the Pac-10 in the decathlon with a season-best score of 6,033 points, the second-best total among all freshman in the conference. Grant will be competing in his first decathlon of the outdoor season.<separator></separator>PREVIEW: DECATHLON Heading into the event this weekend, Sun Devil <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sandys_jamie00.html">Ja… Sandys</a> is ranked eighth overall in the Pac-10 with a score of 6,033 points. The current event leader is also the defending Pac-10 and NCAA champion, Oregon's Ashton Eaton, who has scored a national-leading and the third-best in the world point total of 8,023. While Eaton's score is more than 1,000 points ahead of the second-best in the league, 900 points separates second through eighth (the final seven scoring positions in the event), which will be vital points as teams will look to get every point they can toward winning the team title.<separator></separator>STRONG CONFERENCE According to the latest national rankings released by the USTFCCCA on Wednesday, the Pac-10 Championships will be filled with numerous Top 25 teams, including six women's and seven men's teams. In the women's rankings, Oregon leads the way at No. 4 with No. 5 USC and No. 7 Arizona State holding places in the Top 10. The remaining ranked teams include No. 13 UCLA, No. 14 Stanford and No. 15 Washington. On the men's side, host Oregon is No. 2 with the Sun Devils the only other Top 10 team at No. 4. The remaining five ranked teams include No. 13 Stanford, No. 14 USC, No. 15 Washington, No. 16 California and No. 19 Washington State.<separator></separator>TITLE DEFENSE The Sun Devil women enter the Pac-10 Championships as the three-time defending champions and will look to join UCLA as the only program to win the conference crown four or more times in a row (UCLA won eight in a row before ASU won the last three and also has won four in a row one other time). The Sun Devils, who claimed the title by the largest margin of victory in Pac-10 history last year (69.5 points), are returning to the site of their first crown after winning the 2006 title in Eugene during the 2006 season. That year, Arizona State outscored Stanford, 154-151.5, to win the program's first title on the women's side and just the second overall (the men won in 1981).<separator></separator>SO CLOSE In each of the past two Championships, the Sun Devil men have been close to winning the team title, but fell short to Oregon as the Ducks won in 2007 (114-110) and 2008 (144.5-134). The 1981 team champions, Arizona State's only other close call came in 1983 when it tied for second with UCLA. In the 30 previous Pac-10 Championships the Sun Devils have competed, the men have placed among the Top 3 eight times with five of those finishes coming under current head coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/kraft_greg00.html">Greg Kraft</a>. In that span, ASU has placed second twice (2007, 2008) and third three times (2000, 2004, 2005).<separator></separator>WHITING HONORED Following another successful weekend in the circle, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/whiting_ryan00.html">Ry… Whiting</a> was honored by the Conference as the Pac-10 Men's Field Athlete of the Week. Whiting, the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Indoor Shot Put Champion, helped the Sun Devil men to a sweep of its instate rivals as he took the discus title with a mark of 60.32m (197-11), more than eight-feet past the second-place mark, and then went on to win the shot put with a national-leading toss of 20.41m (66-11.50). The only 20-meter throw of the season in the NCAA so far this year, Whiting also bettered his Dual record mark of 20.35m that he set in 2007 as a freshman. Along with his NCAA-leading shot put mark, Whiting currently stands second nationally in the discus (60.73m). The weekly honor for Whiting is his first this season and the fourth for the Sun Devil program. He joins teammates <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/bethke_brandon00.html">… Bethke</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> (women’s track, April 13) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> (women’s field, April 13) as the other Sun Devils to be honored this season. (men’s track, April 20),<separator></separator>CLEAN SWEEP Over the weekend (May 2), the Sun Devils played host to the annual Double Dual with Arizona and Northern Arizona and walked away with a sweep over both of their intrastate rivals. In the women's team scoring, the Sun Devils defeated the Wildcats, 107-93, while downing the Lumberjacks, 116-68. On the men's duals, the Devils knocked off the 'Cats, 109-89, while defeating the 'Jacks, 134-51.<separator></separator>BY THE NUMBERS In the Double Dual, the Sun Devils won 23 different events while also collecting 22 second and third-place finishes overall. Along with the women winning 14 events and the men taking nine, the Sun Devils combined to record 27 regional qualifying marks on the day, including 14 by the men and 13 by the women.<separator></separator>MORE SWEEPS Of those 23 victories, the Sun Devils swept the titles in eight different events, including four on the track and four in the field. On the track, Arizona State dominated in the sprints as both genders won the 100m and 200m events while also collecting wins in both relays (4x100m and 4x400m). In the field, the Sun Devils were victorious in all four throws, including the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.<separator></separator>THE GOLDEN GIRLS Four Sun Devil women had very successful Double Duals as each had a hand in at least three event wins with one of the women in on four victories. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/chaney_jasmine00.html">… Chaney</a> led the charge as she swept the hurdles with wins in the 100m hurdles (13.77) and the 400m hurdles (59.10) while also running on the victorious 4x100m (44.02) and 4x400m (3:43.30) relays. Triple winners included <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/maloy_dominique00.html"…; Maloy</a> (100m, 4x100m and 4x400m), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> (200m, 4x100m and long jump) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> (shot put, discus and hammer).<separator></separator>FAB FROSH While there were only two men that won more than one event on the day, one of those men made quite a statement as true freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/battle_allante00.html">… Battle</a> had a hand in four victories. The rookie opened the day by helping the 4x100m relay to a win in 40.31 before taking the 100m dash in 10.58, just 0.01 off his seasonal-best. Then, he won the 200m dash with a personal-best and regional qualifying time of 21.21 before capping the day as a late addition to the 4x400m relay that won in 3:10.25.<separator></separator>DOUBLE DIPPING The other Sun Devil man to win two or more events came in the field as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/whiting_ryan00.html">Ry… Whiting</a> captured the shot put with a NCAA-leading mark of 20.41m while also taking the discus with a toss of 60.32m.<separator></separator>MORE WINS: WOMEN The remaining women's victories came from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/benjamin_jeavon00.html"… Benjamin</a> (400m, 4x400m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/paul_haley00.html">Haley Paul</a> (5,000m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elcock_shauntel00.html"… Elcock</a> (4x100m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sanchez_kayla00.html">K… Sanchez</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/rima_marjorie00.html">M… Rima</a> (triple jump); and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/regets_lissa00.html">Li… Regets</a> (javelin). (4x400m);<separator></separator>MORE WINS: MEN The remaining men's victories came from: <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/barbosa_nectaly00.html"… Barbosa</a> (800m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/mehlhorn_david00.html">… Mehlhorn</a> (3,000m steeplechase); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a> (hammer); Mark Peck (javelin); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/abram_calvin00.html">Ca… Abram</a> (4x100m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/miller_ray00.html">Ray Miller</a> (4x100m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/duncan_marcus00.html">M… Duncan</a> (4x100m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/caracciolo_ian00.html">… Caracciolo</a> (4x400m); <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/trice_lawrence00.html">… Trice</a> (4x400m); and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/kline_john00.html">John Kline</a> (4x400m).<separator></separator>BREAKING THROUGH While ASU recorded 27 regional qualifiers on the day, three Sun Devils recorded the first qualifying marks of their ASU careers. On the track, two of those marks came in the 400m hurdles as true freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sanchez_kayla00.html">K… Sanchez</a> ran 59.80 to qualify for the women's meet while junior transfer <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/archibold_roberto00.htm… Archibold</a> ran 51.72 to earn a place in the men's meet. The final first-time qualifier came from the men's javelin as true freshman Mark Peck won the event with a toss of 63.40m (208-00).<separator></separator>SCHOLARSHIP On April 28, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> was named as one of 29 women selected for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, a one-time, non-renewing $7,500 scholarship that is given annually to scholar-athletes that have excelled academically and athletically and are completing their senior seasons. Stevens, the lone woman from the Pac-10 to be honored with the scholarship among winter sports, is a two-time NCAA champion and 12-time All-American while also having earned numerous academic honors, including twice being named the USTFCCCA Women's Division I Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year (indoor 2007, outdoor 2008).<separator></separator>LOOKING BACK: 2008 PAC-10 MULTIS Last year, only one Sun Devil competed in the multi-event portion of the Pac-10 Championships that were held in Tempe and that was <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/johnson_jacquelyn00.htm… Johnson</a>, who won the women's heptathlon with a then-Pac-10 and school record 6,307 points. The title was Johnson's third after also claiming titles in 2004 and 2006. The 10 team points earned by Johnson put the Sun Devil women on the right foot as they would go on to win their third Pac-10 title in a row.<separator></separator>LOOKING BACK: 2008 PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS For the second year in a row, the Sun Devil women won the Pac-10 title and the men took second, this time placing highly on their home track in Tempe. The women scored 186.5 points to win its third title in a row while capturing six individual and one relay crown while the men were second (134) to Oregon (144.5) after capturing five individual and one relay crown. ASU athletes won both 200m dash titles (<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elston_darryl00.html">D… Elston</a> for the men) while also sweeping the 4x400m relay. for the women and<separator></separator>RETURNING WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS Although the Sun Devil women won six individual Pac-10 titles last year, only three of those winners are returning, as well as some of the runners on the victorious 4x400m relay. Individual, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> is back to defend her 100m and 200m titles while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> will look to win the hammer again and regain the shot put and discus titles she claimed in 2007. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/benjamin_jeavon00.html"… Benjamin</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elcock_shauntel00.html"… Elcock</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/maloy_dominique00.html"…; Maloy</a> all ran on the victorious 4x400m relay last year and are back this season to try and defend their title.<separator></separator>RETURNING MEN'S CHAMPIONS Of the five individual crowns won last year, only one returns this season and that is 200m dash champion <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elston_darryl00.html">D… Elston</a>. Elston is joined by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/kremer_justin00.html">J… Kremer</a> as the only returning members of the championship 4x400m relay team.<separator></separator>ANOTHER RECORD RUN For the second week in a row (April 18), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> took to the track and broke a school record, this time shattering the 100m dash mark. At the Mt. SAC Relays, Williams ran 11.29 to finish second only to current world leader Carmelita Jeter's 10.97. Williams' mark, which stands 14th in the world this week, broke the previous mark of 11.33 that was run by Sharon Ware in 1983 (26 years ago). One week earlier, Williams moved to the top of the charts on ASU's 200m list by running 22.82 and breaking the previous standard of 22.91 that Maicel Malone ran in 1991.<separator></separator>SPEED WORK Along with her two records set outdoors, Williams also is the indoor record holder in the 60m (7.30) and 200m (22.89). She also has helped several relays move up the rankings this year, including the 4x100m that ran 43.92 to move into second all-time at ASU and become only the second team to run a sub-44 in the event. Indoors, she helped the 4x400m relay clock the fourth-best time of 3:34.30 at the NCAA Championships where the team placed second overall in the meet.<separator></separator>TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS - NCAA On the latest release of the NCAA descending order lists, two Sun Devil men hold the top marks in the nation so far this year with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/bethke_brandon00.html">… Bethke's</a> time of 13:27.79 setting the standard in the 5,000m run while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/whiting_ryan00.html">Ry… Whiting's</a> toss of 20.41m leads the shot put.<separator></separator>ON THE LIST - WOMEN Six marks recorded by the women currently rank among the Top 10 nationally with three of those marks being held by <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a>, who ranks second in the shot put (18.00m), fourth in the hammer (64.87m) and seventh in the discus (54.58m). <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> ranks second in the 200m (22.82), ninth in the 100m (11.29) and is a member of the fifth-ranked 4x100m relay (43.92).<separator></separator>STEVENS LEADS THE WAY After qualifying in three events last year at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships and earning All-America honors in all three, including the national title in the discus, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> is once again in position to add to her career haul of 12 All-America honors. As it stands now, Stevens is the only woman in the NCAA that is ranked in the Top 10 in all three throws so far this season and is one of only three women to hold a qualifying mark in all three of those events that also rank among the Top 25 nationally.<separator></separator>ON THE LIST - MEN Along with Bethke and Whiting's marks, five other marks rank among the Top 10 nationally, including Whiting's toss of 60.73m in the discus, the third-best in the nation. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a> is in the Top 10 in three throws, including seventh-place standings in the discus (58.62m) and the hammer (68.15m) while also standing 10th in the shot put (18.55m). <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/mchenry_mason00.html">M… McHenry</a> is the final Sun Devil ranked in the Top 10 as he stands fifth in the 800m run (1:48.25).<separator></separator>LEWIS' LAUNCHINGS <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a> has continued to build upon his impressive indoor season when the former walk-on captured the NCAA Indoor Weight Throw title and earned All-America honors by placing fourth in the shot put at the same meet. As it stands now, Lewis is the only man in the nation that ranks among the Top 25 nationally in all three events outdoors as he stands in the Top 10 in the discus (seventh), hammer (seventh) and shot put (10th).<separator></separator>WHERE IN THE WORLD? On the latest world lists, two men and two women currently hold marks that rank among the Top 20 internationally, including two that rank among the Top 6. For the men, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/whiting_ryan00.html">Ry… Whiting's</a> toss of 20.41m ranks sixth in the shot put while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/bethke_brandon00.html">… Bethke's</a> time of 13:27.79 stands as the 14th-best in the world. On the women's side, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> ranks fifth in the 200m (22.82) and 20th in the 100m (11.29) while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> ranks 20th in the shot put (18.00m).<separator></separator>CATCHING UP WITH THE PAST Four men and four women with ties to the ASU program also have their names on the world lists, including two that currently lead the world in their respective events. For the men, Dwight Phillips' leap of 8.51m is the best in the world while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/brunson_marcus00.html">… Brunson</a> is 10th in the 100m dash (10.12), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/turner_matt00.html">Matt Turner</a> is 11th in the long jump (8.04m) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/bizuneh_fasil00.html">F… Bizuneh</a> is 18th in the 10,000m run (28:00.22). <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/johnson_jacquelyn00.htm… Johnson</a> is the world leader in the women's heptathlon (6,020 points) while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/davila_desiree00.html">… Davila</a> stands eighth in the 10,000m run (32:25.78), Lisa Galaviz is 11th in the steeplechase (9:58.41) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/wallace_latosha00.html"… Wallace</a> ranks 18th in the 400m hurdles (56.62).<separator></separator>TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS - PAC-10 The Arizona State women hold the top marks in six events and the men have done the same in two events just one week out from the Championships. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> has the fastest times in the Pac-10 as the defending champion in both events leads the 100m (11.29) and the 200m (22.82) while both relays currently have the best time in the league as well. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> also leads a pair of events as she has the top mark in the shot put (18.00m) and the discus (54.58m) while ranking second in the hammer (64.87m). On the men's side, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/duncan_marcus00.html">M… Duncan</a> has the top time in the 100m dash (10.41) while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a> is the leader in the hammer (68.15m).<separator></separator>CLOSE TO THE TOP<separator></separator>Along with the conference leaders, the Sun Devils also hold several marks that rank among the Top 3 overall. The men have four marks that rank second overall and four others that are the third-best in the conference while the women have posted one second-place mark and three third-place marks.<separator></separator>HANDLING THE HURDLES <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/chaney_jasmine00.html">… Chaney</a> also had a fine weekend at the Mt. SAC Relays (April 16-18) as she a part of four regional qualifying marks, including both relays and both hurdles. In the hurdles, however, Chaney improved her personal best times while also winning both events. First up, Chaney ran in the 400m hurdles and won with a time of 58.57 to move into the No. 6 position on the all-time ASU list while also becoming only the seventh woman to run a sub-59 in the event. One day later, she competed in the 100m hurdles and won with a time of 13.61, improving on the No. 9 time in program history. She also helped the 4x100m (44.17) and the 4x400m (3:37.10) to regional qualifying marks.<separator></separator>NATIONAL SUCCESS On March 13-14, the 2009 indoor season came to a close for the Sun Devils as eight members of the team traveled to College Station, Texas, for the NCAA Indoor Championships and returned to Tempe with a pair of fifth-place team finishes and 12 total All-America honors. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/whiting_ryan00.html">Ry… Whiting</a> (shot put) each won national titles to pace the three men while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> earned All-America honors in three events to lead the five women at the meet. (weight throw) and<separator></separator>THEY'RE ALL ALL-AMERICANS All three men and all five women that competed in the NCAA Indoor Championships over the weekend earned All-America honors with three athletes earning multiple awards. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lewis_jason00.html">Jas… Lewis</a> was the lone man to earn multiple honors as he finished first in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put while <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> earned honors in the same women's events with finishes of fourth and second, respectively. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> led the way, though, as she was an individual All-American in the 60m dash (sixth) and 200m dash (third) before joining <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/maloy_dominique00.html"…; Maloy</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elcock_shauntel00.html"… Elcock</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/benjamin_jeavon00.html"… Benjamin</a> to place second in the 4x400m relay. The final All-American was true freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/mchenry_mason00.html">M… McHenry</a> in the men's 800m run, where he placed ninth overall and was the eighth American to finish.<separator></separator>NEXT TIME OUT Next weekend (May 16-17), the remaining members of the team will head to Oregon for the Pac-10 Championships where the women will look to win their fourth title in a row and the men will try to capture their first since 1981 after placing second each of the past two years. Events will be held at Hayward Field on the Oregon campus on Saturday and Sunday.