Stevens takes national lead in weight throw

February 07, 2009

The Arizona State University track and field and cross country program sent athletes to three different competitions on Saturday with several Sun Devils recording strong showings in their meets. Leading the way was <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a>, a 10-time All-American in the throws, who hit a mark of 21.59m (70-10.00) in the weight throw to win the event at the NAU Team Challenge in Flagstaff and claim the current national lead among collegiate competitors.<separator></separator>Along with the NAU meet, ASU sent eight athletes to the New Mexico Classic in Albuquerque, N.M., while three freshmen traveled to Derwood, Md., to compete in the U.S. Junior Cross Country Championships. In all on the day, the Sun Devils won seven events, including six by the women, and added another nine Top 3 placements. Stevens’ weight throw mark was the lone NCAA automatic qualifier earned on the day while two other marks were provisional qualifiers. Those came from Stevens in the shot put at the NAU meet (16.48m/54-01.00) and from <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> in the 200m dash (23.74) at the New Mexico meet.<separator></separator>In Flagstaff, Stevens won both the throwing events with her weight throw mark going as the second-best in school history and only the second toss to break the 70-foot barrier. Other winners at the NAU meet included <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/garnett_stephanie00.htm… Garnett</a> in the long jump (6.00m/19-08.25), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sanchez_kayla00.html">K… Sanchez</a> in the 200m dash (25.12) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/egboro_jeremy00.html">J… Egboro</a> in the men’s triple jump (14.63m/48-00.00). Williams won the women’s 200m dash in Albuquerque before helping the relay team of Jevon Benjamin, Dominique’ Maloy and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/elcock_shauntel00.html"… Elcock</a> to claim the 4x400m (3:44.82).<separator></separator>One other mark on the day made a place in the ASU all-time Top 5 and it came in the men’s weight throw in Flagstaff as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/helwig_jeff00.html">Jeff Helwig</a> took fourth place in the meet with a toss of 17.35m (56-11.25). That mark stands at the fifth-best in school history.<separator></separator>Near the nation’s capital, two women and one man competed in the cross country champions. In the women’s junior 6,000m race, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/tarver_kauren00.html">K… Tarver</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/lydy_kate00.html">Kate Lydy</a> finished 34th (23:10). <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/boughton_matt00.html">M… Boughton</a> ran in the men’s junior 8,000m race and finished 46th (26:56). placed 24th (22:40) while<separator></separator>A trio of meets await the Sun Devils next weekend, starting with the Texas A&M Invitational in College Station, Texas, on Friday and Saturday. The TAMU meet will give the Sun Devils a chance to compete at the site of this year’s indoor NCAA Championships. The two other meets, both taking place on Saturday, will include many of the team’s distance runners opening their indoor season at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., while other team members will return to Flagstaff for the NAU Tune-Up.<separator></separator>Meet Highlights - NAU Team Challenge Saturday, February 7 - Northern Arizona NCAA Automatic Qualifiers <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> - W Weight - 21.59m (70-10.00)<separator></separator>NCAA Provisional Qualifiers <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> - W Shot Put - 16.48m (54-01.00)<separator></separator>Event Winners <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/egboro_jeremy00.html">J… Egboro</a> - M Triple Jump - 14.63m (48-00.00) <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/garnett_stephanie00.htm… Garnett</a> - W Long Jump - 6.00m (19-08.25) <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/sanchez_kayla00.html">K… Sanchez</a> - W 200m - 25.12 <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> - W Weight - 21.59m (70-10.00) <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/stevens_sarah00.html">S… Stevens</a> - W Shot Put - 16.48m (54-01.00)<separator></separator>Meet Highlights - New Mexico Classic Saturday, February 7 - New Mexico NCAA Provisional Qualifiers <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> - W 200m - 23.74<separator></separator>Event Winners <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/williams_charonda00.htm… Williams</a> - W 200m - 23.74 Maloy, Benjamin, Elcock, Williams - W 4x400m Relay - 3:44.82