Sun Devils light up the track at NAU Open

A week removed from its biggest test of the early season the Arizona State track & field team wasted little time getting back into action in posting several impressive marks at the Northern Arizona University Open in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Saturday. 

The men and #17 women combined to win nine events at the Walkup Skydome, despite competing without several of the team’s prime competitors from top-to-bottom. 

MEN’S RECAP
Sophomore Ryan Milus continued to impress, clocking the fastest times in both the preliminary and final rounds of the 60-meter dash.  Milus won his second competition in three races with an altitude-adjusted 6.64 in the final, beating out teammate Daniel Auberry.

Auberry’s runner-up time of 6.67 (altitude-adjusted) is a new career best for the senior and moves him to fourth all-time on ASU’s indoor 60-meter descending order list. 

In the men’s 200 meters, Rashad Ross likely opened some eyes in taking the win in an altitude-adjusted time of 21.15.  Ross, a member of the ASU football team who joined the track team at the conclusion of the football season, moved to sixth on ASU’s all-time indoor 200m list with the time.  The feat was impressive as it was just the second race Ross has run for Arizona State and just his second indoor 200-meter dash, period. 

In the men’s high jump, sophomore Bryan McBride continues to improve as he won his second consecutive competition with new career best, both indoors or outdoors, with a clearance of 2.21m (7-3.00).  The leap puts McBride fourth on ASU’s all-time indoor list and currently ranks him in the top-10 nationally, barring results from other meets this weekend.

McBride also won the men’s long jump competition with a jump of 7.08m (23-2.75). 

Freshman Cameron Taylor improved his already second-best 60-meter hurdles time on ASU’s all-time list again on Saturday in winning the competition with an altitude-adjusted time of 8.00 seconds. 

John Kline wrapped up the victories on the men’s side in taking the 800-meter run in a time of 1:50.47. 

WOMEN’s RECAP
On the women’s side of things, Christabel Nettey won the women’s long jump with a season’s best mark of 6.08m (19-11.50) to lead a 1-2-3-4 sweep of the event for the Sun Devils.  Nettey’s mark also moved her into the top-30 nationally in the event. 

Behind her was Constance Ezugha with a leap of 5.93m (19-5.50) followed by Keia Pinnick (5.87m/19-3.25) and Alycia Herring (5.76/18-3.75). 

Nettey would go on to take second in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.52 for a new season’s best. 

Herring would also lead the Sun Devils in a 1-2-3 sweep of the 200-meter dash in winning the event in 24.42 for a new season’s best in beating teammates Kayla Sanchez (24.64) and Asiah Gooden (24.81).  All times were adjusted for altitude. 

The three Sun Devils were also the top-three collegians in the 60-meter dash, with Gooden taking second behind an unattached Lekeisha Lawson in an altitude-adjusted time of 7.55 for a new season’s best and moving into a tie with Sanchez for seventh on ASU’s all-time 60-meter list. 

Sanchez was third in 7.56 while Herring took fourth in 7.61 and moving into the top-10 for the first time in a tie for the eighth-best time in school history.