Track falls to ASU, beats NAU in Tempe


By J. Ryan Casey
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, May 2, 2005

Individually, the Arizona track and field teams accomplished what they wanted to.

As a team?

That was a different story.

The athletes had 26 qualifying performances, eight of which were new or improved.

In the team-score competition, which was formatted as a double-dual meet between host ASU, NAU and the Wildcats, the Sun Devils downed both the Wildcat men and women (108-91, 116-81, respectively).

Arizona's men's and women's teams both bested NAU (129-41, 112-66, respectively).

Earlier this week, Arizona head coach Fred Harvey said that his team wasn't built for dual-meets.

"We're more of a national-level type of team, because of the type of individuals we have on our team, as opposed to a dual-meet team," he said. "(We) always understand that Pac-10s and the NCAA Championships are really where we're looking to be at our best."

Among the qualifiers was junior hurdler Jeff Hunter, who improved upon both of his qualifying times in the hurdles. Hunter won the 110-meter and 400 events in 13.98 and 52.11, respectively.

Sophomore Daniel Cook finished second to Hunter in the 110 hurdles (14.16), improving upon his qualifying mark in the process.

Senior distance runner Fanice Chepkorir improved upon her qualifying mark in the women's 800, winning in 2:09.20.

Senior thrower Ilona Rutjes made the biggest improvement of the day for either team. She won the women's discus with a throw of 189 feet, 9 inches. She holds the season's longest throw in the country in that event.

A number of athletes scored new qualifying marks, most notably the relay teams.

The women's 4x100 relay squad, consisting of senior Sharifa Jones, junior Donnisha Sanford and sophomores Nikki Martin and Jennifer Whitlock, qualified after a tumultuous season thus far. After dropping the baton three times in a row earlier this season, they held on to it this time, finishing second in 45.18.

Meanwhile, the men's 4x100 relay team, comprised of juniors Jason Heard and Hunter and freshmen Noah Ramirez and Bobby McCoy, qualified as well, crossing the line in second place with a time of 40.51.

Junior distance runner Robert Cheseret added to his cabinet of qualifying marks when he qualified in the men's 1,500, winning in 3:47.77.

Arizona competes in the Pacific 10 Conference Combined Events Championships in Westwood, Calif., hosted by UCLA, Saturday and Sunday.

The Wildcats start the Pac-10 Championships, also hosted by UCLA, May 14-15.