The Arizona track and field teams began their 2005 season by qualifying 29 athletes for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in a meet with in-state rivals ASU and NAU Saturday in Flagstaff.
The men's team picked up a second-place finish while the women finished third.
The Sun Devils swept both the men's and women's side of competition for the third year in a row.
"From an individual standpoint we did great, but as for team competition, we just had too many holes," said UA head coach Fred Harvey.
Junior Robert Cheseret led the men's team, winning the 800-meter (1:52.31) and mile (4:14.75) runs, while freshman Bobby McCoy led the UA men in the 60, taking third in 6.94 seconds.
Sophomore Daniel Cook won the 60 hurdles in 8.07 seconds with sophomore Jake Arnold taking third in the same event.
On the women's side, the Wildcats took third through fifth place in the 60 dash, all with MPSF-qualifying times. Sophomore Nikki Martin took third in 7.52 seconds; sophomore Jennifer Whitlock, fourth in 7.64; and senior Sharifa Jones captured fifth in 7.74 seconds.
Martin took third in the 200 in 23.95 seconds.
Jones won the 60 hurdles in 8.42 seconds. This time qualifies Jones for the NCAA Indoor Championships March 11-12.
"The team just wants to focus on getting big scores at a conference and national level," Harvey said. "We have the people to do that."
Along with the athletes' qualifying times on the track, UA had several people earn spots at the MPSF Championships in field events.
Junior Adam Zimnisky took a qualifying mark in the pole vault with a height of 15 feet, 7 inches, while sophomore Daniel Marshall won the triple jump.
The Wildcats had three throwers make MPSF qualifying performances in shot put. Freshman Megan Howard took third with a throw of 48 feet, 7 1/4 inches. Senior Ilona Rutjes took fifth and senior Amber Varner was sixth.