With the majority of the ASU men’s and women’s track team staying home to rest and prepare for the conference meet in Seattle, the team’s pole vaulters and redshirt senior thrower Anna Jelmini competed this weekend.
In Flagstaff, NAU hosted its Tune-up meet in the Walkup Skydome on Friday. The meet was the last chance for many of the participating athletes to qualify for the NCAA meet in March. It also was the last chance to improve on previous performances before the conference meets begin next weekend.
For the Sun Devils, it was about qualifying for nationals. Senior Heather Arseneau and redshirt senior Derick Hinch went to Flagstaff looking to qualify for the national meet before the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation meet.
For the women, there were only four total competitors in the pole vault, three of them Sun Devils. Arseneau and senior Shaylah Simpson both took the top spot, clearing the bar at 4.00 meters. For Simpson, it was her second best jump of the season, her best being 4.01 meters at the Don Kirby Invitational. For Arseneau, the jump didn't come near her personal best of 4.21 meters set at Don Kirby, and it did not qualify her for nationals.
Redshirt junior Amber Pasternak finished last of the four athletes. Pasternak’s jump of 3.70 meters is her second best of the season, her best being 3.71 meters set at Don Kirby.
On the men’s side, there was a new personal best set by freshman Dillon Groener. Groener cleared the bar set at 4.77 meters, good enough for second place. Redshirt freshman Chris Manuele followed Groener and tied for third place with a jump of 4.62 meters.
Senior Derick Hinch was not able to participate in the pole vault event in Flagstaff.
The only other sun devil to compete this weekend was redshirt senior Anna Jelmini. Jelmini traveled to the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico to participate in the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships. Jelmini is already qualified for the national meet, so the reason of her trip was to get her used to the kind of atmosphere there will be in Albuquerque next month.
Jelmini was one of 13 women to compete in the shot put event on Sunday. Jelmini finished 11th in the event with a throw of 16.57 meters, only her third best mark this season. Jelmini was one of only three collegiate athletes to participate in the event.
The entirety of the team can now put their entire focus on the MPSF conference meet next weekend. The meet will begin Feb. 28 in Seattle. It will also be the last a chance for athletes to get qualified for the national meet starting March 14 in Albuquerque.
Reach the reporter at wslane@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @bill_slane
