In the year's largest outdoor track and field meet at Sun Angel Stadium, the Baldy Castillo Invitational was a success, especially for the ASU women runners.
Juniors Tiffany Greer and Brianna Torres and senior Candida Coulson led the Sun Devils during the first day of competition. Greer, who has already gained All-American recognition for the indoor season, took first place in the women's long jump after leaping 20 feet, 2 inches, defeating a field of athletes from Indiana, Notre Dame and Washington State, among others.
Greer narrowly edged out Indiana junior Rose Richmond, who leapt 20 feet, 1 inch. But Greer ran into trouble in her third jump, as she had faulted on two of her first three attempts.
In the women's 1500-meter, Utah State's Kristen Combs kept a decent pace ahead of Torres. But Torres outran Combs in the final turn and crossed the finish line in 4:32.81, a time good enough for a Pac-10 qualifier.
Coulson, whose all-time collegiate best in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles is 58.31, came close to notching a new record mark with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 58.80. Washington State's Randi Smith was the only other competitor in the 12-athlete field to clock a sub-minute time.
In the opening day of the invitational, ASU junior thrower Vince Mosca won the only men's event on the afternoon, filling in for injured senior David Wood in the shot put. Mosca threw a personal-best 59 feet, .75 inches, an effort good enough to qualify him for an NCAA provisional standard.
Sun Devil freshmen Trevell Quinley and Asokah Muhammad completed the day in second and third places, respectively, as both took home Pac-10 qualifying marks. Quinley jumped 24 feet, 7.75 inches for runner-up honors, while Muhammad crept less than an inch away with a mark of 24 feet, 3.75 inches.
The relay competitions were held during the meet's second day. ASU head coach Greg Kraft used the invitational as a way of readjusting his relay teams, especially on the men's side.
"We switched (the lineups) a little bit," Kraft said. "We're still figuring out our relays."
The men's 4x100 relay team consisting of senior Pete Lopez, freshman Seth Amoo, junior Lorenzo Parham and junior Luiz Mello took second place behind Washington State, clocking in at 40.35. Meanwhile, the women's 4x100 relay team comprised of freshman Porchea Carroll, Greer, freshman Casandra Reed and junior Joni Smith ran a tight race with Indiana but fell behind in the closing meters and took the runner-up position with a time of 45.64.
Lopez claimed a victory from a field of 36 competitors in the men's 200-meter, finishing in 21.54. ASU sophomore thrower Sandra Orsund earned an NCAA provisional qualifying distance in the discuss, throwing a career-best 164 feet.
The Sun Devils will return to action Saturday morning when hosting the Arizona State Invitational at Sun Angel Stadium. Competing in the event will be Air Force, Boise State, Colorado and Oregon (women only). Field events are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Reach the reporter at damien.tippett@asu.edu.
