The ASU track and field team will compete for its final time in the regular season this weekend as the Sun Devils participate in two meets.
The majority of the team will stay at home to compete in the Double Dual against instate rivals UA and NAU, while senior distance runners Aaron Aguayo and Amy Hastings will travel to Palo Alto, Calif. to compete in the Cardinal Classic.
The two meets will be the final tune up for the No. 1 women's team and the No. 6 men's team before the Pac-10 Championships begin on May 5.
"Obviously, first you want to win," ASU coach Greg Kraft said. "We just want to step up and have a nice dress rehearsal for the Pac-10 meet."
At the Double Dual, many Sun Devils athletes are expected to perform well by regionally qualifying and contributing to ASU's efforts.
The Sun Devils should get strong production from the throwing events again this weekend as the team will be led by sophomore Sarah Stevens and redshirt freshman Ryan Whiting, who were both named the Pac-10 Field Athletes of the Week.
Also in the field, junior Matt Turner will make his debut in the triple jump and will look to improve his marks in the high jump and long jump.
"It's going to be the first time I triple jump in a meet, so I want to come out here and do well in that, and just do the same thing I've been doing in the high jump and long jump," Turner said. "[I want to] just come out here and compete, win and just try to take it to Pac-10s and let them know who's coming to win."
On the track, the Sun Devils the Sun Devils will be looking to have some members of the men's team qualify for regionals in the 5,000m run, Kraft said.
While the team treats the Double Dual as a normal meet, there is a extra incentive to perform well since it is against the rival Wildcats and Lumberjacks.
"When we're running against our rival school, I get competitive, and it's fun," Turner said. "I like to talk a lot. Even though me and some of the guys from U of A are cool, when it comes to meets like that, you're not my friend that day."
Kraft agreed there will be some talking involved between schools and said it will be a competitive meet.
"I think it's more fun for the kids after the meet because they jaw a little bit," Kraft said. "Obviously both teams will try to win and it should be a lot of fun."
The Double Dual will also be the final home meet for a number of seniors that will be leaving the program this spring.
"It's always a little melancholy when you have some guys who have been in your program so long," Kraft said.
At the Cardinal Classic, Kraft expects both Aguayo and Hastings to regionally qualify in the 5,000m run.
"We're confident they'll get that done," he said.
While the Sun Devils will look to make high marks and win this weekend, Kraft said the most important thing for them to do is stay healthy in preparation for the Pac-10 Championships, the NCAA West Region Championships and the NCAA Championships.
"You don't want to go into a shell because you've got to compete and compete hard to get ready for the championship season," Kraft said. "But you also understand that you've got bigger fish to fry.
"If you have a person dinged up, they're not going to run because you want them to rest and you would look foolish jeopardizing their health for the Pac-10 Championships."
The meet kicks off with field events at Sun Angel Stadium Saturday at 2 p.m., while the running events will begin at 7 p.m.
Reach the reporter at: gina.mizell@asu.edu.
