The ASU indoor track and field team will compete for the final time before the NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday at the Last Chance Meets.
The Sun Devils will be sending athletes to the University of Washington and Iowa State University to try and gain automatic qualifiers and keep the momentum going after a strong showing at the MPSF Championships.
ASU coach Greg Kraft will send four athletes to Seattle and hopes they will qualify for the NCAAs.
“We are looking to bring two groups,” Kraft said. “We will take Shelby Houlihan and Nick Happe to race in the mile, and Christabel Nettey and Chris Benard in the long jump.”
Kraft also decided to bring sophomore Bryan McBride to Seattle, who has already qualified for the high jump.
“When you're jumping as high as Brian, it's difficult to simulate that in practice, and we want to get him in competition,” Kraft said.
Kraft will send a variety of sprinters to Ames, Iowa, including multi-sport star redshirt junior Rashad Ross and senior All-America athlete Kayla Sanchez, who are also looking to earn automatic qualifiers.
“Kayla Sanchez will run the 60-meter dash and at the very least (will) get a lifetime best,” Kraft said. “We will also try to improve the position of Daniel Auberry in the 60-meter dash and Rashad Ross and Chris Burrows in the 200-meter dash. We will also send both 4x400-meter relay teams to Iowa State.”
Kraft's decision to send those particular athletes to the Last Chance Meets is both simple and logical.
“Since the descending order list is taking shape, we are trying to see where we have the best opportunity to get the most people qualified for the NCAA Championships,” Kraft said.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu
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