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(04/28/13 7:50pm)
The ASU track and field team finished its regular season on Saturday, splitting the victory with rival UA.The dual meet was the second of the season for the Sun Devils, and the men came away victorious.Sprinter Ryan Milus led the ASU men to three first-place finishes. Within a matter of just over an hour, the redshirt junior helped the men's 4x100-meter relay to a first-place finish before running away with the 100- and 200-meter dashes.The team of Milus, redshirt freshman Devan Spann, senior Chris Burrows and junior Will Henry's time of 39.40 currently ranks No. 7 in the nation. Milus would also go on to help himself with a top-10 qualifying time in the 100-meter dash and top-20 in the 200-meter dash. His teammate Spann would finish runner-up to Milus in both events. Redshirt senior distance runner Darius Terry missed a first-place finish in the men's 1500-meter race, but his time of 3:42.34 would be his career best and put him at No. 15 in the country.Redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke won both the hammer throw and shot put. Clarke didn't originally intend to throw in the shot put, as he was going to rest his injured hand. But Clarke still had the better toss after just a few throws in the shot put. The ASU men blew out UA with a 118-79 team victory. Women fall shortThe No. 8 Sun Devil women had their work cut out for them against the No. 3 Wildcats. ASU's Chelsea Cassulo drew first blood, hurling an all-time NCAA dual meet record in the hammer throw with a toss of 69.52 meters."It felt great to come out and be very consistent and get another throw out close to my personal record," Cassulo said. "Some of the other competitors had personal record throws, so there was a lot of energy going during the competition."Her attention now turns to the championship season."I just want to keep trusting my training, and keep doing what I have done all season," Cassulo said. "Breaking more records and getting on top of the podium are goals I am shooting for."Fellow thrower redshirt junior Anna Jelmini won the discus with a throw of 57.38m after throwing 60.11 meters the day prior at the Triton Invitational. Junior pole-vaulter Heather Arseneau leapt to a career best with a first-place vault of 4.09 meters. Her teammate, fellow junior Shaylah Simpson, also had a great performance, finishing just behind Arseneau with a jump of 4.00 meters.Senior multi-competitor Christabel Nettey made easy work of both the long and triple jump over the UA women to help ASU tack on some points. "Personally, I expected a lot more from myself," Nettey said. "I was hoping to have a couple 21 foot jumps, but I was struggling on the runway."Nettey says she'll be ready for Los Angeles and knows what she's capable of. "I'm not too worried about it though ... I'm just going to put in a lot of technical work and focus in these next two weeks so that when I get to USC I can execute."However, all the Sun Devil women athletes success wasn't enough to take the meet, as the Wildcat women would win 102-87. Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ASUreporter_MT
(04/25/13 11:00pm)
Once a year, the ASU track and field team squares off against its in-state rivals to the north and south.
It is a rare occurrence for a meet to only include three schools.
The meet primarily focuses on ASU's matchup with UA, but NAU is also entered in the competition.
While this meet doesn’t directly influence the Territorial Cup, it’s still a good old-fashioned rivalry.
“The UA competition isn’t a huge deal, but it is a big deal to beat them,” redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke said. “We have an annual territorial cup where whoever wins takes it home, but the (actual) Territorial Cup doesn’t count until Pac-12s. So this meet is more of a tune-up.”
When it comes to track and field, the Territorial Cup point goes to whichever team finishes higher in the Pac-12 championships, which begin in a week with Pac-12 Multis.
Clarke is one of the Sun Devils still not qualified for nationals in his respective event.
However, this is strictly due to his minor injury refraining him from competing in a shot put thus far.
“I’ll be taking this weekend off from the shot put to give my hand some more rest,” Clarke said. “I’ve been dealing with a sprained finger on my throwing hand the whole season, so (I'm) trying to manage through it. I’ll open up at Pac-12s.”
Clarke is currently qualified for the discus and hammer throw.
On the track side the men's team is now unranked. Redshirt freshman distance runner Ryan Herson moved into the No. 15 spot in the 5000-meter national rankings after his personal best time of 13:51.00.
His competition will be the athlete just ahead of him in the rankings: NAU freshman distance runner Futsum Zienasellassie.
Both men’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams are sitting at No. 11 in the rankings and will look to continue their climb to the top.
Clarke’s teammate, redshirt senior thrower Joe Riccio, is sitting at No. 35 in the shot put and hopes to qualify for nationals along with Clarke in the same event.
Top-10 Battle
The ASU women are currently ranked No. 8 in the country while the UA women are sitting above them at No. 3.
The Sun Devils want to use the rivalry as motivation and use the meet to test their ability against a top team.
“We are still wanting to get personal records and work on things that have to be perfected,” senior sprinter Keia Pinnick said. “All the while, it’s our rival school, so we are attacking it like a big deal.”
Pinnick is sitting at No. 20 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, No. 9 in the 400-meter hurdles and No. 3 in the heptathlon. She also has helped both of her 4x100 and 4x400-relay teammates into the top 25.
Her main focus against the Wildcats is the heptathlon with the Pac-12 Multis being just a week away.
“The main goal is to beat UA, but also kind of practice some of my heptathlon events one last time before Pac-12s,” she said.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu and follow on Twitter at @ASUreporter_MT
(04/23/13 11:00pm)
The transition from high school to adulthood for any student athlete is filled with trials and tribulations.
(04/21/13 6:57pm)
The ASU track and field team traveled to Walnut, Calif., with only a handful of athletes on Thursday and several profited from the trip.
(04/18/13 10:47pm)
With the first championship meet just two weeks away, the ASU track and field athletes will make a last push to qualify.
Meanwhile, redshirt junior pole-vaulter Derick Hinch said his mentality stays the same, while the physical aspect of competing increases.
“No real change in mindsets,” Hinch said. “Just tampering down the weights and workouts and allow our body to start peaking.”
Hinch is coming off of a first-place and third-place finish in his last two meets and will travel to the Mt. SAC Relays as the No. 13 pole vaulter in the country.
Continuing that success doesn’t sound like too much of a worry either.
“I just have to keep working hard and competing, and it will all fall into place,” Hinch said. “I’m feeling good about this season. The next few weeks are going to be huge for qualifying for regionals and eventually nationals.”
Along with Hinch, the men’s distance runners will travel to Walnut, Calif., for the meet.
Senior Nick Happe, who is currently No. 25 in the men’s 1500-meter, intends to climb the rankings this weekend.
Happe took second overall and first of all collegiate athletes at the Sun Angel Classic in the 1500-meter run two weeks ago.Women want to remain consistent
For the No. 8 women Sun Devils, sophomore distance runner Shelby Houlihan is looking to continue her hot streak.
Houlihan ranks No. 10 in the 800-meter and No. 12 in the 1500-meter.
She doesn’t plan to stop there and continues to make her way up the rankings.
Just two weeks ago, Houlihan wasn’t even in the top 50 in the women’s 1500-meter.
Fellow teammate, No. 10 junior pole-vaulter Shaylah Simpson, is also coming off a stellar performance.
After a few bumps in the road, Simpson got back on the winning track and in a big meet.
Her victory at LSU’s Battle on the Bayou helped the women to their third-place finish.
She’s looking to feed off that successful performance as she continues to climb the national rankings.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @ASUreporter_MT
(04/10/13 11:01pm)
With the championship season just a month away, the ASU track and field team is tightening up all loose ends.
(04/07/13 6:44pm)
The 34th annual Sun Angel Classic has always been one of the largest meets of the regular season for ASU track and field.
(04/04/13 11:24pm)
While football is often perceived as a physical battle on the field, there is another aspect of the game that is commonly overlooked.
(04/04/13 10:23pm)
Earlier this season, ASU track and field coach Greg Kraft said true competitors perform their best when they’re competing against the best.
That sense of rising to the occasion describes the upcoming meet for the Sun Devils.
The 34th Annual Sun Angel Classic is set to take place from April 5 to April 6 and will host some of the top schools in the country.
“Sun Angel is typically known for bringing out talent from all over, so anytime we can go head to head with our biggest competition and dominate. That’s always a plus,” senior sprinter and long jumper Christabel Nettey said. “We are definitely ready.”
The 20 colleges and universities attending accounts for over 1,000 entries, creating one of the biggest turnouts for the meet in its long history.
The Sun Devil athletes will be up against some of the top talent in the country, with women competitors from No. 1 Kansas, No. 16 Illinois, No. 17 Iowa State and No. 23 Oklahoma participating in the meet. ASU women’s team currently ranks No. 8 in the country.
Nettey is going to embrace the competition, as she will square off against a familiar foe.
“For me personally, the long jump will probably be the closest simulation to nationals that I will get,” Nettey said. “The girl that I tied with in indoors will be competing, and for me, there is no losing at home. So not only do I hope to have a great series of jumps, I’m trying to win.”
Nettey currently holds the No. 4 spot in the long jump nationally and will be facing off against No. 8 senior Andrea Geubelle from Kansas as her biggest competition.
But Nettey really wants to prove herself in her other event the 100-meter hurdles.
“For me coming back, hurdling this year is all about establishing myself, because I did fall off for a while,” Nettey said. “So a win is only a great confidence booster, which I will need throughout the championship season.”
Men need new leader
The men’s track and field team still sits in the top 25 but fell three spots from No. 15 to No. 18 after a lack-luster performance two weekends ago in the ASU Invitational.
While several men had a successful meet, redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke still headlines the men’s team.
Clarke’s all-star performance this season is substantial to the Sun Devil men’s overall results, but someone needs to help him carry the load if ASU wants to make a championship run as a team.
The men’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay team recorded great times at the ASU Invitational that put them at No. 7 and No. 11 in the country, respectively.
On the field side of things, redshirt junior Derick Hinch is climbing the rankings, sitting at No. 13 currently.
Hinch is one of the athletes on the men’s side that is stepping up in a big way and says he embraces the challenge Kraft is asking of his men.
“I will step up,” Hinch said. “But we really need to have someone from the sprint team to stand out and make himself a leader. We need to get more sprinters to NCAAs.”
That answer may come in the form of redshirt freshman Devan Spann, who ran away with two big victories in the 100-meter dash and men’s 4x400 at the ASU Invitational.
Kraft points to his success as a stepping stone as the team moves closer to championship season.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
(04/02/13 10:23pm)
On every team, teammates form bonds that are hard to describe to the outside world.
“As a thrower, I feel a strong bond from other throwers, and this helps us all become the best we can be,” redshirt junior thrower Chelsea Cassulo said. “The love and support we show each other makes us like one big family.”
The throwers at ASU, as Cassulo said, are not typical teammates that spend a few years together and part ways.
The group is on a whole other level, and that special bond is recognizable when watching them together at practice and at meets.
If one is not competing at a meet, it's certain she will be there cheering on her comrades.
“I do feel like my teammates are motivators,” redshirt junior thrower Anna Jelmini said. “We all want to be individually successful, as well as seeing our teammates be successful too.”
Both Jelmini and Cassulo have had successful careers for the Sun Devils.
Whenever there are multiple athletes with top-tier talent on the same team, it ultimately can pay dividends for the whole program and the individual competitors.
“We are a very tightly knit group on the team,” Jelmini said. “Everyone does a great job supporting each other and creating a positive and motivating environment. And when this environment is on, it creates a wave of success.”
Her teammate states they all have their gaze set on more than just individual glory.
“The biggest thing that I love about our group is how we love to see each other accomplish our goals and succeed,” Cassulo said.
Considered as one of the best Sun Devil transfers in recent history, Cassulo is making a push for more than that. The former UNLV Rebel wants to become the best.
“This record was just a stepping stone on my way to better things,” Cassulo said in regards to breaking the ASU hammer throw record. “It won’t be the last time I break it, and I have so many more records to go after — Pac-12 and NCAA.”
Her fellow teammate is right there with her at the top. Jelmini is a returning first-team All-American in the outdoor season and a back-to-back outdoor NCAA championship runner-up. But that’s not how she wants to be remembered.
“What I need to do this year is be successful, especially in the discus,” Jelmini said. “Having upsets in your career — like me getting back-to-back at NCAAs — has really helped to make me stronger and more driven than ever before.
“I feel as though I will have a great year, and I am excited to see what I can do.”
The two women’s experience with their unit can’t be described with records and championships. Instead, Cassulo sums it up in one word.
“Badass,” she said. “We know we are the best and our success proves it. Now we just have to keep the tradition going.”Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
(03/27/13 12:04am)
It seems that every decade, there is a moment in sports that sticks with fans for years.
(03/24/13 10:08pm)
The outdoor season for track and field presents different obstacles for the athletes ranging from wind factor, heat exhaustion and even the track.
(03/21/13 10:28pm)
With indoor season in the books, the ASU track and field team turns its focus outside — and unfortunately into the heat.
The Sun Devils had yet to host an event this season until the Castillo Invitational on March 15 and March 16 at Sun Angel Stadium.
Coach Greg Kraft used the meet as a tune-up for the beginning of the outdoor season, but he sees this weekend’s ASU Invitational as the kickoff to the outdoor season.
“This is just another step in the way,” he said. “We’ll still hold out some of our NCAA kids, (and) some will be doing other events. You got to get back on the competitive wagon.”
A majority of the top Sun Devil competitors did not compete in the Castillo Invite, but the ASU Invite will be some of the athletes’ first outdoor competition of the season.
But the outdoor season is somewhat different, Kraft said, but it is more of a poised area for the Sun Devils.
“I think we’re definitely within our comfort level,” Kraft said. “It seems like a subtle difference. … I think we’re a little more comfortable outside as a group.”
Kraft believes his team is set up to prosper a little more in the outdoor season and is looking forward to seeing several of his athletes step up in this latter half of the year.
“Without question, particularly on our women’s side when you add the discus with (redshirt junior) Anna Jelmini,” Kraft said. “(Redshirt junior) Chelsea Cassulo will be more of a threat in the hammer throw than the indoor weight throw as well.”
Jelmini is one of four Sun Devils that earned first-team outdoor All-American honors in 2012. She had back-to-back runner-up finishes in the discus the last two seasons and is looking to capitalize this outdoor season. She will be defending her Pac-12 discus and shot put championship this year.
“On the girl’s side, I think Anna will be the standout,” Kraft said on his expectations of the outdoor season.
This will be the first season that Jelmini’s teammate, Cassulo, will compete for the Sun Devils in the hammer throw. It's not her first in her collegiate career, as the now-redshirt junior placed fifth overall in the NCAA outdoor championships at UNLV in 2011.
Men look to rebound
Senior sprinter Chris Burrows started the new season off on the right foot with a career best in the 400 meter and a second place finish in the men’s 4x400-meter relay.
Kraft is expecting big things from the senior but said it’s not him that has the highest expectations for Burrows.
“We need him to have a good outdoor season,” Kraft said. “(But) no one has higher expectations for Chris Burrows than Chris Burrows himself.
“He’s been around long enough, so he knows what’s at stake.”
High expectations are something put on several of the Sun Devil track and field athletes and no one may know that better than the potential Bowerman Award winner.
Redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke begins his journey to track and field history, pushing for his fifth straight NCAA National Championship. That goal is something on Clarke’s radar, but Kraft didn’t seem to make a big deal of it — and for good reason, Kraft said.
“We’re extremely confident in Jordan, particularly if he’s healthy,” Kraft said. “I don’t see anyone standing in his way.”
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
(03/20/13 11:00pm)
Track and field coach Greg Kraft said before the weekend that champions rise to the occasion and take what’s theirs.
(03/08/13 12:27am)
It's a whole new season.
After competing in the MPSF Championship meet on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23, the men and women Sun Devils will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 8 and March 9.
But unlike the MPSF meet, the NCAA championships feature the top 16 athletes in each event.
“Everybody’s got to carry their own,” coach Greg Kraft said. “You have to have champions to be a trophy team.”
The men’s team is entering the weekend not only as the No. 16 in the country, but also having just defended their MPSF championship in Seattle.
The meet was dominated by Jordan Clarke. The redshirt senior thrower has tossed over 20 meters multiple times in each event this year and blew out his competition in the Mountain Pacific regional meet.
“The boys team will start with Clarke,” Kraft said. “Of all our players, Clarke leads by example. He’s our leader.”
Clarke understands the task at hand as he will be defending his NCAA indoor championship.
"I need to execute," he said. "This title is very important for me to defend. If I win, this will be my 4th NCAA title, which hasn't been done by many."
Clarke is on track to be one of ASU's most decorated and successful athletes, and he knows this weekend is a first step.
"It will look good for my athletic résumé and should help me with my pair-collegiate career," he said.
Along with Clarke, Kraft looks at senior Chris Benard as an underdog who is destined to do big things.
“Chris Benard coming in at No. 6 in the rankings is someone that could surprise,” Kraft said. “We feel he could steal the championship.”
The jumper placed second in last year’s NCAA championships. He is shooting for the top spot this season. Benard is also coming off a MPSF triple jump championship victory two weekends ago.
Redshirt junior Derick Hinch, junior Bryan McBride and redshirt senior Nick Happe will all also be traveling to Arkansas as well.
Women continue rolling
Senior Christabel Nettey is going to take the reigns for the Sun Devil women.
With the absence of senior Keia Pinnick, Nettey will have to step up in a big way for ASU in the sprints and jumps.
The senior multi-athlete is coming off three MPSF championship victories and will look to roll off that success into the weekend.
“I’m zoned in,” Nettey said. “I’ve been waiting for this meet since we started fall training in August, and now it’s finally here.”
But Kraft says the women will also be leaning on their redshirt junior thrower, Chelsea Cassulo.
In her last six meets, Cassulo hasn’t left a meet without the victory. All fingers point to her keeping that streak alive. As the No. 14 seed, Cassulo is in the mix with some tough competition.
The other women competitors competing in the NCAA meet will be sophomore Shelby Houlihan and redshirt junior Anna Jelmini. Sophomore Brianna Tate, and juniors Sarah Geren and Alycia Herring will also represent ASU in the 4x400 relay.
"This is a fairly seasoned group," Kraft said. "They have an idea of what it takes. We're going to go there and compete."Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
(03/06/13 12:09am)
The announcement of the new network, FOX Sports 1, within the last week may be great for FOX and their affiliates, but not for the sports world. While the channel will televise college basketball, football, the UFC, NASCAR and soccer starting on Aug. 17, its goal of becoming another ESPN is far from realistic. Sure, I prefer FOX to CBS when watching football on Sundays. But ESPN's Monday Night Football is still the best, with NBC as a close second. We've all grown up with FOX as the mainstream channel to show the MLB playoffs, NFL on Sundays, NASCAR and even college basketball from year to year. Of course, it's known for broadcasting UFC on FOX lately. ESPN, however, is on another level from what FOX could ever be. Outside of the normal SportsCenter, Monday Night Football, NBA and collegiate sports, the shows surrounding primetime are what keep many viewers locked in. I mean one of FOX's shows in primetime from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET is, "Rush Hour," with Regis Philbin as the host.Huh?I don't tune in to sports channels to watch a Regis-and-Kelly style of show. No thanks. They've already lost my attention. As an avid viewer of ESPN and all of their shows, I don't see myself switching to FOX Sports 1 anytime soon. And I would be surprised if anyone outside of soccer fans else does.Reach the columnist at msterrel@asu.edu
(03/03/13 11:57pm)
In order to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, athletes have to push themselves to compete at the highest level for a small period of time to make the top 16.
(03/01/13 5:17pm)
The ASU track and field team is coming off a first-place finish for the men and a second-place finish for the women at MPSF Championship on Feb. 22 and 23.
A majority of the Sun Devils, like redshirt junior Chelsea Cassulo, redshirt senior Jordan Clarke and senior Keia Pinnick, qualified for the NCAA National Indoor Championship meet on March 8 and 9. But there are still others attempting a late push into the biggest weekend of the indoor season.
Junior pole-vaulter Shaylah Simpson is traveling to Seattle for the Last Chance meet. She is ranked No. 15 in her respective event and is looking to rebound this season after suffering an injury late in the 2012 season. Simpson was at one point ranked No. 9 and hopes to get ranked there or higher after this weekend’s performance.
Fellow teammate junior Bryan McBride will also make the trip to Seattle with Simpson, but will compete in a different event.
The junior will attempt for a qualifying leap in the high jump. McBride is coming off a second-place finish at the MPSF Championships, but wasn’t enough to put him into the NCAA meet.
He’s currently ranked No. 14 nationally and will need to break the tie amongst his other six competitors across the nation at that same ranking to qualify.
"Bryan is inside the bubble right now for the NCAA championship and Shaylah is just outside the bubble," coach Greg Kraft said. "This meet will be important for Bryan to protect his spot, while a big performance is needed from Shaylah."
Sophomore sprinter Brianna Tate will head east to compete in the Alex Wilson Invite at Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday.
Tate currently ranks No. 30 in the 400m event. While also competing in the women’s 4x400m relay, Tate is attempting to be able to compete as an individual at the NCAA championship. Tate may also try and qualify in the 200m event as well after taking a fifth place finish at the MPSF Championship.
"This meet is all about having a faster track," Kraft said. "We expect Brianna to go out there and capitalize."
But it’ll be redshirt junior Derick Hinch that will be representing ASU on a much higher level.
The pole-vaulter will travel to Albuquerque for the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Hinch is currently ranked No. 10 in the nation and is hoping to translate his recent success into a much bigger championship.
“I am super excited about going,” Hinch said. “I’m more using USA indoors as a high energy practice to prepare for NCAA’s the following Friday. While I am going to do my best in Albuquerque, the goal is to jump my highest in Arkansas and help our team win an indoor title.”
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
(02/28/13 1:00am)
The No. 13 ASU men's track and field team is filled with some of the top talent in the country with six athletes ranked in the top 25 in their respective events. Redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke is one of those, but he is the only Sun Devil ranked No. 1.
(02/24/13 8:40pm)
The ASU track and field team wanted to make a statement in its first championship meet of the season.