SDSU TRACK AND FIELD FINISHES SECOND AT MW CHAMPIONSHIPS

Hannah Waller was named the MW Women’s Outstanding Performer of the meet.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 24, 2024 (Albuquerque) -San Diego State track and field completed the third and final day of the Mountain West Indoor Championship, finishing second overall with 103 points. The Aztecs had five different individuals and a relay team combine for eight medals on Saturday.

SDSU was the highest scoring team in the conference on the final day of competition, totaling 75 points today after entering the day with 28 points.

Hannah Waller was named the MW Women’s Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet medaling in three different events on Saturday. She took home gold in the 60m dash with a 7.22 and silver in the 200m dash with a time of 23.17; both times rank second in SDSU history. The senior ended the weekend as the second leg of the Aztec 4x400m relay team, helping them to a 3:37.23 for another silver medal. In total, she accumulated 31 points by herself across four events.

Shaquena Foote is also returning to San Diego with three medals after Saturday’s action. The 400m remained her event for the conference, winning gold by almost half a second. Her 52.43 breaks her own school record for the third time this season, and moves her into third in the Mountain West record books. The Jamaica native would also PR in the 200m crossing the line in 23.44 seconds, the third fastest time in program history, for the bronze medal. Her day also ended as the anchor leg of the silver medal winning 4x400m relay team. She totaled 24 points for the entirety of the weekend.

Aji Mbye continued to impress in her first collegiate conference championship meet highlighted by a bronze medal in the 60m dash with a time of 7.44. She narrowly missed a second podium finish in the 200m dash, posting a personal best time of 23.55 for a fourth-place finish. That mark also moves her into a tie for fifth fastest in San Diego State history.

Jada Pierre was the fourth individual medalist on the track for the Aztecs. Matching her career best at 8.42, the junior transfer claimed silver medal in the 60m hurdles.

Out in the field events, Xiamara Young improved on her personal best in triple jump for the fourth time in four meets this season. She recorded a personal best jump of 13.30m in her second attempt of the day, qualifying her for the finals easily. However, she bested herself on attempt number six at 13.42m (44-0.5) to win the silver medal. She is now just the fourth different Aztec to surpass 13.40m.

The championship meet ended with the 4x400m relay team as it always does. Rhea Hoyte ran the opening leg, followed by Waller, Lidia Major, and Foote closed it out. The race came down to a photo finish between San Diego State and Nevada with the Aztecs narrowly being edged out by three-hundredths of a second for the gold. The 3:37.23 gave the Aztecs their ninth medal of the weekend and ranks as the third fastest 4x4 relay time in program history.

Other point scorers on the final day for the Aztecs included Jada Moore in the 60m dash and Charlize James in the 60m hurdles. Moore ran a 7.52 for a sixth-place finish while James ran an 8.50 for her sixth-place finish. Both added three points each to the SDSU team total.

The Aztecs’ second-place team finish makes it five straight indoor championships with a top three finish and 12th in Shelia Burrell’s 15 years as the head coach. Their 103 points marks the fourth consecutive year surpassing the century mark.

Colorado State swept the championships, winning both the men’s and women’s titles. On the women’s side, they finished with 113 points for their third MW championship in a row. CSU’s Brian Bedard was named Coach of the Year while Mya Lesnar was named Women’s Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet for the Rams.

San Diego State will now await and see if any of their student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships taking place March 8-9 in Boston, Mass. That weekend will also mark the first meet of the SDSU outdoor season as they compete at the Ben Brown Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.

MW Indoor Championship Results Day Three

Team Standings

1. Colorado State – 113 points

2. San Diego State – 103 points

3. Fresno State – 87 points

60m Dash

1. Hannah Waller – 7.22 (2nd all-time)

3. Aji Mbye – 7.44

6. Jada Moore – 7.52

200m Dash

1. Kennedi Porter (UNLV) – 23.07

2. Hannah Waller – 23.17 (2nd all-time)

3. Shaquena Foote – 23.44 (3rd all-time)

4. Aji Mbye – 23.55 (tied 5th all-time)

400m Dash

1. Shaquena Foote – 52.43 (school record)

3,000m Run

1. Mercy Kirarei (New Mexico) – 9:23.29

36. Eva Rethmeier – 10:30.09

60m Hurdles

1. Sky Hagan (San Jose State) – 8.09

2. Jada Pierre – 8.42 (matched PR)

6. Charlize James – 8.50

4x400m Relay

1. Nevada – 3:37.20

2. Hoyte, Waller, Major, Foote – 3:37.23 (3rd all-time)

Triple Jump

1. Emilia Sjostrand (San Jose State) – 46’ 2.75

2. Xiamara Young – 44’ 0.5 (4th all-time)

11. Sameerah Evans – 39’ 4

Complete results