Former Boise State swimmer Stephanie North posted the top finish among MW qualifiers on Friday, placing 32nd in the prelims of the women's 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Neb.
North, who clocked a 56.16 to place third in her heat, turned in the highest finish by a Boise State swimmer at the Olympic Trials. She missed qualifying for the semifinals by eight-tenths of a second.
MW Swimmer of the Year Amber Boucher, who along with North exhausted her eligibility at Boise State during the 2011-12 season, tied her personal best in the event with a 56.99 to finish 68th.
Four MW swimmers took part In the prelims of the women's 200-meter breaststroke competition, with San Diego State's Katelyn Weddle finishing 50th in a time of 2:35.17. Former UNLV swimmer Marley Prothero was 61st in the event (2:36.40), while Boise State junior Chelsea Miller placed 66th in a time of 2:36.79. Freshman Kim Davis, the first female swimmer from the Air Force Academy to compete at the Olympic Trials, finished 100th (2:40.26).
On the men's side, former Wyoming standout Brandon Fischer, making his second appearance at the Olympic Trials, finished 79th in the 200 medley (2:06.53) while Cowboys sophomore Jordan Turner (2:09.38) placed 108th in the event.
Wyoming junior Jaycee Calhoon (2:07.66) placed 95th in the prelims of the men's 200-meter backstroke.
The swimmers with the top 16 times in the preliminary heats advance to the semifinals. From there, the top eight finishers in the semis move on to the finals, with the first- and second-place finishers qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London (July 22-August 12).
The following MW athletes will be competing in preliminary heats through Sunday. The meet concludes on Monday with finals in the women's 50-meter freestyle and men's 1500-meter freestyle.
Today: Senior Cody Roberts, the UNLV and MW record holder in the event, will compete in the men's 100-meter fly, while San Diego State senior Leona Jennings and UNLV senior Dannica Brennan will swim in the prelims of the women's 200-meter backstroke.
Sunday, July 1: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will be joined in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle by SDSU senior Leona Jennings, UNLV junior Rachel Dixon and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci.
Two-time NCAA champion and former Air Force student-athlete Dana Pounds-Lyon advanced to the finals of the women's javelin throw on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore.
On a day when Falcons volunteer coach Jenny Simpson advanced to the finals of the women's 1,500-meter run, Pounds-Lyon posted an overall finish of 10th in the field of 24 with an effort of 170'-0.00" The mark allowed Pounds-Lyon, the 2007 USATF champion, to finish among the top 12 competitors and secure a spot in Sunday's finals. Kara Patterson (Asics) currently leads the competition with a distance of 198'-5.00."
Simpson was the runner-up in the semifinals in the 1,500-meter run, posting a time of 4:09.12 and finishing second in her heat to earn a spot in the finals. Morgan Uceny (adidas) had the top mark in the semifinals, clocking a time of 4:08.90.
Also advancing on Friday was former UNLV athlete Christine Spence, who ran the sixth-fastest time (55.72) in the semifinals of the women's 400-meter hurdles to grab a spot in Sunday's finals. Should Spence finish among the top three on Sunday, she would to join 2012 UNLV grad Amanda Bingson and Rebels assistant coach Khadevis Robinson in London. Bingson qualified earlier in the women's hammer throw, as did Robinson in the men's 800 meters.
TCU's Whitney Gipson, the MW Female Student-Athlete of the Year, advanced to Sunday's final in the women's long jump with an effort of 22'-5.00" Gipson, the reigning NCAA outdoor champion in the event, posted the fourth-best mark during Friday's competition.
Horned Frogs junior Charles Silmon will compete in today's semifinals of the men's 200 meters after placing fourth in his heat and 18th overall on Friday in a time of 20.68.
San Diego State sophomore Allison Reaser totaled a first-day personal-best 3,437 points and sits in 12th place among 20 entrants after Day 1 of heptathlon. Reaser's point total is her highest ever after the first day of competition, bettering the mark of 3,386 she earned en route to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships earlier this month. Hyleas Fountain (Nike) leads the competition with 3,948 points.
Reaser opened the day by establishing a personal-best in the 100-meter hurdles (13.55) before finishing 18th in the high jump (5'-4.25"). Reaser finished 12th in the shot put with an effort of 39'-5.00" and concluded the day by finishing fifth in the 200 meters in a time 24.12.
The final day of the heptathlon takes place today with competition in the long jump, javelin and 800 meters. Reaser needs to finish in the top three and reach the Olympic "A" standard of 6,150 points to advance to the London Olympics.
Meanwhile, Paige Blackburn, a 2012 Air Force graduate and Mountain West champion in the women's javelin throw, turned in an effort of 151'-9.00" on Friday to place 22nd in the event.
Former Wyoming standout Brandon Fischer, a three-time all-Mountain West performer who recently completed his collegiate career, finished 30th overall on Thursday in the prelims of the men's 200-meter breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
Fischer, competing in a field of 129 swimmers, posted a time of 2:16.12 in the event. Fischer, who is taking part in his second Olympic Trials, will have a chance to redeem himself today when he swims in the prelims of the men's 200-meter individual medley.
Meanwhile, UNLV junior Brandon Meier, who was also competing in the prelims of men's 200-meter breaststroke, placed 73rd overall (2:20.21), while Boise State junior Rachel Heaney finished eighth in her heat (2:19.47) and placed 107th in the prelims of the women's 200-meter butterfly.
The swimmers with the top 16 times in the preliminary heats advance to the semifinals. From there, the top eight finishers in the semis move on to the finals, with the first- and second-place finishers qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London (July 22-August 12).
The following MW athletes will be competing in preliminary heats through Sunday, July 1. The meet concludes on Monday, July 2, with finals in the women's 50-meter freestyle and men's 1500-meter freestyle.
Today: In addition to Fischer taking part in the men's 200-meter individual medley, Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will compete in the women's 100-meter freestyle, while Bronco teammate Chelsea Miller will swim the prelims of the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Miller will be joined in the event by sophomore Kim Davis of Air Force, the first female swimmer in Academy history to compete in the Olympic Trials, UNLV's recently graduated Marley Prothero and San Diego State senior Katelyn Weddle. Wyoming sophomore Jordan Turner while join Fischer in the men's 200 individual medley, while Cowboys junior Jaycee Calhoun will compete in the prelims of the men's 200 backstroke.
Saturday, June 30: Senior Cody Roberts, the UNLV and MW record holder in the event, will compete in the men's 100-meter fly, while San Diego State senior Leona Jennings and UNLV senior Dannica Brennan will swim in the prelims of the women's 200-meter backstroke.
Sunday, July 1: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will be joined in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle by SDSU senior Leona Jennings, UNLV junior Rachel Dixon and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci.
Former Boise State athlete Jarred Rome earned a spot in the 2012 London Olympics on Thursday by posting a second-place finish in the men's discus at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
Rome, a six-time All-American at Boise State, turned in an effort of 207'-10" in finishing behind Nike teammate Lance Brooks (213'-9"). Jason Young, who also competes for Nike, was third with a mark of 203'-11."
A 2000 graduate of Boise State, Rome will be making his second appearance in the Olympics after having previously competed in the discus at the 2004 Games in Athens.
Rome becomes the second Boise State athlete to qualify for the London Olympics. Broncos senior Kurt Felix, the MW Male Student-Athlete of the Year, will compete in the decathlon for his native country of Grenada.
Meanwhile, former UNLV athlete Christine Spence posted the seventh-fastest time (56.28) in the prelims of the women's 400-meter hurdles Thursday night. Spence, who advanced to today's semifinals, finished second overall in her heat. The top mark belonged to Lashinda Demus (Nike), who was clocked in 55.29
New Mexico's Floyd Ross, the runner-up in the men's triple jump at the NCAA Championships earlier this month, finished 16th during Thursday's prelims with an effort of 52'-2." Christian Taylor (Li-Ning) turned in the best mark of the day at 56'-8."
Competition at the trials continues today with TCU's Whitney Gipson, the MW Female Student-Athlete of the Year, taking part in the women's long jump. Also today, Air Force's Paige Blackburn and Falcons' 2006 graduate Dana Pounds-Lyon will compete in the women's javelin, while San Diego State's Allison Reaser begins the first of two days of competition in the heptathlon. Reaser took sixth in the event at the NCAA Championships with a school-record 5,753 points. She would need to finish in the top three and reach the Olympic "A" standard of 6,150 points to advance to London.
The top three finishers in each event qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team. The trials run through July 1.
San Diego State junior swimmer Mikaela Macklin finished 35th on Wednesday in the prelims of the women's 200 individual medley at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., posting a time of 2:18.20 to conclude her competition at the meet.
Macklin and senior teammate Meghan Zimmer were the lone MW swimmers taking part in Wednesday's trials. Zimmer finished 92nd in the women's 200 freestyle, ending her Olympic bid in a time of 2:06.36.
The swimmers with the top 16 times during the preliminary heats advance to the semifinals. From there, the top eight times in the semis move on to the finals, with the first- and second-place finishers qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London (July 22-August 12).
The following MW athletes will be competing in preliminary heats through Sunday, July 1. The meet concludes on Monday, July 2, with finals in the women's 50-meter freestyle and men's 1500-meter freestyle.
Today: UNLV junior Brandon Meier will complete in the men's 200-meter breaststroke, as will Brandon Fischer, who recently completed his career at Wyoming and will be swimming in his second Olympic trials. Boise State's Rachel Henry will take part in the women's 200-meter butterfly.
Friday, June 29: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will compete in the women's 100-meter freestyle, while teammate Chelsea Miller will take part in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Miller will be joined in the event by sophomore Kim Davis of Air Force, the first female swimmer in Academy history to compete in the Olympic Trials; UNLV's recently graduated Marley Prothero; and San Diego State senior Katelyn Weddle. Wyoming's Brandon Fischer will swim in the men's 200 individual medley on Friday, as will Cowboys sophomore Jordan Turner. Wyoming junior Jaycee Calhoun will compete in the men's 200 backstroke.
Saturday, June 30: Senior Cody Roberts, the UNLV and MW record holder in the event, will compete in the men's 100-meter fly, while San Diego State senior Leona Jennings and UNLV senior Dannica Brennan will swim in the prelims of the women's 200-meter backstroke.
Sunday, July 1: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will be joined in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle by SDSU senior Leona Jennings; UNLV junior Rachel Dixon; and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci.
Former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci finished 11th in the semifinals of the 100-meter backstroke Tuesday at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
Conci, an All-MW performer, finished in a time of 1:01.16, three places removed from reaching the final. She is the first UW swimmer to move past the preliminaries since Scott Usher made the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004.
"I could not be more proud of Kelsey," said Wyoming coach Tom Johnson in a release on WyomingAthletics.com. "She had a great swim and missed the finals by less than a half a second. She was a little slower coming off the wall in the beginning, but I think that it helped her really turn it on coming down the stretch. Down the stretch she really was coming strong and was just touched out."
Meanwhile, Boise State sophomore Heather Harper finished third in her heat and 111th overall in the 100-meter breaststroke. Harper posted a time of 1:12.96 to move up 35 spots from her seed of No. 146.
The race concluded Harper's schedule at the Olympic Trials. San Diego State senior Katelyn Weddle (1:11.19) finished 50th overall in the event, while former UNLV standout Marley Prothero placed 100th in a time of 1:12.74.
In the prelims of the 100-meter backstroke, UNLV juniors Katelyn Herrington (1:00.72) and Rachel Dixon (1:04.90) finished 41st and 124th, respectively, while senior Carmen Robb was 77th in the event with a time of 1:03.96.
The swimmers with the top 16 times during the preliminary heats will advance to the semifinals. From there, the top eight times in the semis move on to the finals with the first- and second-place finishers in the finals qualifying for the 2012 Olympics, which will be held in London July 22-August 12.
The following MW athletes will be competing in preliminary heats through Sunday, July 1. The meet concludes on Monday, July 2, with finals in the women's 50-meter freestyle and men's 1500-meter freestyle.
Today: San Diego State junior Mikaela Macklin will compete in the 200 individual medley, while Aztecs senior Meghan Zimmer will take part in the women's 200 freestyle.
Thursday, June 28: UNLV junior Brandon Meier will complete in the men's 200-meter breaststroke, as will Brandon Fischer, who recently completed his career at Wyoming and will be swimming in his second Olympic trials. Boise State's Rachel Henry will take part in the women's 200-meter butterfly.
Friday, June 29: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will compete in the women's 100-meter freestyle, while teammate Chelsea Miller will take part in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Miller will be joined in the event by sophomore Kim Davis of Air Force, the first female swimmer in Academy history to compete in the Olympic Trials, UNLV's recently graduated Marley Prothero and San Diego State senior Katelyn Weddle. Wyoming's Brandon Fischer will swim in the men's 200 individual medley on Friday, as will Cowboys sophomore Jordan Turner. Wyoming junior Jaycee Calhoun will compete in the men's 200 backstroke.
Saturday, June 30: Senior Cody Roberts, the UNLV and MW record holder in the event, will compete in the men's 100-meter fly, while San Diego State senior Leona Jennings and UNLV senior Dannica Brennan will swim in the prelims of the women's 200-meter backstroke.
Sunday, July 1: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will be joined in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle by SDSU senior Leona Jennings, UNLV junior Rachel Dixon and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci.
Boise State graduate Amber Boucher, the 2012 Mountain West Swimmer of the Year, and UNLV junior Katelyne Herrington competed against each other one more time on opening day of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Neb. Herrington swam a 1:00.72 to finish tied for 41st overall, while Boucher posted a time of 1:01.87 to finish second in her heat and 85th overall in the 100-meter butterfly on Monday.
Boucher will race again later in the week in the 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter freestyle. Herrington swims again today in the 100-meter backstroke.
Eight more MW swimmers will be in action today, including Boise State sophomore Heather Harper, former UNLV standout Marley Prothero, Wyoming junior Morgan Hartigan and San Diego State seniors Katelyn Weddle and Leona Jennings in the prelims of the 100-meter breaststroke; and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci, UNLV junior Rachel Dixon and Rebels senior Carmen Robb in the prelims of the 100-meter backstroke.
The swimmers with the top 16 times during the preliminary heats will advance to the semifinals. From there, the top eight times in the semis move on to the finals with the first- and second-place finishers in the finals qualifying for the 2012 Olympics, which will be held in London, July 22-August 12.
The following MW athletes will be competing in preliminary heats through Sunday, July 1. The meet concludes on Monday, July 2, with finals in the women's 50-meter freestyle and men's 1500-meter freestyle.
Wednesday, June 27: San Diego State junior Mikaela Macklin will compete in the 200 individual medley, while Aztecs senior Meghan Zimmer will take part in the women's 200 freestyle.
Thursday, June 28: UNLV junior Brandon Meier will compete in the men's 200-meter breaststroke, as will Brandon Fischer, who recently completed his career at Wyoming and will be swimming in his second Olympic trials. Boise State's Rachel Henry will take part in the women's 200-meter butterfly.
Friday, June 29: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will compete in the women's 100-meter freestyle, while teammate Chelsea Miller will take part in the women's 200-meter breaststroke. Miller will be joined in the event by sophomore Kim Davis of Air Force, the first female swimmer in Academy history to compete in the Olympic Trials, UNLV's recently graduated Marley Prothero and San Diego State senior Katelyn Weddle. Wyoming's Brandon Fischer will swim in the men's 200 individual medley on Friday, as will Cowboys sophomore Jordan Turner. Wyoming junior Jaycee Calhoun will compete in the men's 200 backstroke.
Saturday, June 30: Senior Cody Roberts, the UNLV and MW record holder in the event, will compete in the men's 100-meter fly, while San Diego State senior Leona Jennings and UNLV senior Dannica Brennan will swim in the prelims of the women's 200-meter backstroke.
Sunday, July 1: Boise State's Amber Boucher and Stephanie North will be joined in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle by SDSU senior Leona Jennings, UNLV junior Rachel Dixon, and former Wyoming standout Kelsey Conci.
Khadevis Robinson is back in the running --- on the biggest stage of all.
Robinson, an assistant coach with UNLV's track and field team, nailed down a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Monday night with a second-place finish in the men's 800-meter run at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
A former TCU standout who also competed in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Robinson (Nike) posted a time of 1:44.64 to become the second Rebel in four days to earn a trip to London after 2012 graduate Amanda Bingson finished second in the women's hammer throw last Thursday.
"We are so proud of Coach KD and his accomplishments," said UNLV track and field coach Yvonne Wade. "He has trained very hard for this while coaching our Rebels, and it just proves that if you set your mind to something it can be done. Two of our Rebel family members are representing us in London. We all should be very proud."
Robinson will be joined in London by Nick Symmonds (Nike/Oregon TC Elite), who won the event in a time of 1:43.92, and Duane Solomon (Saucony), who recorded a third-place time of 1:44.65.
Meanwhile, three athletes with ties to the Air Force track and field team concluded competition in the trials on Monday.
Former Falcons All-American and 2011 graduate Justin Tyner placed 22nd in the qualifying round of the 3,000-meter Steeplechase, posting a time of 8:53.92. Daniel Huling (Reebok), who competed in Tyner's heat, ran 8:29.00 to record the fastest time in the qualifying round.
In the qualifying round of the men's pole vault, Air Force senior Cale Simmons and 2010 graduate Nick Frawley both came up short at the opening height of 17'-4.50". In rainy conditions, Mark Hollis (Nike) led the group of 11 qualifiers, clearing 17'-8.50" on his first attempt.
Competition at the trials resumes Thursday with TCU's Whitney Gipson, the MW Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year, taking part in the women's long jump, and Air Force volunteer coach Jenny Simpson competing in the women's 1,500 meters. Gipson is the reigning NCAA champion in the long jump, while Simpson, the reigning world champion in the 1,500 meters, also competed in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Also on Thursday, New Mexico's Floyd Ross will compete in the men's triple jump after finishing second in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships earlier this month, and former UNLV athlete Christine Spence will take part in the women's 400-meter hurdles.
On Friday, Air Force's Paige Blackburn and Falcons' 2006 graduate Dana Pounds-Lyon will take part in the women's javelin, while San Diego State's Allison Reaser will begin the first of two days of competition in the heptathlon. Reaser took sixth in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a MW-record 5,753 points. She would need to finish in the top three and reach the Olympic "A" standard of 6,150 points to advance to London.
TCU junior Charles Silmon, the MW record holder in the men's 100 meters, came up short Sunday in his bid to earn a spot in the 2012 London Olympics.
Silmon, competing in the semifinals of the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., finished fifth in his heat and 12th overall with a time of 10.26 seconds.
Meanwhile, former TCU standout and current UNLV assistant coach Khadevis Robinson will make a bid for his second Olympic appearance when he competes today in the finals of the men's 800 meters. Robinson, who also represented the U.S. in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, posted the fastest time of the day (1:45.83) in the semifinals of the event on Saturday.
Other athletes with MW ties competing today include Air Force's Cale Simmons and Nick Frawley, a 2010 graduate of the Academy, in the prelims of the men's pole vault; and former Air Force All-American and 2011 graduate Justin Tyner in the prelims of the men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase.
Following today's action, competition at the trials will resume on Thursday with TCU's Whitney Gipson, the MW Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year, taking part in the women's long jump, and Air Force volunteer coach Jenny Simpson competing in the women's 1,500 meters. Gipson is the reigning NCAA outdoor champion in the long jump, while Simpson, the reigning world champion in the 1,500 meters, also competed in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Also on Thursday, New Mexico's Floyd Ross will compete in the men's triple jump after finishing second in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships earlier this month.
On Friday, Air Force's Paige Blackburn and Falcons' 2006 graduate Dana Pounds-Lyon will take part in the women's javelin, while San Diego State's Allison Reaser will begin the first of two days of competition in the heptathlon. Reaser took sixth in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a MW-record 5,753 points. Reaser would need to finish in the top three and reach the Olympic "A" standard of 6,150 points to advance to London.
TCU junior Charles Silmon, the MW record-holder in the men's 100 meters, finished 10th overall in Saturday's prelims to advance to today's semifinals at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
Silmon, a first-team All-American who set the MW record (10.04) during competition at last month's NCAA West Region Prelims in Austin, Texas, posted a time of 10.17 on Saturday. The top performance of the day was turned in by Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist who finished in a time of 9.90.
Meanwhile, former TCU standout and current UNLV assistant coach Khadevis Robinson posted the fastest time of the day in the semifinals of the men's 800 meters with a mark of 1:45.83. Robinson was the only runner to post a sub-1:46.0 in the event's two heats.
Robinson will make his second Olympic appearance with a top-three finish in Monday's final. He also represented the U.S. in the 2004 Games in Athens.
In women's action, former UNLV sprinter Lekeisha Lawson came up short in her attempt to qualify in the women's 100 meters, finishing 18th in a time of 11.54.
UNLV track and field assistant coach Khadevis Robinson and former Rebel Lekeisha Lawson (2005-09) advanced to the semifinals in their respective events Friday at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.
One day after former UNLV standout Amanda Bingson earned a spot in the 2012 London Olympics with a second-place finish in the women's hammer throw, Robinson finished first in his heat of the 800 meters, posting a time of 1:47.30. He will be seeded eighth overall in Saturday's semifinals. Lawson currently has the 13th-best time in the women's 100 meters after finishing second in her heat in a time of 11.34.
Meanwhile, San Diego State senior Whitney Ashley, the 2012 NCAA champion in the women's discus, finished 22nd in the field of 24 on Friday with an effort of 153'-3.00" (46.73 meters). Ashley needed to finish in the top 12 to advance to Sunday's final.
Former SDSU standout Melinda Smedley also came up short, finishing sixth in her preliminary heat of the 100-meter dash and 25th overall with a time of 11.55. Smedley needed to finish among the top three in her heat or be one of the next six-fastest runners to move onto Saturday's semifinal.
New Mexico long jumper Kendall Spencer, the reigning NCAA indoor champion, saw his Olympic bid come to a close when he finished 17th in the event with a mark of 24-9.25.
The top three finishers in each event qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team. The trials run through July 1.
Former UNLV women's track and field standout Amanda Bingson will represent the United States in the 2012 Olympic Games in London after finishing second in the hammer throw Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Beaverton, Ore.
Bingson, the Mountain West record holder in the event who broke the UNLV record eight times, finished with a mark of 235'-6.00" The day's top mark belonged to Amber Campbell, who also competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Campbell's throw was also measured at 235'-6.00," but at 71.80 meters, it was just enough to top Bingson's effort of 71.78 meters.
The third and final spot went to Jessica Crosby (232'-2.00"), who also competed in Beijing in 2008.
But if the performances turned in by the two former Olympians --- Campbell and Crosby --- were hardly surprising, such was not the case where Bingson was concerned. After finishing third at the recently concluded NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Bingson, a two-time first-team All-American, had yet to earn the "A" standard required to make the Olympic team.
That changed Thursday when Bingson unleashed a throw that was more than two feet farther than her record-breaking effort of 233'-1.00" (71.04 meters) at last month's NCAA West Regional Men's and Women's Championship Prelims in Austin, Texas.
"Coming up here (Oregon) all I wanted to do was get to the finals and do well," said Bingson. "I didn't know I was going to do this well though. As soon as I threw that 71.22 I knew that the "A" standard was in me. I just relaxed, went for it and got it. I was in such disbelief at first, but this has been my best series all year. I'm ready to represent the USA at the Olympics and just live this up to the fullest!"
The hammer competition was Thursday's lone event at the trials, which run through July 1.
Here's my opinion of the quarterbacks I believe rank as the top six in the MW heading into the 2012 season. Care to weigh in? Think I'm off the mark? Hit me with your best shot and cast your vote below. It's an election year, remember? You can also leave a comment on my blog, email me at Mick@TheMWC.com, or send me a message on Twitter @MWCMick.
1. Brett Smith, So., Wyoming
Smith turned in a spectacular freshman season, completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,622 yards with 20 touchdowns. He was also the Cowboys' leading rusher with 710 yards and 10 touchdowns, finishing with 3,332 yards of total offense. The 2011 MW Freshman of the Year ranked second in MW and 33rd nationally in total offense (256.3 yards per game), he was No. 4 in the MW and 36th in the NCAA in passing yards (201.7 yards per game). He set a new MW freshman single-season record for total offense and had a hand in 30 of the team's 46 touchdowns.
2. Derek Carr, Jr., Fresno State
Carr led the WAC in passing yards (3,544) last season, a total that ranks as the third-most in Fresno State history and the most ever by a Bulldog sophomore. His passing yardage led the WAC and ranked 15th nationally, while his 279 completions and 446 attempts were the second-most in the history of the program. Carr threw 26 touchdown passes against nine interceptions while completing 62.6 percent of his passes.
3. Cody Fajardo, So., Nevada
Fajardo earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2011, finishing with 2,401 total yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. Fajardo became the starting quarterback for the Wolf Pack in October and threw for 1,707 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 694 yards and 11 more scores. He ranked third in the WAC in passing efficiency with a 138.2 rating and was sixth in the WAC in rushing with 69.4 yards per game.
4. Ryan Katz, Sr., San Diego State
The void left by four-year starter Ryan Lindley is expected to be filled by Katz, a transfer from Oregon State who started every game for the Beavers in 2010, completing 60 percent of his passes for 2,401 yards and 18 touchdowns. Katz played in 18 games for Oregon State from 2008-11, starting 14 games and throwing for 2,722 yards and 19 touchdowns. Katz is eligible to play immediately at SDSU after graduating from Oregon State this spring. He will take graduate courses at SDSU this fall.
5. Joe Southwick, Jr., Boise State
The Kellen Moore era may be over, but there's no evidence of panic in the streets in Boise. The benefit of the Broncos' ability to build large leads in recent seasons has allowed Southwick to play in 16 games the past two years. He's made the most of it, completing 64.8 percent of his passes (35-of-54) for 400 yards with just one interception. In the Broncos' spring game, Southwick finished 14-of-19 for 145 yards and one touchdown. None of the other three quarterbacks bidding to supplant Moore threw more than eight passes.
6. Connor Dietz, Sr., Air Force
While perhaps not possessing the passing skills of former starter Tim Jefferson, Dietz is more than capable of directing the Falcons' complex option attack, having played in 21 career games with three starts. Dietz has completed 30-of-62 passes (53.3 percent) for 392 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. A fifth-year senior, Dietz compiled a passing efficiency rating of 198.97 as a junior.
San Diego State crowned its third first-team All-American and matched its best finish ever in the women's division on Saturday as the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships came to a close at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Sophomore triple jumper Shanieka Thomas capped things off in high style for the Aztecs, breaking the school record three times on six attempts en route to a second-place finish in the event. Thomas, whose previous personal best was 44'-8.0," turned in an effort of 45'-9.75" on her final attempt, erasing the previous record of 44'-9.0" set by Karoline Koehler in 2009. Thomas' effort also eclipsed the Mountain West outdoor record of 44'-8.25" set by BYU's Kamila Rywelska in 2005.
With her second-place finish, Thomas became the third SDSU athlete to garner first-team All-American honors at this year's national meet, joining senior Whitney Ashley and sophomore Allison Reaser. Ashley won a national title in the discus on Wednesday, while Reaser finished sixth on Friday in the heptathlon.
Junior Alex Evans finished 14th (42'-6.25") in the triple jump competition for the Aztecs, who tied for ninth with Tennessee (21.00 points) in the team standings. It was SDSU's best finish at the national meet since 1985.
Southern Mississippi senior Ganna Demydova won the triple jump title with an effort of 46'-7.25."
In other news from the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships:
Air Force senior Jim Walmsley finished 12th in the finals of the men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, posting a time of 8:57.99 to earn second-team All-American honors. Walmsley qualified for the finals after finishing in a career-best time of 8:41.05 in Thursday's prelims. Walmsley's mark on Thursday was the third-fastest in Air Force history. Princeton senior Donn Cabral won the event, posting a time of 8:35.44.
Boise State freshman and MW Champion Emma Bates earned second-team All-American honors in the women's 5,000-meter run, finishing 12th in a time of 16:43.84. In addition to being the first member of the school's women's team to garner All-American status in the event, Bates turned in the top time among all freshmen competing in Saturday's race. It was just her third time competing in a 5,000-meter race this season. Dartmouth sophomore Abbey D'Agostino won the event in a time of 16:11.34.
The MW crowned three national champions during this year's meet, including San Diego State's Whitney Ashley, Boise State's Kurt Felix (men's decathlon) and TCU's Whitney Gipson (women's long jump).
Ten MW athletes earned first-team All-American honors at this year's meet, including SDSU's Whitney Ashley (women's discus); UNLV's Amanda Bingson (women's hammer throw); Boise State's Kurt Felix (men's decathlon); TCU's Whitney Gipson (women's long jump); SDSU's Allison Reaser (heptathlon); New Mexico's Floyd Ross (men's triple jump); TCU's Charles Silmon (men's 100 meters); Air Force's Cale Simmons (men's pole vault); SDSU's Shanieka Thomas (women's triple jump); and New Mexico's Sarah Waldron (women's 10,000 meters).
Florida won the men's team title with 50.00 points, while LSU took home honors on the women's side with 76.00 points.
Air Force junior Cale Simmons garnered first-team All-American honors by finishing in a tie for fifth in the men's pole vault. Simmons, who set a MW record at last month's league championships with a vault of 18'-1.75," posted an effort of 17'-8.50" on Friday, finishing in a tie with Liberty's Kolby Shepherd. Oral Roberts junior Jack Whitt won the national title with a mark of 18'-6.50." Simmons also earned All-American honors in March when he finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
TCU junior Charles Silmon, the MW record holder in the men's 100-meter dash, earned first-team All-American honors with a seventh-place finish in the finals of the event on Friday. Silmon, who posted a time of 10.05 during Wednesday's prelims, clocked in at 10.39 in the finals. He set the MW record at last month's NCAA West Region Championship Prelims with a mark of 10.04. Illinois senior Andrew Riley won Friday's final in a time of 10.28.
Colorado State senior Nicole Peters, who established a personal-best time of 10:12.61 during Wednesday's prelims in the women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, finished 12th in Friday's finals in a time of 10:46.10. Colorado junior Shalaya Kipp posted a winning time of 9:49.02. Peters was the 2012 MW champion in the event.
The collegiate track and field season may be coming to a close, but it appears that New Mexico junior Floyd Ross is just getting started.
Ross, who posted a personal-best triple jump mark of 52'-7.25" at last month's West Region Prelims, took his performance to another level on Friday, earning first-team All-American honors by finishing second in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
The first Lobo triple jumper to qualify for the national meet since Dewayne Rudd in 1984, Ross saved his best for last, unleashing an effort of 54'-6.00" on his final attempt to finish second behind Omar Craddock of Florida (55'-6.25"). Ross' mark ranks second all-time in MW history.
Ross, who placed second to TCU's Cameron Parker with an effort of 51'-7.75" at this year's Mountain West Championships, surpassed that mark on three of his six attempts Friday.
Parker, meanwhile, the MW triple jump champion each of the past two years, finished 19th in Friday's competition, with his best effort of the day coming on his second attempt (50'-5.50").
In others news from Day 3 of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships:
Air Force junior Cale Simmons garnered first-team All-American honors by finishing in a tie for fifth in the men's pole vault. Simmons, who set a MW record at last month's league championships with a vault of 18'-1.75," posted an effort of 17'-8.50" on Friday, finishing in a tie with Liberty's Kolby Shepherd. Oral Roberts junior Jack Whitt won the national title with a mark of 18'-6.50." Simmons also earned All-American honors in March when he finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
TCU junior Charles Silmon, the MW record holder in the men's 100-meter dash, earned first-team All-American honors with a seventh-place finish in the finals of the event on Friday. Silmon, who posted a time of 10.05 during Wednesday's prelims, clocked in at 10.39 in the finals. He set the MW record at last month's NCAA West Region Championship Prelims with a mark of 10.04. Illinois senior Andrew Riley won Friday's final in a time of 10.28.
Colorado State senior Nicole Peters, who established a personal-best time of 10:12.61 during Wednesday's prelims in the women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, finished 12th in Friday's finals in a time of 10:46.10. Colorado junior Shalaya Kipp posted a winning time of 9:49.02. Peters was the 2012 MW champion in the event.
San Diego State senior Whitney Ashley, who won a national title Wednesday in the women's discus, finished 13th on Friday in the shot put competition. Ashley posted a mark of 53'-9.25" after her throw of 55'-5.00" at last month's NCAA West Region prelims broke the Mountain West record. Oklahoma junior Tia Brooks won the national title with a mark of 60'-6.00."
In an interview with the Idaho Statesman earlier this week, Boise State senior decathlete and Grenada native Kurt Felix talked about his beginnings in track and field.
Specifically, his background in one of the decathlon's 10 events --- the javelin.
"In the islands, we throw a lot of rocks," Felix said. "It just sort of came natural."
And in the end, it just sort of made him a national champion.
Felix, who led after the first five events on Wednesday, held on to win the men's decathlon title on Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Having dropped into third place on Thursday with two events remaining --- the javelin and 1,500-meter run --- Felix won the javelin competition, vaulting back into first place with an effort of 227'-6.00." Only two other decathletes --- Romain Martin of Texas-Arlington (210'-6.00") and Oregon's Dakotah Keys (201'-4.00") surpassed 200 feet.
Felix, who finished with a MW record 8,062 points to fend off the second-place Martin by 106 points, placed 13th in the decathlon at the 2010 national meet. He entered the meet ranked fourth in the country (7,972 points), 95 points behind leader Isaac Murphy of Texas. In the two-day competition at Drake Stadium, Felix bested the seventh-place Murphy by 244 points.
Said Felix: "It was my last NCAA competition, so it feels really good."
Meanwhile, TCU senior Whitney Gipson turned in the second-best mark in MW history to win the national title in the women's long jump.
Gipson, who was recently tabbed the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Association's South Central Region Athlete of the Year, posted the winning mark of 22'-4.25" on her second attempt of the day. Southern Mississippi senior Tori Bowie was second at 21'-10.25."
A five-time All-American and the reigning NCAA indoor champion, Gipson won the long jump at this year's MW Championship for a second straight time, becoming only the fourth student-athlete in league history to win back-to-back championships.
In other news from Day 2 of the NCAA Track and Field Championships:
San Diego State sophomore Allison Reaser sits in ninth place in the women's heptathlon after totaling a first-day personal-best 3,386 points. Reaser's point total is her highest ever after the first day, bettering the 3,355 points she earned en route to winning the event at last month's MW Championships. With three events remaining on Friday, three athletes are less than a 100 points ahead of Reaser, who opened the day by posting the second-fastest time of her career in the 100-meter hurdles (13.77). Reaser set a personal record with an effort of 5'-4.25" in the high jump and turned in her second-best effort of the outdoor season with a mark of 38'-5.00" in the shot put. She also posted her second-fasted time of the season in the 200-meter dash (24.20).
Air Force senior Jim Walmsley advanced to Saturday's finals of the men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase by posting a career-best time of 8:41.05 in Thursday's prelims. Walmsley shaved 10 seconds off of his previous best time to place seventh overall in the field of 24. His mark was the third-fastest in Air Force history.
UNLV senior Amanda Bingson, the MW all-time leader in the women's hammer throw, finished third to earn All-American honors in the finals of the event on Thursday. Bingson, who fouled on her first two throws, advanced with an effort of 219'-8.00" on her third attempt in the opening round. It was the best effort of the day for Bingson, who finished fourth at the national meet a year ago.
New Mexico senior Sarah Waldron, the MW and school record holder in the women's 10,000 meters, earned All-American honors by finishing sixth in the finals of the event on Thursday. Waldron posted a time of 32:58.84.
San Diego State senior Whitney Ashley set a Mountain West record, a program record and a U.S. Olympic Trials "B" standard mark with an effort of 196'-10.00" on Wednesday to win the women's discus competition at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ashley, who finished fourth in the event at last month's NCAA West Region Prelims, posted a personal-best mark of 184'-5.00" on her first throw of the day before surpassing the MW record of 187'-3.50" established by Colorado State's Loree Smith in 2004. Ashley, whose previous personal-best of 181'-3.00" was set at the Mt. SAC Relays in April, is the fourth SDSU student-athlete to win an individual Division I track and field national championship and the first since 1985. She finished seventh at the national meet last year with an effort of 179'-7.00."
Ashley competes again on Friday in the shot put after finishing fifth in the event at the NCAA West Region Prelims. Her effort of 55'-5.00" at the West Region prelims broke a Mountain West record and ranks second-best all-time at SDSU. She also competed in the shot put at last year's national championships but fouled on all three of her attempts.
In other news from the opening day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships:
Boise State senior Kurt Felix, who will represent his native Grenada in the 2012 Summer Games in London, holds first place after the opening day of competition in the men's decathlon.
Felix, who compiled 4,187 points after five events on Wednesday, will begin the second day of competition on Thursday with a 10-point lead over Arkansas freshman Gunnar Nixon.
Felix began the day in style, posting a personal best time of 10.90 to finish second in the 100-meter dash. The BSU record holder in the decathlon then went on to win the long jump competition with an effort of 24'-3.50" before finishing 12th in the shot put (42'-11.00").
While his effort in the shot put dropped him into second place overall, Felix regained the lead after placing second in the high jump (6'-8.75"). In the day's final event, Felix posted a time of 48.77 in the 400-meter dash, the second-fastest time of his career.
Thursday's final round of the decathlon kicks off with the 110-meter hurdles at 11:30 a.m. CT, followed by competition in the discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1500 meters.
TCU junior Charles Silmon, who set a Mountain West record in the 100-meter dash with a wind-aided time of 10.04 seconds at last month's NCAA West Region Championship Prelims, qualified for Friday's finals in the event after posting a time of 10.05.
Silmon, the league's three-time defending champion in the 100 meters, finished with the fifth-fastest time of the day. Auburn junior Harry Adams posted the top qualifying time at 9.96. Florida State's Ngonidzashe Makusha set the national collegiate record in the 100 meters at last year's meet with a time of 9.89.
Colorado State senior Nicole Peters earned a spot in Friday's finals in the women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase after finishing 13th in a time of 10:12.61. Peters, the 2012 MW champion in the event, qualified after placing seventh (10:16.15) at the NCAA West Regional Prelims.
TCU, which will be making its third NCAA Super Regional appearance in four years when it faces UCLA on Friday, had four more players selected Wednesday on the final day of the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The six Horned Frogs drafted this year ties for the third most in TCU history, trailing only last season's school record eight and the seven selected in 2007.
After Horned Frogs catcher Josh Elander and outfielder Kyle Von Tungeln were selected by the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies, respectively, on Tuesday, fellow junior Kevin Allen was the first MW player taken on Wednesday when the right-hander was drafted in the 23rd round (703rd overall) by the Kansas City Royals. In his first season at TCU, the second-team All-Conference selection is 5-2 with a 2.97 ERA, posting 43 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings.
TCU junior right-hander Tyler Duffie was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 27th round (845th overall) before Jason Coats, a three-time first-team All-MW selection, was taken by the Chicago White Sox in the 29th round (891st overall). Duffie has pitched 9 1/3 innings this season without allowing an earned run and surrendering just three hits while striking out eight batters. Coats, who was taken in the 12th round by the Baltimore Orioles a year ago, is TCU's career leader in doubles (69) and ranks second in hits (304), RBI (202) and total bases (496). The senior outfielder was batting .326 with six home runs and 45 RBI before being lost for the season with a knee injury late last month.
Senior Kaleb Merck became the sixth TCU player taken in this year's draft when he was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 33rd round (1,000th overall). Merck returned to action in 2012 after being sidelined by injury last year, when he was a 43rd-round pick by the Texas Rangers. The right-hander, who is 1-1 this season with a 3.63 ERA, has posted five saves this season while limiting opposing batters to a .202 average. He has 24 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings.
A second MW player was taken by the Twins on Wednesday when UNLV junior outfielder Brandon Bayardi, a first-team All-MW selection, was drafted in the 36th round (1,090th overall). Bayardi, who recorded a team-high batting average (.365) this season, also led the Rebels in RBI (53) and home runs (7) while ranking second on the team in hits (74).
Fresno State, which will officially join the MW on July 1 and had four players selected on Tuesday, produced two more picks on Wednesday when senior right-hander Gene Escat was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 23rd round (702nd overall) and senior second baseman Patrick Hutcheson was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 29th round (888th overall).
Juniors selected in the draft are eligible to return to their respective teams if they do not sign prior to the July 13 deadline.
MW BASEBALL STUDENT-ATHLETES SELECTED IN 2012 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
Juniors Josh Elander and Kyle Von Tungeln, both of whom have played major roles in TCU advancing to its third Super Regional in the past four seasons, were the first two Mountain West players selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.
Elander, a catcher who has started all 60 games this season and is batting .316, was taken by the Atlanta Braves with the 21st pick of the sixth round (209th overall). One of two MW players named to the 2012 Capital One Academic Division I All-American team, Elander leads the Horned Frogs with 10 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 21 attempts.
Von Tungeln, an outfielder who is batting .301 with 10 doubles, five triples and a pair of home runs, was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 13th round (408th overall). A second-team All-MW selection, Von Tungeln has driven in 24 runs this season while stealing 12 bases in 17 attempts.
Meanwhile, New Mexico junior right-hander Austin House, who helped lead the Lobos to their second consecutive MW Tournament title, was taken by the Oakland A's in the 14th round (439th overall). A unanimous first-team All-MW selection, House leads the league in innings pitched this year with 111.2. He finished the 2012 campaign with an 8-5 record in 16 appearances, posting a 2.74 ERA while striking out 91, the third-highest total in the Conference.
Fresno State, which will officially join the MW on July 1, had four players selected on Tuesday, including junior right-hander Justin Haley (6th round, Boston Red Sox, 211th overall); senior right-hander Taylor Garrison (7th round, New York Yankees, 247th overall); senior right-hander Cody Kendall (8th round, Texas Rangers, 276th overall); and senior left-handed pitcher Thomas Harlan (13th round, Pittsburgh Pirates, 406th overall).
Nevada, which will also join the MW on July 1, was represented in the draft by junior catcher Carlos Escobar, who was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round with the 464th pick overall.
The draft concludes Wednesday with rounds 16-40. Coverage begins live at Noon ET on MLB.com. Juniors are eligible to return to their respective teams if they do not sign prior to the July 13th deadline.
San Diego State saw its season come to a close Friday when it dropped at 3-2 decision to California in the match play quarterfinals of the 2012 NCAA Men's Golf National Championships.
The 10th-ranked Aztecs won the first two matches but were unable to hold on over the course of the final three. Despite the loss, the Aztecs posted their best team finish at the NCAA Championships in their Division I history by tying for fifth place at the par 71, 7,2-92-yard Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Defending MW champion SDSU qualified for match play on Thursday after recording a 54-hole total of 19-over 871 (292-295-284) to tie for fourth place with the Golden Bears in the three-day stroke play portion of the tournament.
"You have to be in the final eight to have a run at the national championship in this format and we were here," said Aztecs coach Ryan Donovan, a semifinalist for National Coach of the Year. "I think this is going to make us stronger and help with recruiting."
SDSU's finish was the best by a team from the Mountain West since 2005, when three MW teams in the top eight. SDSU also provided the league with its first top 10 finish since 2009, when TCU placed ninth.
The turning point came in the final pairing when Cal's Joel Stalter sunk a 15-foot putt for birdie on No. 17 to defeat Aztec senior Alex Kang 2&1.
SDSU seniors J.J. Spaun and Colin Featherstone both came away with wins in the opening two matches, providing the fifth-seeded Aztecs with an early 2-0 lead over the fourth-seeded Golden Bears.
Cal's Pace Johnson bested Aztec senior Matt Hoffenberg, and SDSU junior Tom Berry fell to the Golden Bears' Michael Kim, who put the match away with a birdie at No. 17 after Berry had rebounded from a three-hole deficit.
With the match even at 2-2, the quarterfinal winner came down to the final pairing of Kang and Slater. It was all square through the first three holes, until Kang went 2-up with pars to Slater's bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6. Slater would get back to even as the group made the turn, then went ahead for the first time on the par-5 11th hole when Kang double-bogeyed. SDSU would get back to all square on a birdie putt on No. 14, and after both golfers recorded fives on No. 15, on Kang found the bunker on back-to-back tee shots on Nos. 16 and 17, which allowed Slater to go up by one before sinking the winning birdie putt.
It was the first time a team from the Mountain West advanced to match play since the current format was established in 2009, as well as the first time that the Aztecs had ever qualified for the match play portion of the national championship.
"It came down to the wire," Donovan said. "It came down to the last match and that is what I was expecting. They made an extra birdie or two on us and that is what it comes down to in this format."
Now comes the task of replacing four seniors --- Spaun, Kang, Featherstone and Hoffenberg --- who played major roles in the team's success over the last four seasons. Spaun, who finished tied for 13th during the stroke play portion of the tournament, exits as the 2012 MW Player of the Year.
"I am so proud of this group of guys and the bond that came between them," Donovan said. "These are memories they will always have. (They) won back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships, and came back from behind against Stanford (on Friday) when everyone thought we were down and out. They showed a lot of heart. I could not be more proud of the group, and it is going to help us to get better in the future."
2012 NCAA Men's Golf Championships
Pacific Palisades, Calif. - Riviera Country Club (Par-71, 7,292 yards)
Match Play - NCAA Quarterfinals
• No. 1 Alabama def. No. 8 Kent State, 3-1
• No. 7 Oregon def. No. 2 UCLA, 3-2
• No. 3 Texas def. No. 6 Washington, 5-0
• No. 4 California 3, No. 5 San Diego State 2
J.J. Spaun (SDSU) def. Max Homa (Cal), 4&3
Colin Featherstone (SDSU) def. Brandon Hagy (Cal), 2&1
Pace Johnson (Cal) def. Matt Hoffenberg (SDSU), 4&3
Michael Kim (Cal) & Tom Berry (SDSU), 3&1
Joel Slater (Cal) def. Alex Kang (SDSU), 2&1
A slice of advice: Whatever you do, don't back San Diego State's men's golf team into a corner.
The Aztecs, who began the day nine shots off the lead, once again discovered more than a morsel of magic in their bag by finishing in a tie for fourth place with California in the stroke play portion of the NCAA Championships at the par 71, 7,292-yard Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
The 10th-ranked Aztecs entered Thursday's round in 15th place, but roared back by matching the lowest round by any squad during stroke play at ever-par 284. San Diego State posted a 54-hole total of 19-over 871 (292-295-284), becoming the first MW team to advance to match play since the current format was established in 2009.
San Diego State is no stranger to comebacks, however, as the Aztecs were confronted with a similar climb earlier this month when they found themselves staring at a nine-stroke deficit after the first round of the Stanford Regional. SDSU finished regional action as the tournament's runner-up at 19-under 821, six strokes behind regional champion Cal.
Two-time defending MW champion SDSU will now commence the hunt for its first national title when it squares off in match play action against the Golden Bears in Friday's quarterfinals. San Diego State and Cal are slated to start match play at 10:45 a.m. PT, with the winner advancing to Saturday's semifinals. The national title will be determined between the top two teams on Sunday.
The Aztecs, who are guaranteed their best finish since 1966, will finish no lower than eighth at the conclusion of play on Sunday, the highest by a team from the Mountain West since 2005, when three MW teams finished in the top eight. SDSU also assures the Mountain West of its first top 10 finish since 2009 when TCU placed ninth.
The Horned Frogs concluded the 2011-12 season after carding a 15-over 299 for the third straight day to finish 27th at 45-over 897.
TCU was once again paced by freshman Julien Brun, who climbed from a nine-way tie for 16th place to a tie for second place at 2-under 211 (72-72-67). Brun, the 2011-12 MW Freshman of the Year, posted the highest individual finish by a MW golfer in an NCAA Championship since UNLV's Ryan Moore captured medalist honors in 2004. It also matched the best-ever showing by a TCU men's golfer at the NCAA Championship, joining former Frogs J.J. Henry (T-2nd, 1998) and Adam Rubinson (T-2nd, 2002).
Brun carved out a third-round score of 4-under 67, which tied for the second-lowest round of the entire tournament and included one eagle and five birdies. He finished the tournament with 13 birdies overall and shared reserved medalist honors with Florida's Tyler McCumber. Illinois' Thomas Pieters secured the individual title after posting a three-day total of 5-under 208.
Meanwhile, it was J.J. Spaun who led the charge for the Aztecs, finishing in an eight-way tie for 13th at 2-over 215 (72-74-69). The senior, who was named the 2011-12 MW Golfer of the Year earlier this month, carded a 2-under 69 on Thursday, including an eagle on No. 1 and birdies on Nos. 11 and 15, to move from 37th to 13th place.
SDSU junior Tom Berry had three birides on the day to post his best round of the tournament by two strokes at even-par 71. Berry, who entered the third round tied for 37th, moved up to a tie for 29th at 4-over 217 (73-73-71). Senior Alex Kang concluded stroke play in a tie for 50th place at 7-over 220 (72-73-75).
San Diego State and California will be joined in match play by Alabama, which finished stroke play atop the leaderboard at 7-over 859, along with UCLA, Texas, Washington and Oregon. Florida State and Kent State finished tied for the eighth position, so both teams will return at 8 a.m. PT Friday for a sudden death playoff to determine the final qualifier.
Live scoring for the national championship can be found at NCAA.com. A live video web stream will also be available during the tournament on NCAA.com.
Mick McGrane has covered the Mountain West since the league's inception in 1999. He spent 12 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he served as the beat writer for San Diego State football and men's basketball. He currently represents the MW as a member of the Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee and is a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. McGrane serves as senior writer to the Mountain West, providing readers with exclusive, in-depth information about the Conference by highlighting its 10 member institutions and contributing feature stories on student-athletes that participate in the league's 18 sponsored sports.
Have a question for Mick? E-mail him at mick@TheMWC.com or check him out on Twitter @MWCMick.
Mark Knudson is a Colorado State journalism school graduate and a 12-year veteran of professional baseball. During his playing career, Mark pitched for three major league teams, including the Colorado Rockies, where he was the first Colorado native to play for the hometown team. He recorded wins over three of the four legendary pitchers who make up the 4,000 strikeout club: Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. His win over Ryan came for the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day in 1991.
Since his retirement, Mark has been a feature writer and columnist for Mile High Sports, a radio talk show host and TV analyst for numerous sports media outlets. For the past six years, he was a columnist and baseball analyst for The Mtn., along with being one of Colorado's six Heisman Trophy voters.
Air Force senior Jim Walmsley finished 12th in the finals of the men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase, posting a time of 8:57.99 to earn second-team All-American honors. Walmsley qualified for the finals after finishing in a career-best time of 8:41.05 in Thursday's prelims. Walmsley's mark on Thursday was the third-fastest in Air Force history. Princeton senior Donn Cabral won the event, posting a time of 8:35.44.
Mick McGrane has covered the Mountain West since the league's inception in 1999. He spent 12 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he served as the beat writer for San Diego State football and men's basketball. He currently represents the MW as a member of the Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee and is a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. McGrane serves as senior writer to the Mountain West, providing readers with exclusive, in-depth information about the Conference by highlighting its 10 member institutions and contributing feature stories on student-athletes that participate in the league's 18 sponsored sports.
Mark Knudson is a Colorado State journalism school graduate and a 12-year veteran of professional baseball. During his playing career, Mark pitched for three major league teams, including the Colorado Rockies, where he was the first Colorado native to play for the hometown team. He recorded wins over three of the four legendary pitchers who make up the 4,000 strikeout club: Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. His win over Ryan came for the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day in 1991.
