Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
NCAA West Regional Championships
Fresno State Concludes NCAA West Regional Action
5/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 31, 2008
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The second day of the NCAA West Regional Meet brought answers for two Bulldogs on the women's side and questions for two Fresno State men.
Freshman Rosario Sanchez got an answer to her own question as to if her season would be over after Saturday.
It won't be.
Sanchez threw a personal-best and Fresno State Freshman Record 52-5.25 (15.98m) in the shot put to take fourth place in the event and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships June 11-14 in Des Moine, Iowa.
"I'm so proud," said throws coach Ramona Pagel. "She did an awesome job and really went in with the right attitude."
Also getting an answer Saturday was hammer thrower Sharon Ayala. Although she didn't earn an automatic berth, Ayala learned she had won an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship Meet based on her personal-best throw of 203-4 (61.98m).
For the men, there are questions yet to be answered.
Both Brian Vazquez and Val-Pierre Dai'Re had stellar performances Saturday, each finishing in sixth, just outside the automatic qualifying place.
Vazquez, a senior, was one of Fresno State's first two competitors Saturday, competing in the men's hammer throw. Entering the meet, Vazquez ranked eleventh among the Western Regional competitors and 29th in the nation. After a modest first throw, Vazquez tossed a new personal best of 208-6 (63.55m) on his second attempt, launching him into sixth.
Thanks to Saturday's performance, Vazquez's new PR puts him within reach of an at-large bid to Des Moine, Iowa. But there won't be an answer until Sunday.
"Brian really deserves to go to the NCAAs," said Pagel. "He did really well today, going in ranked 11th and beating out five guys with a new PR to take sixth. I guess I'll be holding my breath until tomorrow."
Redshirt sophomore Val-Pierre Dai'Re also wants answers.
Dai'Re took the track as the second-best qualifier in the 400 hurdle finals. After struggling out of the blocks, Dai'Re gained momentum going around the second turn and passed up two racers in the final meters, but came up just shy of the fifth-place automatic qualification mark. He placed sixth with a time of 51.48.
His mark of 51.02 on Friday not only is his new personal best, but also put him well within reach of an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.
Chris Witscher also threw in the hammer Saturday, marking a 183-1 (55.80m).
The first women's performer for Fresno State Saturday was Brooke Pighin. The freshman, who has the 33rd-best javelin throw in the NCAA, struggled Saturday, throwing a 138-5 (42.20m) on her first throw.
Competing alongside Sanchez in the shot put was Kayla Xavier. Xavier threw a 44-5.25 (13.54m) in her first season as a Bulldog.
Meredith Hawkins got out to a strong start in the first 100 of the 3,000 steeplechase, setting herself up in the front pack. However, after the first 500, a Cal competitor fell coming off one of the barriers, taking down a large contingent of competitors, including Hawkins. Hawkins battled her way back into the pack to finish at 10:57.21.
Roxanne Sellick ran in the finals of the 1,500, the event she championed at the conference meet two weeks ago. The junior hung tough with the competition, registering a 4:39.79 in the event.
The women's 4x400 relay team of Christina Lopez, Erica McCoy, Tiera Hilliard and Marina Santana rounded out the meet with a 3:47.73.
On Friday, Gary Lee led the Fresno State men with a leap of 25-1.25 (7.65m) to place fourth in the long jump and solidify a trip to the NCAA Championship Meet on June 11-14 at Drake University.
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