Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Mt. SAC Relays
Greene, Sellick, Xavier Lead 'Dogs at Mt. SAC
4/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 17, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - The Mt. SAC Relays are billed as the meet "where the best athletes in the world compete." And the Bulldogs are taking it in stride.
Fresno State concluded the second day of competition on a high, as three Bulldogs, Tim Greene, Roxanne Sellick and Kayla Xavier, met NCAA Regional qualifying standards Friday at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif.
For the second week in a row, Roxanne Sellick posted a career-best in the 1,500-meter - this time, though, the effort earned her a bid to the NCAA Regional. The defending WAC Champion in the 1,500 clocked a 4:27.22 to take sixth, more than two seconds under her former personal-best.
"Roxanne is still getting better," said Winsor. "And she isn't tapped out by any means. She keeps PR-ing. She's still going to keep getting better. She has all the tools to defend her title in the 1,500, she just has to use them."
Vanessa Sautebin added a Top 10 finish for the Bulldogs on the track, timing a 14.10 in the 100 hurdles, picking up a fourth-place finish in the event.
Paul Zwama had the men's top finish on the track, taking ninth in the 10,000. Zwama ran a team-best 29:54.94 to open the meet for the Bulldogs.
Fresno found great success in the throws on Friday, led by Xavier and Greene.
Xavier doubled her entries for the NCAA Regional, meeting the qualifying standards in the hammer throw. She threw a career-best 180-9 (55.09m) in the hammer to take fifth in the 27-competitor event. The sophomore also took fourth in the shot put, an event she already qualified for the postseason. Xavier surpassed the NCAA Regional standard by more than a foot.
"Kayla is doing well across the board," said head coach Scott Winsor. "She seems to keep getting better and better in every event she participates in. We are really looking forward to seeing what she will do when we reach conference and regionals."
In the discus, Sharon Ayala took ninth with a toss of 153-2 (46.68m).
Tim Greene led the men's throwers, tossing the hammer 186-7 (56.88m), just two feet off his personal-best.
"Tim is becoming very consistent, which is exactly what you want to do," said Winsor. "I think he's getting a bit impatient with his performance, but he's doing a great job. The throwers started PR-ing so often, they got into the mindset that if they don't PR every weekend, then it's a failure. Really success is a consistency thing; if you can throw only a few feet off your PR every week, that's where success is."
The third and final day of the 51st Mt. SAC Relays begin at 8:55 a.m. with the "Munchkin Run."
Join the State - Fresno State! Stay up to date on all the latest Fresno State track and field information at www.gobulldogs.com.
Players Mentioned
