Fresno State Athletics
Ayala Rocking the Rankings
4/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 8, 2009
Complete Rankings in PDF Format 
FRESNO, Calif. - Sharon Ayala is picking up in the outdoor season where she left off in the indoor track and field season.
The US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association released the first rankings of the 2009 Outdoor Track & Field season on Tuesday and Ayala is among the Top 10.
After a stellar showing at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in March resulting in All-American honors, Ayala has moved into the outdoor season with ease.
Ayala earned the No. 8 spot in the hammer throw in the rankings after breaking her own school record in the event on April 3 at the Cal Poly Invitational. The senior from Avenal, Calif., tossed the hammer 205 feet, 5 inches (62.61 meters), a full two feet further than the 203-4 (61.98m) record she set at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 20, 2008.
"Number 8 is great at this point in the year," said head coach Scott Winsor. "But she'll tell you that she has much more in the tank than anyone has seen so far."
Of the seven competitors in front of Ayala, four are ranked based on marks set in the 2008 season. Ayala is the No. 3 competitor from the NCAA West region, with both of those ahead of her, defending NCAA Champion Eva Organ of USC and Arizona State's Sarah Stevens, earning the first and second spots with marks set last year.
Ayala earned indoor All-American honors on March 13, setting a new school record in the 20-pound weight throw. Entering the competition ranked No. 10, Ayala upset three competitors to take sixth in the event.
Three weeks later, Ayala has already refocused on her favorite event, the hammer throw, and set her sights on All-American honors in the outdoor season.
"Sharon is working very hard to climb that ladder and I'm looking forward to seeing where that will take her," said Winsor.
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