Stephanie James was named the MWC's co-athlete of the week.

Feb. 9, 2010

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Redshirt junior Stephanie James (Granite Bay, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Conference women's indoor track and field co-athlete of the week, the league announced Tuesday. James, formerly Stephanie Bagan, shared the weekly honors with Brigham Young's Mindy McClurkin.

James tied for first in the pole vault at the competitive New Mexico Classic in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday in an event that had five athletes clear a NCAA automatic or provisional height. Competing for the first time after redshirting all of 2009, James cleared 14 feet, 0 inches, a mark which was an indoor personal best and tied for the second-best vault in MWC and program history. The mark also automatically qualified her for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and is currently tied for the seventh-best height in the country (TFRRS.org).

A two-time NCAA All-American (2008 indoor, 2008 outdoor) and three-time MWC pole vault champion (2007-08 indoor, 2008 outdoor), James picked up her second weekly award by the league. On April 15, 2008, James was chosen as the MWC's outdoor track and field athlete of the week.

James is one of three Aztecs who have already qualified for the NCAA indoor championships. Senior Karoline Koehler has automatically qualified in the triple jump, and provisionally made it in the long jump and 60-meter dash, while classmate Nicole Stone is provisionally in the 400 meters.

San Diego State will compete in the Azusa Pacific Indoor All-Comers Meet this Saturday, while the pole vaulters will participate in the UCSD Vault A-Thon Meet.