Alex Evans is one of eight Aztecs who will compete for a spot in Des Moines at the national championships this weekend.

May 22, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas -

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The San Diego State track and field team travels to Austin, Texas, this weekend to compete in the NCAA Preliminary Rounds. The top-12 finishers in each event of the west region will advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held June 6-9 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Eight Aztecs qualified for the three-day meet, which begins Thursday (May 24), including Whitney Ashley and Jasmine Burrell in two events apiece.

Ashley heads into the weekend ranked fifth out of 48 competitors (each event has 48 participants) in the discus throw (183 feet, 1 inch) and 10th in the shot put (54-01.00).

Burrell also will be competing in both events and is 16th in the discus (177-03) and tied for 41st in the shot put (49-06.25).

Shanieka Thomas has the best ranking heading into the regional meet as she is second in the triple jump with a mark of 43-11.25. She will be joined in the event by Alex Evans, who is tied for 40th at 40-09.50.

The Mountain West indoor pole vault champion Kelsy Hintz is ranked 12th in the event (13-10.00), while the outdoor champion Holly Waseloff is 48th in 13-00.25.

Allison Reaser, who is already going to Des Moines after qualifying in the heptathlon, is ranked 17th in the region in the 400-meter hurdles (58.37 seconds).

Josefine Koskinen will also be on the track as SDSU's lone non-hurdle runner as she is ranked 31st in the 800 (2:07.87).

Ashley and Burrell kick things off for San Diego State in the shot put, beginning at 1 p.m. CT Thursday. Reaser (400 hurdles, 5 p.m. CT) and Koskinen (800, 8:35 p.m. CT) will also compete in the first round of their respective events on Thursday with hopes of qualifying for Friday's quarterfinal heats.

Ashley and Burrell take their turn in the discus at 11 a.m. CT Friday with Hintz and Waseloff starting two hours later (1 p.m. CT) in the pole vault.

Thomas and Evans wrap up things for the Aztecs on Saturday in the triple jump, beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT.

2012 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships (Preliminaries)
West Region - Austin, Texas
May 24-26, 2012
(Top 12 advance to championship rounds in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9, 2012)

800 Meters
31. Josefine Koskinen - 2:07.87
(First Round - 8:35 p.m. CT Thursday: Six heats - Top 3 from each heat advance to quarterfinals, plus next 9 fastest times)
(Quarterfinals - 7:15 p.m. CT Friday: Three heats - Top 3 from each heat advance to semifinals in Des Moines, plus next 3 fastest times)

400-Meter Hurdles
17. Allison Reaser - 58.37
(First Round - 5 p.m. CT Thursday: Six heats - Top 3 from each heat advance to quarterfinals, plus next 9 fastest times)
(Quarterfinals - 7:45 p.m. CT Friday: Three heats - Top 3 from each heat advance to semifinals in Des Moines, plus next 3 fastest times)

Pole Vault
12. Kelsy Hintz - 13-10.00 (4.22m)
48. Holly Waseloff - 13-00.25 (3.97m)
(Qualifying - 1 p.m. CT Friday: Top-12 finishers overall advance to finals in Des Moines (with jump-off if necessary)

Triple Jump
2. Shanieka Thomas - 43-11.25 (13.39m)
T-40. Alex Evans - 40-09.50 (12.43m)
(Qualifying - 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday: Top-16 overall advance to three-attempt final; Top-12 finishers overall advance to finals in Des Moines)

Shot Put
10. Whitney Ashley - 54-01.00 (16.48m)
41. Jasmine Burrell - 49-06.25 (15.09m)
(Qualifying - 1 p.m. CT Thursday: Top-16 overall advance to three-attempt final; Top-12 finishers overall advance to finals in Des Moines)

Discus Throw
5. Whitney Ashley - 183-01 (55.81m)
16. Jasmine Burrell - 177-03 (54.04m)
(Qualifying - 11 a.m. CT Friday: Top-16 overall advance to three-attempt final; Top-12 finishers overall advance to finals in Des Moines)