Lumberjacks Collect 22 Big Sky Qualifiers at ASU Invitational

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona track and field team recorded a solid all-around performance Saturday in the ASU Invitational at Sun Angel Stadium on the campus of Arizona State. The Lumberjacks collected 22 Big Sky qualifiers in the meet with many returning student-athletes recording new personal-best marks.

"I am very happy that the entire team enjoyed a successful day at the ASU Invite," Interim Director of Track and Field & Cross Country Eric Heins said. "We had a feeling that we would see a lot of conference qualifying marks from this meet and I am just glad that our athletes stepped up and delivered today."

Of the 22 qualifiers from Saturday's meet, 11 came from the sprints and jumps squad. The Lumberjacks had four qualify in the 100-meter dash including senior Annie Skordas with a personal-best time of 12.03, junior Skekila Wilkinson (12.15), sophomore Simone Holder (12.34), and freshman Miles DiSabella from the men's squad (10.95). Skordas also recorded a qualifying mark in the 200-meter dash as well (24.67).

Junior Jackie Shea (1:04.24) and sophomore Anthony Belcher (55.13) both qualified for the conference meet in the 400-meter hurdles. On his way to punching his ticket to Ogden, Utah, Belcher collected a new personal-best mark.

All three women jumpers who competed in the meet will represent NAU at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships. Junior Amber Anderson qualified in the triple jump with a mark of 11.95m (39-02.5), and also collected an outdoor PR in the long jump (6.06m/19-10.75). Sophomore Amanda Duarte and freshman Amber Yingling both recorded conference-qualifying leaps in the long and triple jump. Junior pole vaulter Jami Michaud also qualified when she cleared 3.56m (11-08).

Senior Javier Villarreal opened up his outdoor season competing in the third flight of the shot put alongside national champion Ryan Whiting of ASU. The Eloy Ariz., native placed third overall with a qualifying hurl of 17.31m (56-09.5). The women's shot put saw senior Arshiya Hoseyni and junior Shelby McCray record new outdoor PRs. Hoseyni threw 14.44m (47-04.5) and McCray hurled 12.37m (40-07.00)

In the men's discus competition, sophomore Pat Colennelli moved up the conference performance list with a qualifying mark of 46.93m (154-0).

It was a big day for the NAU distance crew as seven runners making their season debuts qualified for the outdoor conference championships.

Juniors Ben Ashkettle (9:15.40) and Will Porter (9:30.86) finished second and third respectively in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase to clinch their spots in Odgen. In the 5,000-meter run, senior Nell Rojas (17:11.59), sophomores Kortnee Burton (17:39.89) and Andrew Belus (14:42.24) and freshman Tim Freriks (14:45.58) all recorded conference-qualifying marks.

The men's 1,500-meter run saw sophomore Darius Terry turn in a personal-best mark of 3:49.31 on his way to a third-place finish. Fellow sophomore Ahmed Osman took first in the second heat with a time of 3:51.87. Both Lumberjacks finished well under the qualifying standard of 3:55.00.

The track and field team will have next week off as it prepares for the Mesa Classic and Sun Angel Invitational on April 9-10.