April 9, 2009

Complete Schedule in PDF Format

FRESNO, Calif. - It will be a weekend of firsts for the Bulldogs.

Fresno State travels out-of-state for the first time this season for the team's first-ever appearance at the 30th Sun Angel Track Classic hosted by Arizona State April 10-11, 2009.

With a pool of elite competition, the weekend promises to be one that pushes the Bulldogs to the next level.

"This is the best meet we've been to all year," said head coach Scott Winsor. "It's going to be a test to see where we stand compared to teams from all over the country. One of our goals is to really show the team where we are compared to the rest of the nation and this is meet is going to do that."

The meet will feature athletes from 41 programs across the country with some teams coming from as far as 2,600 miles (Dartmouth and Boston University) and as close as 150 miles (NAU). No matter the distance traveled, the teams are guaranteed great competition at the Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium.

Teams slated to compete at the meet are: Arizona State, Adams State, Alabama (M), Arizona, Arkansas (M), Auburn, Boise State, Boston U., Bowling Green (W), BYU, Colorado State, Columbia, Coppin State, Dartmouth, DePaul, Dickinson State, Fresno State, Houston, Illinois (W), Illinois State, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, LSU, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Minnesota, Missouri State, Montana State, New Mexico, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma (M), Rhode Island (W), Syracuse, Texas (M), USC, Utah (W), Washington, Wyoming and Xavier (Ohio). In addition, numerous unattached/professional competitors will add to the mix.

The meet is set up with various divisions of competition, which includes an "premier division" featuring the top competitors in each event. Sharon Ayala (hammer), Kayla Xavier (shot put), Latrisha Jordan (400 hurdles), Tiera Hilliard (400) and Peter Krumeich (javelin) will represent Fresno State on that elite stage.

The Bulldogs will look to use the high level of competition as a way of making themselves better, potentially moving into postseason contention. Many Bulldogs are within striking distance of an NCAA Regional qualifying mark and with the heightened level of competition at the Sun Angel Classic, could qualify this weekend.

Val-Pierre Dai'Re finished just .08 seconds off qualifying the 110-meter hurdles at the Cal Nevada Championships on March 29. The junior qualified for the Regional in the event last season, timing a personal-best 14.24. Dai'Re has already qualified for the Regional in the 400 hurdles, although he could easily better that mark over the weekend.

Also in the hunt for a postseason bid is Erik Fossen. Fossen, the team's lone all-around jumper, leapt for 48-11 (14.91m) in the triple jump last weekend, just 3.5 inches shy of a Regionally-qualifying mark.

Roxanne Sellick looks to secure a second trip to the NCAA Regional this weekend. Sellick, the defending WAC champion in the 1,500, ran in the event for the first time this season at the Cal Poly Invitational last weekend and won the race by nearly 10 seconds. Sellick timed a 4:31.00 to earn WAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week. She needs to shave off less than four seconds to qualify for the postseason.

Xavier will attempt to qualify a second event, the hammer throw, for the NCAA Regional. The sophomore, who set a personal-best and Regionally-qualifying 50-5.25 (3.85m) in the shot put in March, needs to add less than four feet to her hammer throw to become a double-qualifier. She would also be the third Bulldog to qualify in the hammer this season.

The meet is scheduled to conclude later than normal in an attempt to avoid some of the heat of the Tempe sun. The hammer competition will take place on Friday with the rest of the events beginning on Saturday. Updated results will be available at www.thesundevils.com.

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