Feb. 27, 2016
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - On the final day of the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships, San José State scored in three events to finish with 27 points, the most ever the Spartans have scored in the meet since joining the conference in 2013.
Sophomore Nicole Iloanya led the way with a second place finish in the triple jump, soaring 12.38m (40 feet, 7 /12 inches) on her third attempt of the day.
"Nicole really willed herself to get in a couple of legal jumps even though she was less than 100%. I'm so proud of her," said Spartans track and field head coach Jeff Petersmeyer.
The second-year Spartan from Arlington, Texas, collected eight points for the Spartans to put the team at 22 points at the time in the meet, eclipsing last year's total of 17 points. Entering Championship Saturday, the Spartans had 14 points with Jade Childs' third place finish in the pentathlon on day one and a second place finish in the long jump by Cambree Harbaugh on day two.
"I didn't do as well as I would have liked but I'm so grateful to come out with a second place medal and to represent San José State," said Iloanya. "This indoor conference I've learned more about myself as an athlete and I was able to overcome adversity. Finishing eighth last year and coming in second this year is just the beginning. The best is yet to come."
Iloanya's improvement and optimism can be traced to the young team that Petersmeyer fielded for the meet, with 10 underclassmen among the 14 that made the travel squad, along with the year-to-year improvement the team has made.
"We scored less than we had hoped but we are so young, I know we will continue to improve. We have some talented ladies on this team but as the program grows, so will the number of talented individuals and that's what we need to be competitive in this conference," said Petersmeyer.
Second-year Spartan Jennifer Beckingham ran her first ever 3000-meter race at San José State, finishing fifth as she ran the last lap in a blistering 31.87 seconds, passing by four runners. Beckingham garnered four points for the Spartans.
"I was really determined to make it count and I knew if I could hang on, I could use my kick and score some points," said Beckingham, who excelled on the Spartan cross country team in the fall, leading the team in each meet.
The 31.87 second final lap time by the Southhampton, England native, was faster than any lap time that the other 3000 meter competitors ran at any point during the race.
In the 4x400 meter relay, sophomore Caitlin Wilson, freshman Kolbi Sims, sophomore Leah Lambert and sophomore Makayla Webb ran it in 3:53.52 to take eighth place to tally San José State's final point of the championship meet.
In the high jump, freshman Natalia Gutierrez finished 16th, clearing 1.64m. Sims and Childs failed to clear the initial height of 1.59m.
Colorado State scored 115 points to win the Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships as the conference schools turn their attention to the outdoor season.
"Our young ladies are more battle tested and strong willed than this time last year as most of them were freshmen but athlete health, next to talent, is the most important ingredient to success," said Petersmeyer as the Spartans open up their outdoor season at the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento, Calif. on March 18.
2015 Mountain West Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships
Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, N.M.
February 26, 2015
Day 3 of 3
Team Scores
- Colorado State - 115
- San Diego State - 105
- Boise State - 71.5
- New Mexico - 65
- Wyoming - 59
- UNLV - 56
- Nevada - 52
- Fresno State - 49
- Utah State - 33
- Air Force - 30.5
- San José State - 27
High Jump final - 1. Isobel Brown, Colorado State, 1.78m; 2. Kaysee Pilgrim, UNLV, 1.78m; 3. Leah Carter, Nevada, 1.78m; 4. Jessica Green, Colorado State, 1.75m; 5. Kinsey Minter, 1.75m; 5. Nicole Wadden, Nevada, 1.75m; 16. Natalia Gutierrez, San José State, 1.64m; Kolbi Sims, San José State, NH; Jade Childs, San José State NH.
Triple Jump final - 1. Jenell Hadnot, New Mexico, 12.85m; Nicole Iloanya, San José State, 12.38m; 3. Angelea Ross, Air Force, 12.16m; 4. Lindsay Read, Colorado State, 12.14m; 5. Dayanera Timberman, Wyoming, 12.09m; 9. Cambree Harbaugh, San José State, 11.87m.
3000 Meter final - 1. Hannah Everson, Air Force, 9:32.79; 2. Brenna Peloquin, Boise State, 9:34.93; 3. Mintu Hukka, Boise State, 9:38.27; 4. Calli Thackery, New Mexico, 9:43.36; 5. Jennifer Beckingham, San José State, 9:47.06.
4x400 Relay - 1. Fresno State, 3:38.05; 2. UNLV, 3:41.79; 3. New Mexico, 3:43.07; 4. San Diego State, 3:43.44; 5. Wyoming, 3:45.45; 8. San José State (Caitlin Wilson, Kolbi Sims, Leah Lambert, Makayla Webb), 3:53.52.