(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
On senior day at the 39th annual Sun Angel Classic, Redshirt Senior, Maggie Ewen stole the show as she has done so many times throughout her career.
The Sun Angel Classic was the third and final home meet of the 2018 season for the Arizona State University Track and Field team.
Ewen led the way for the Sun Devils and put together a performance for the ages. Three events, two personal records, three NCAA leading marks, two world-leading marks, one NCAA second all-time, one school record, and one NCAA record.
On day one (Friday), she won the hammer throw in 74.53m (244′ 6″) and broke the collegiate record in the process. She also set a world-leading mark in the event, according to IAAF. Despite setting the collegiate record, her throw did not break her own school record or personal best. That mark was set at the U.S Track and Field Championships last summer (not an NCAA meet, but still counts for school records).
On day two (Saturday), Ewen won the discus in a throw of 61.27m (201′ 0″) which is good for a personal best and the number one mark in the NCAA this season.
Ewen’s dominant performance would culminate in a victory in the shot put. Her heave of 19.22m (63′ 0¾”) broke an Arizona State record, is the number one throw in the world this year and is the second-best mark in NCAA history.
You can read more about Ewens historic night here.
Ewen wasn’t the only Sun Devil to have a field day.
Jessica Barreira claimed both the javelin and triple jump titles with marks of 45.23m (148′ 4″) and 12.51m (41′ 0½”) respectively.
Senior jumper, Mason Ford set a lifetime best in the high jump with a leap of 2.10m (6′ 10¾”), finishing sixth (fifth collegiately). Fellow Senior Nathan Hiett recorded a personal best of 5.25m (17′ 2¾”) in the Pole Vault. The mark puts Hiett seventh in school history and 14th in the West Region.
The biggest storyline of the meet might have focused on Ewens historic performance, or the senior athletes competing in their last home meet, but it was a Freshman who made his mark in the school record books in his first collegiate outdoor meet. Arizona high school pole vault record holder, Cole Riddle took fourth (second amongst collegiate athletes) in the Pole Vault. His vault of 5.35m (17′ 6½”) was good for fourth in ASU school history.
A challenging knee injury has kept him out of competition to this point. The senior Sun Devils might be putting the finishing touches on their careers, but this is a freshman to watch for years to come.
Kraft expressed his excitement about Riddle’s return to the team coming back from injury.
“Cole Riddle has been hurt and he’s had kind of an unusual knee cap situation, so
for him to open up like that speaks well,” Kraft said.
The field events may have led the way for ASU, but a win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for Jackson Lewis, some strong women’s sprint relays, and an Alethia Marrero 7th place finish (6th amongst collegiate athletes) in the premiere 400-meter run paced the way for the Sun Devils on the track.
Marrero ran a personal best of 53.88, which ranks her 7th in the highly competitive west region. She also ran legs on both of the ASU women’s sprint relays.
Kraft emphasized the importance of improving before the Pac-12 Championships and regional meet, especially for the women’s sprint relays which he believes have a chance to qualify for nationals.
“We have time to do that, but we’ve got to keep working and chipping away,” Kraft said.
The meet featured a variety of unattached and professional athletes. Olympian and former U.S champion, Ares Merritt competed in the 110-meter hurdles, fellow Olympian Chijindu Ujah won the 100-meter dash in a blazing 10.15 and Deante Kemper put up a 2.24m (7′ 4¼”) in the high jump. For Sun Devils fans the highlight of the of the premier field was former ASU track and field athlete Chelsey Albertson getting the win in the 1,500-meter run.
Kraft summed up the meet by saying, “The star of the day was Maggie Ewen,” but senior day was great for the whole team. He also emphasized the importance of the event to the crowd, especially the parents.
“It’s neat for the parents because it brings a little closure for them. They get to see their child compete one more time at Sun Angel Stadium,” Kraft said.
The Sun Angel Classic concludes the ASU home schedule. Up next, the Sun Devils will travel to San Diego for the Triton Invitational.
Full meet results can be found here.
