May 16, 2004
IRVINE, Calif. - UCSB finished fourth out of nine teams at the Big West Championships that concluded Saturday evening at UC Irvine. The Gauchos final total of 118 points was the highest score in UCSB history at the Big West meet, nearly doubling last year's total of 63. Jasmine Washington won the 400m, Desiree Leek claimed the 5,000m title, and the 4x400m relay broke the school record on the final day of competition.
CS Northridge won the women's title with 165 points, Idaho took second with 150.5, Cal Poly finished third at 132.50, UCSB was fourth with 118, followed by Long Beach St. (100), Utah State (67), UC Riverside (35), UC Irvine (33.50), and CS Fullerton (16.5).
Senior Jasmine Washington equaled her school record for the third time this season, running 53.58 to win the 400m. Sophomore Kylie McCuen earned All-Conference honors, finishing third in a life time best 54.63, just .02 off the NCAA Regional mark of 54.61. Washington came back later in the afternoon for 5th in the 200m (24.46) and McCuen was right behind in 6th place with another personal best, hitting the tape in 24.55. While Washington will advance to the NCAA Regional Championship on May 28-29 at CS Northridge, McCuen finished a super sophomore season as the second fastest 200m and 400m runner in UCSB history.
Gaucho distance runners help fuel the big move for the Gaucho ladies at this year's conference championship, putting together 63 points in four events. Junior Desiree Leek finished 2nd in the 1,500m final in a personal best 4:26.18 (#4 All-time UCSB) and sophomore Lauren Christman joined her on the All-Conference podium at third (4:27.21, #5 All-time UCSB). Both improved on their regional qualifying marks in the event as well. Sophomore Roseann Peters added three more points with a surprise 6th place finish at 4:31.51 (#8 All-time UCSB). Peters was ranked 12th in the event entering the meet.
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Sophomore Lindsay Christman pushed Idaho's Mary Kamau all the way to the finish of the 800m final. Christman finished 2nd in 2:12.38 to Kamau's winning time of 2:11.95. Lauren Christman doubled back for 7th in the 800m.
Leek joined forces in the 5,000m with junior Cosette Smith who had won the 10,000m championship on Friday night. Leek and Smith followed Cal Poly's Amber Simmons along with Letiwe Marakurwa of Idaho in the lead pack of four that formed about half way through. Leek assumed the lead with just over 4 laps to go and Smith followed as the pair began to put some distance on Simmons and Marakurwa. The Gauchos ran unchallenged to the tape with Leek winning in 16:57.46 and Smith second at 16:58.71. The victory was the third consecutive 5,000m title for a Gaucho woman at the Big West meet. Katie Appenrodt won the Big West 5,000m in 2002 and 2003.
The foursome of McCuen, Lindsay Christman, Elise Geiger, and Washington combined for a new school record in the 4x400m relay in the final event of the meet. Their final time 3:44.77 came in just under the 3:44.86 set two weeks ago on the same track with Lauren Christman running the second leg instead of Lindsay. The Gauchos finished second behind a powerful Northridge squad that won in 3:42.18, and were well ahead of Idaho in third at 3:47.90.
On the field Amy Haapanen added a second All-Conference finish to her credit as the runner-up in the shot put at 50' 7.25". Freshman Charlene Heaston had a personal best 45' 6.5" effort that was good for 8th place and 2nd all-time at UCSB.
Sophomore Danielle DeBeaubien threw a lifetime best 127' 8" in the javelin for 7th place. Freshman Ashley Coelho leaped a personal best 38' 0.75" (#3 All-time UCSB) in the triple jump and a 10th place finish. Freshman Heidi Nyberg cleared 10' 4" for 9th place in the pole vault.
The following Gauchos have qualified for the NCAA West Regional Championships to be held May 28-29 at CS Northridge:
Lauren Christman (1500m)
Desiree DeJesus (3000mSC)
Amy Haapanen (shot put, discus, hammer)
Desiree Leek (1500m, 5000m)
Heather Quinn (discus, hammer)
Rebecca Richey (javelin)
Cosette Smith (5,000m)
Devon Tracy (high jump)
Jasmine Washington (400m)
