ASU track and field split up its team this weekend to compete in New Mexico at the Don Kirby Invitational and in Iowa at the Iowa State Classic.
The Sun Devils used each meet to gain valuable experience before the championship season begins near the end of February.
Head coach Greg Kraft said he wanted to the distance team to compete in Iowa this weekend in order to get some good seed times for the Mountain Pacific meet. The remainder of the team traveled east to New Mexico to build upon their early season success.
On Friday in Iowa, the Albertson family led the charge by re-writing the program's record books.
In the men’s 5000 meter run, redshirt senior CJ Albertson finished in ninth place with a time of 13:50.24, which bests former Sun Devil Brian Pierre’s time of 13:50.37.
“I felt good, I didn’t know exactly if I broke it or not,” CJ Albertson said. “But then I went up to my coach he told me that I broke it, and it felt good."
Later that day in the women’s 5000 meter run, CJ's wife, senior Chelsey Albertson, also made her mark in the ASU record books. She ran a time of 16:03.47, which is only .32 seconds off second place in the ASU record books.
BOOM! Senior Chelsey Albertson runs a new personal best in the women's 5k & is now the 3rd best indoor time in program history! pic.twitter.com/UrPo7QT2Qy
— SunDevilTFXC (@SunDevilTFXC) February 11, 2017
“She raced directly before me so I was just trying to get ready for my race,” CJ Albertson said. “The whole time I knew she was running fast and when she finished I knew that she was either second or third all-time so I was really excited going into my race.”
In New Mexico on Saturday, freshman transfer Paul Lucas made his debut in the maroon and gold at the Don Kirby Invitational.
Lucas’ career as a Sun Devil got off to a rough start when he was disqualified for a false start.
Next weekend, the Sun Devils will travel north to Flagstaff as they partake in the NAU Tune-up.
Reach the reporter at jzaklis@gmail.com and follow @JoshZaklis on Twitter.
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