It doesn’t get any bigger and better than this.
The ASU track and field team has sent 11 athletes to Fayetteville, Ark., for the 2010 NCAA Indoor National Championships on Friday and Saturday.
The No. 5 Sun Devil men’s team is loaded with seniors, as seven of its nine competitors are facing the last chance of their collegiate careers to win a national indoor title. Both the ASU men and women won the 2008 indoor crown.
The Sun Devils will be led by senior thrower Ryan Whiting, the two-time defending national champion in the indoor shot put. He is the clear favorite in the event, as his best toss this year is 21.52 meters, with the next closest competitor at 19.49 meters — a nearly seven-foot advantage.
Senior Jason Lewis will also be competing in the shot put this weekend, in addition to the weight throw.
Senior sprinter Donald Sanford will also be counted on to help contribute heavily this weekend. Sanford will compete in three events — the 400-meter dash, 4x400 meter relay and distance medley relay.
Sanford said his job is simple: step up and lead.
“All I have to do is continue doing what I’ve been coached to do, nothing extra,” Sanford said. “I’m pretty sure that will be enough if I give it my best.”
Head coach Greg Kraft, who has guided ASU to four total national titles over the past three years, believes there are four teams on the men’s side who have a chance to win it all, including his own.
“We are a dangerous team, and we’re going there to win,” he said. “When you have a veteran team, they know [what’s at stake].”
Joining Sanford in the 4x400 meter relay will be seniors Joel Phillip, Ray Miller and Justin Kremer. The distance medley relay consists of Sanford, junior Nectaly Barbosa, sophomore Mason McHenry and senior Brandon Bethke.
Bethke will compete in the 3,000-meter race while McHenry will vie for a chance at a national crown in the 800-meter race. McHenry believes this is a special group of Sun Devils who have a genuine shot at the team title.
“We have a pretty good shot,” McHenry said. “We just have to make sure everyone stays healthy. Everything has to come together.”
Two Sun Devil women will also be competing for ASU this weekend.
The freshmen tandem of Constance Ezugha and Christabel Nettey will be looking to soar in the long jump as the only rookies in the field.
Ezugha said she won’t be fazed by the bright lights at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
“I’m not intimidated because this is what I expected,” she said. “I’m just so happy to be going.”
Nettey, while also excited, said her personal goal for this weekend is to place in the top eight and earn Freshman All-American honors.
“To come in and accomplish that as a freshman would be really cool,” Nettey said.
The top four teams for the men and women receive a trophy for their accomplishments. Kraft said he would be more than happy to bring another trophy back to Tempe.
“It’s hard to feel bad about your performance if you get a trophy,” he said. “To win another one would say a lot about our overall program.”
Reach the reporter at elsmith8@asu.edu
