With indoor season in the books, the ASU track and field team turns its focus outside — and unfortunately into the heat.
The Sun Devils had yet to host an event this season until the Castillo Invitational on March 15 and March 16 at Sun Angel Stadium.
Coach Greg Kraft used the meet as a tune-up for the beginning of the outdoor season, but he sees this weekend’s ASU Invitational as the kickoff to the outdoor season.
“This is just another step in the way,” he said. “We’ll still hold out some of our NCAA kids, (and) some will be doing other events. You got to get back on the competitive wagon.”
A majority of the top Sun Devil competitors did not compete in the Castillo Invite, but the ASU Invite will be some of the athletes’ first outdoor competition of the season.
But the outdoor season is somewhat different, Kraft said, but it is more of a poised area for the Sun Devils.
“I think we’re definitely within our comfort level,” Kraft said. “It seems like a subtle difference. … I think we’re a little more comfortable outside as a group.”
Kraft believes his team is set up to prosper a little more in the outdoor season and is looking forward to seeing several of his athletes step up in this latter half of the year.
“Without question, particularly on our women’s side when you add the discus with (redshirt junior) Anna Jelmini,” Kraft said. “(Redshirt junior) Chelsea Cassulo will be more of a threat in the hammer throw than the indoor weight throw as well.”
Jelmini is one of four Sun Devils that earned first-team outdoor All-American honors in 2012. She had back-to-back runner-up finishes in the discus the last two seasons and is looking to capitalize this outdoor season.
She will be defending her Pac-12 discus and shot put championship this year.
“On the girl’s side, I think Anna will be the standout,” Kraft said on his expectations of the outdoor season.
This will be the first season that Jelmini’s teammate, Cassulo, will compete for the Sun Devils in the hammer throw. It's not her first in her collegiate career, as the now-redshirt junior placed fifth overall in the NCAA outdoor championships at UNLV in 2011.
Men look to rebound
Senior sprinter Chris Burrows started the new season off on the right foot with a career best in the 400 meter and a second place finish in the men’s 4x400-meter relay.
Kraft is expecting big things from the senior but said it’s not him that has the highest expectations for Burrows.
“We need him to have a good outdoor season,” Kraft said. “(But) no one has higher expectations for Chris Burrows than Chris Burrows himself.
“He’s been around long enough, so he knows what’s at stake.”
High expectations are something put on several of the Sun Devil track and field athletes and no one may know that better than the potential Bowerman Award winner.
Redshirt senior thrower Jordan Clarke begins his journey to track and field history, pushing for his fifth straight NCAA National Championship. That goal is something on Clarke’s radar, but Kraft didn’t seem to make a big deal of it — and for good reason, Kraft said.
“We’re extremely confident in Jordan, particularly if he’s healthy,” Kraft said. “I don’t see anyone standing in his way.”
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
