KINGSVILLE, Texas - The No. 6 San Francisco State women's track & field team placed fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The weekend was highlighted by seven Gators earning 15 All-America awards in eight different events, including three National Champion runner-up finishes by the 4x100 and 4x400, and Monisha Lewis in the 100m hurdles.
The 42 points accrued by the Gators and the fifth overall place are both program bests, eclipsing the 21 points and tenth-place finish a year ago.
Destiny Mack-Talalemotu immediately grabbed the first position in flight one in shot put and didn't let it go as she threw a 14.89m. She then tossed a 15.06m before recording a stellar season-best 15.56m to take first after the first flight. She was the only competitor in flight one to hit the 15-meter mark and the only one from that group to reach the finals.
The senior would wind up in fourth heading into the finals, and that 15.56m mark would record sixth place overall to secure All-America status. Mack-Talalemotu becomes the first podium finisher in the event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in program history.
The 4x100 of Lewis, Alexis Henry, Maya Cook and Jazmine Smith ran a 45.59 to earn second place in the event and add eight more points to the team's total. The finish is the best by a Gator quartet at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in SF State history, and the mark ties the fourth-fastest time in program history.
Lewis added another trophy to her case as she became a National Champion runner-up in the 100m hurdles, clocking in at 13.29. This is her second All-America award in the event after taking silver in last year's Championships.
In the 400m, Henry crossed in 55.06 and Smith ran a 55.53 to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, and become All-Americans. Henry added another All-America award in the 200m, clocking in at 24.53.
Wrapping up the season was the 4x400, and Kennedy Hardemion got SF State out to a strong start. Lewis, Cook and Smith ran strong down the stretch as the Gators took second with a time of 3:38.21, which is the third-fastest time in program history. SF State was narrowly edged out by Lincoln (Mo.), who won the National Championship.
Henry's, Smith's and Lewis' three First Team All-American awards are the most by a Gator in program history. The Championships wrap up a stellar 2019 campaign for SF State. The Gators placed a program-best tenth at the NCAA Indoor Championships where five Gators were crowned All-Americans. The Purple and Gold then went on to defend their CCAA Championship in thrilling fashion with a whopping 182 points, and
Courtney Massengale,
Asaundra Dalton and
Tom Lyons took home USTFCCCA All-Region Awards.
