Hosts CSUDH and UNLV Shine on Picture Perfect Day at Inaugural Pacific Coast Invitational
Toros and Rebels combine for all five qualifying marks set on Home Depot Center Track
April 13, 2007

Complete Results (PDF)      Photo Gallery

Carson, CA -- Picture perfect skies and a gentle breeze set the stage for the Inaugural Pacific Coast Invitational on the Home Depot Center Track as co-hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills and UNLV were joined by Pepperdine University, San Diego Mesa College, Cerritos College, track clubs and unattached competitors who made history by participating in the first ever track and field event hosted by CSUDH.

CSUDH’s 4x100 relay team after setting a provisional mark Photo Gallery

Five qualifying times were established on the day, while Louise Ayetotche, a native of the Ivory Coast who ran unattached, made herself at home by blazing down the 200 meters in a time of 22.77 -- 1/100th of a second off her personal best of 22.76 -- and down the 100 meter dash in a time of 11.69.

The best races of the day occurred between the two hosts as both schools put up fierce battles in the 100 meter hurdles and the 4x100 relay.

In the hurdles, UNLV’s Meia Tezeno, who last season competed for the Toros, nipped CSUDH’s Grace Fitchett (Los Angeles, CA/Paramount HS) by .02 seconds to give the Rebel the meet record at 13.87, with both hurdlers earning a qualifying mark. This result followed the relay’s lead earlier in the day as the Rebel team of Tezeno, Lauren Johnson, LeKeisha Lawson and Aja Evans finished the relay in 46.57, surviving a strong push by the Toros’ quartet of Shammeer Dawson (Los Angeles, CA/El Camino College), Fitchett, Danielle Lewis (Los Angeles, CA/LA Southwest College) and Deborah Bowser (Long Beach, CA/Cerritos JC) that finished in 46.79, with CSUDH’s squad running well under the provisional qualifying time of 47.50.

On the men’s side, Cerritos College’s Geno Dill crossed the 100 meter line in 11.02 to clip Perpetual Motion’s Reggie Taylor, who finished right behind at 11.19, and completed the double by also winning the 200 meter dash in 23.24. Brandon Brisco, who ran unattached, won a heated 400 meter race in a time of 49.20, out-sprinting San Diego Mesa’s Jesse O’Brien, who finished in 49.47.

In the field events, a pair of unattached athletes took the men’s crowns as Nicholas Armstrong, a student at Cal State Dominguez Hills, claimed the long jump title with a leap of 19’3”, while Lyndon Wyse captured the triple jump event with an effort of 46’11”. On the women’s side, UNLV’s Tezeno took the long jump title with a leap of 17’8-3/4”, while Cerritos College’s Portia Ford claimed the triple jump with a jump of 34’ 4-1/4”.

In other Toro results on the day, Alexandria Anderson (Moreno Valley, CA/CSULA) and Fitchett posted provisional and season best efforts in the 100 hurdles and 200 meters, respectively, as Anderson finished third in a time of 14.63, while Fitchett placed a runner-up effort in 24.38. Also in the 200 dash, Lewis at 25.37 and Stephanie Peoples (Long Beach, CA/Jordan HS) at 28.16 both set season best marks at the the Toros first-ever home track and field meet.

CSUDH continues its outdoor season on Sunday as they participate in the prestigious Mt. SAC Invite in preparation for the 44th Annual Men’s and Women’s Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, taking place from May 24-26, 2007, at the Irwin Belk Complex in Charlotte, North Carolina.