March 22, 2003

TEMPE, Ariz. - The UC Santa Barbara women's track and field team posted fine marks over the weekend at the Baldy Castillo Invitational at Arizona State. Part of the squad also competed at the Cal Poly Invitational in San Luis Obispo.

Amy Haapanen smashed the UCSB school record in the shot put for the third time this season, raising the mark to 47-08.50. Haapanen, in just her first season as a Gaucho, added over a foot to her previous best and has improved the old school record by nearly four feet this season. Fellow freshman Heather Quinn threw the shot put 42-08 to move to fourth on the all-time Gaucho list. Quinn also had a 145-06 toss in the discus which ranks sixth all-time.

Deborah Samson cleared 12-4 in the pole vault, good enough for second place, and also over the NCAA Regional standard of 12-0. Senior team captain Katie Appenrodt finished second in the 1500 meter with a season best 4:34.34. The NCAA Regional mark for the 1500 meter is 4:31.00.

Other highlights from Arizona include a conference qualifying mark by freshman Kim Christiansen in the long jump with a leap of 17-10.75. Cosette Smith ran a season best 4:38.18 in the 1500 meter.