May 25, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa - Texas State senior Abby Ruston won the shot put competition at the NCAA Mid West Regional with a final throw of 17.23 meters (56-06.50) to have her ticket punched to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Trials.

Ruston's previous best throw in the event was a throw 16.96 meters and put her in third place with one attempt left. On her final throw, Ruston smashed the school record set earlier this month at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championship to win the championship. The San Antonio native had previously set career and school-record records of 16.80 meters (55-01.50).

Ruston's final throw bettered the first marks of Texas' Michelle Carter (17.17m) and Northern Iowa's Rachel Jansen (17.09m). No other competitor in the 30-athlete field came up with a throw of better than 16.47 meters.

Ruston will compete at the NCAA Outdoors which run June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif.

Also on Friday at the Mid West Regional, sophomore Robert Melin placed fifth in the men's discus throw with a new personal-best mark. Melin advanced to the finals with a mark of 54.02 meters. In the finals, he had a throw of 56.84 meters on his first attempt (186-06). Melin fouled on his second and third attempts of the finals.

Texas' Derek Randall was the discus with a winning throw of 60.07 meters.

Texas State also had athletes compete in the women's long jump and high jump as well as the men's 400 meter hurdles and 400 meters.

Gatis Spunde fell just short of qualifying for the 400m hurdles. He placed third in his heat with a time of 51.90. But his time was the top time on the outside looking in when it came to qualifying for Saturday's finals. Competing in the same heat, Iowa's Ray Varner was the eighth and final qualifier with a time of 51.84.

Erroll Harris placed sixth in his 400 meter heat with a time of 48.47.

The NCAA Midwest Regional continues Saturday at Drake University.