Under Sieg: Freshman tops field in women’s shot put for NCAA Championships berth

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – At the NCAA West Preliminaries, folks in field events aren't supposed to qualify out of the second of four heats. Not when they're seeded 32^nd overall.

Forget qualifying. Colorado State redshirt freshman Tarynn Sieg didn't stop there Saturday on the final day at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Sacramento State University. She toasted her personal best by more than five feet and beat the school record by nearly a foot to win the shot put title at 57-2.75 to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas on June 5-8.

Sieg, whose previous best was 51-7.25, went well past Aaliyah Pete's mark of 56-3 from back in 2017. There wasn't one part of her day better than the rest, none of it deserving of being ranked.

"It's a mix of everything," Sieg said. "It's impressive I was able to do it all. Really, it was more about my personal record because that's all I can control. I went into today thinking that.

"The school record was like the icing on the cake. I kinda felt like that before. This year in indoor when I threw 17.04 (meters), I felt like a calm come over me. I kinda felt that same thing again today when I went to throw this one. I felt super calm through my throw, and when it landed, I knew it was a pretty good one."

At the time, all she had was the top spot and a school record with 16 more competitors to throw, all of them with better season marks to their credit. So she had to sit and watch and wait.

It wasn't until the final flight started to come up short the reality started to hit her completely.

"I knew 16-something, 17 (meters) would help seal the deal to go to nationals. I didn't hit me I'd end up winning it," Sieg said. "It wasn't until I sat and watched the last two rounds where I was, wow, I actually won this.

"It was more exciting when the fourth flight was out there. Those are the girls that are really going to push me. That's my competition, and they can throw far. They can do really well, and I want to be up there with them."

In the end, she was above them all. Her performance topped the list of an impressive closing effort for the Rams, who added to their championships roster to bring the total to six qualifiers. It started with the women's 4x100 relay of Marybeth Sant, Lauren Gale, Destinee Rocker and Jessica Ozoude earning their trip by placing eighth overall in a time of 44.36. The quad finished fourth in the final of three heats, but the time was the top at-large bid and better than two automatic qualifiers out of earlier heats.

Later in the evening, Rocker made it to nationals on her own, taking third in the second heat of the 100 hurdles, nabbing an automatic bid with her time of 13.16. It placed her seventh overall, which was her ranking heading into the meet.

"We had some very special performances, especially the women's crew," CSU head coach Brian Bedard said. "It's the first time I can remember qualifying a 4x100 relay, and Tarynn's performance was a jaw dropper. We've seen her potential, and to see it come together on her last throw ... wow!

"D-Rock was no surprise. She's been a rock all season, very consistent. Overall, we got a lot done. There were a few disappointments, but that's the way it goes at this meet."

Ozoude missed out in the 200, placing 17^th overall at 23.30. Isa Bynum competed in the triple jump, his best effort measured at 48-4.5, placing him 36th overall. Maria Muzzio was also in the shot put, coming in 27^th with a throw of 50-7.25. The Rams had three men in the 5,000, with Eric Hamer 11th overall at 13:59.51, but did not qualify as the top 13 runners in his heat (the second) beat the first heat. The top five in each heat advanced, with the next two best times joining them. Cole Rockhold was 32nd (14:19.43) and Carson Hume 39th (14:26.27).

The night finished with the women's 4x400 relay of Ozoude, Michelle Gould, Jasmine Chesson and Gale breaking the school record with a time of 3:38.91 as the group placed 20th overall.

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