SDSU Track Team Faces New Tests at NCAA Meet

After a season that included accusations of steroid use, a brief suspension of the team and, finally, required drug testing, San Diego State’s track team has arrived at a different--and less controversial--type of testing.

Bring on the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships, the ultimate test for collegians.

SDSU has sent 11 athletes, including three with good chances to be winners, to the NCAA meet, which runs today through Saturday at Indianapolis.

LaTanya Sheffield (400-meter hurdles) and Laura DeSnoo (discus) are defending NCAA champions. Renee Ross, who has the nation’s second-fastest time in the 800, also is considered a potential champion.

Can they put all of this season’s distractions behind?

“Everything took a toll on us,” Sheffield said. “But everyone going to the NCAAs set their eyes on one thing--the NCAAs. Now, we’re where we set our eyes on.”

Said DeSnoo: “Before this year, San Diego State was good to me. Right now, I’m thinking of the good times. I’ve been here five years. One semester of bad times shouldn’t reflect on the other nine semesters.”

Two weeks ago, SDSU athletes were upset that Fred Miller, the university’s athletic director, was not sending an Aztec trainer to the meet. Miller said SDSU’s athletes could use trainers provided by the NCAA. Even that little test of their patience was resolved when Miller relented and agreed to have team trainer Dava Reeder accompany the Aztecs.

Reeder could be important because some Aztecs have been hurting. Sheffield was slowed during the season by an Achilles injury. DeSnoo still is bothered by strained tendons in her ankle, which will require surgery next week for the fifth time. She also has had shoulder surgery twice during her collegiate career. Bothsaid they will be more comfortable having their own trainer this week.

Sheffield has recovered well from her injury, due in part to inactivity.

“Back in February, she tried out for a dance production on campus,” said Jim Cerveny, the Aztec women’s coach. “With the training we do, plus dancing in the evening, it didn’t give her body a chance to recover. It became a problem of overwork. Since the dance production and our conference meet were held the first week of May, she has had a chance to recuperate. She’s not in peak shape, but she’s fit enough to defend her title.”

Sheffield set an American record winning the 400-meter hurdles in 54.66 seconds at last year’s NCAA meet. Her 1986 season best is 55.74.

“I don’t see any problems defending my title,” Sheffield said. “In the conference, I would run five times a day. I know I’m good for one run a day now. I’m in shape and ready to go.”

DeSnoo’s physical condition is well below 100%. She said she has been limited to lifting three times a week and throwing two times a week because of her ailments.

Last season, DeSnoo won the NCAA discus title with a mark of 190-6. She has broken 180 feet twice this season, with a best of 184-8.

“Everything has been real difficult,” DeSnoo said. “I haven’t been able to throw enough or lift enough to be consistent. But I’m not counting myself out.”

Nor is Ross counting herself out. Her season best is 2:03.38 in the 800, but she said her time may drop below two minutes in the NCAA meet.

Ross is considered one of the most versatile athletes SDSU has had. She is among the top six Aztecs all-time in every non-hurdle event from the 100 to 1,500.

Cerveny has switched Ross from sprints to middle distance races and back to sprints this season.

“She ran the 800 like a quarter (mile),” Cerveny said. “She didn’t learn to relax. We moved her to the 1,500 so she could combine power and relaxation.”

Aztec Notes

San Diego State has six men and five women in Indianapolis. The men are Rex Brown (200 meters, 400 relay), Ed Cooper (400 hurdles), Andre Freeman (200, 400 relay), Darryl Hudson (400 relay), Mark Sanders (decathlon) and Aaron Thigpen (100, 200, 400 relay). The women are Laura DeSnoo (discus), Margaret Hemmans (1,600 relay), Renee Ross (800, 1,600 relay), LaTanya Sheffield (100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 1,600 relay) and Sonya Smith (1,600 relay) . . . SDSU’s women placed ninth in the NCAA last year, the highest finish in school history.