Aztecs Might Be Perfect Hosts for WAC Meet

San Diego State’s Choc Sportsman Track will be the site of the Western Athletic Conference track and field championships today through Saturday. But don’t expect the Aztecs to capitalize on a “home-oval” advantage. Track at SDSU is not heavily supported.

The men’s team has two scholarships. The women: 1.75.

SDSU women’s Coach Rhan Sheffield says every other WAC team, men and women, has at least 16 for each. He says conference favorite Brigham Young approaches 40 scholarships and the Cougars are stocked with foreign talent.

Example: Aztec Darla Vaughn, WAC leader in three events, will have her hands full running against BYU’s Anu Kaljwrand and Shu Hwa Wang in the 100-meter hurdles. Kaljwrand is from the Soviet Union and Wang is from China.

The Aztecs are big underdogs. In 1990, the men finished sixth in the WAC meet and the women were sixth in the Big West meet. This year, they could fare slightly better. Sheffield says not to count them out.

“We don’t have the depth,” he said. “The other teams are going in with a field of 28. We have 19. But we won’t be at a disadvantage, mentally. I have a very strong squad mentally, and they are trained to go over the limit. But we average four events a person. So it will take the greatest of efforts.”

Vaughn, whom Sheffield described as a “third-place runner” at Mira Mesa High, will have much to do with the women’s outcome. She is the favorite in the 100 (11.44), 200 (23.59) and 100 hurdles (13.48) and will run legs on SDSU’s touted 400 and 1,600 relay teams. She has made quite an ascent from an average high school runner to the 1991 WAC indoor women’s track athlete of the year.

“The title suits her well,” Sheffield said of Vaughn. “She’ll have her work cut out for her. But I’ve never seen her let down. I expect great things from her. I believe she’ll be setting a lot of (conference and stadium) records this Saturday.”

The men will benefit from the infusion of some football players, most notably wide receivers Patrick Rowe and Keith Williams, who will run sprints and relays.

Said Sheffield of Lincoln High alumnus Rowe: “He’s an untapped talent in track and field. There’s no limit to what he can do with some track training.”

Nice turnaround: A year ago, San Diego Mesa’s baseball team had bagged its spikes by now. The Olympians finished 8-30 and dead last in the Pacific Coast Conference at 4-20. With a new coach, the 1991 squad has advanced through the first round of the state community college playoffs.

The Olympians turned a 180 this season, winning the PCC by three games with a 19-5 record. They now are 27-12, after sweeping Fullerton, 13-8 and 14-4, in the playoffs last weekend. The best thing about the big turnaround, said Coach Mike Sanchez, is a San Diego connection played a key part.

“This is my 15th year of coaching and this was a real pleasure,” said Sanchez, who also has coached at Palomar College, and Carlsbad and Vista high schools. “They’re first-class people. And they really turned it around.”

Pitcher Jim Thomas, from Mission Bay High, finished the regular season 9-2 with a 3.25 ERA. Madison alumni Albert Mendiola and Brett Brown had big years on offense. Mendiola hit .341 with 27 RBIs and stole 13 bases in 16 attempts. Brown hit .343 with four home runs and 28 RBIs. Clairemont’s Mike Giordano batted .331 with five homers and 34 RBIs.