June 4, 2007

TEMPE, Ariz. - David Dumble, a member of the Arizona State University track and field program's coaching staff, has been selected as the 2007 United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) West Region Assistant Coach of the Year for women's throws, the Association announced Monday. Selected for the award in a vote of each region's coaches, Dumble is now a finalist for the National Assistant Coach of the Year award in his discipline.

In his sixth year with the Sun Devils, Dumble's athletes have continued to progress throughout the season and have been billed as the backbone of the top-ranked women's program in the nation in 2007. The women have scored well at each championship meet this year with Sarah Stevens, Jessica Pressley and Tai Battle contributing points toward team crowns at the 2007 MPSF Indoor Championships, the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships, the 2007 Pac-10 Championships and, most recently, the 2007 NCAA West Region Championships.

Dumble's throwers hold a special distinction at the NCAA meet this year as both Stevens and Pressley are two of only three women nationally to qualify and declare to compete in the shot put, discus and hammer events this week. Furthermore, his throwers have also combined to qualify three Sun Devils in both the hammer and discus (Battle), marking the only school to have three or more competitors in the same throwing event in 2007.

Under his guidance, Stevens, one of four finalists for the 2007 Honda Sports Award, has become one of the top throwers in the nation this year. Already the 2007 NCAA Indoor Shot Put Champion, Stevens ranks No. 8 all-time in the NCAA and No. 2 all-time in the Pac-10 Conference with her mark of 18.40m (60-04.25) in the shot put this year, which also is the top mark collegiately in 2007. Along with leading the nation in the shot put, Stevens also is tops in the discus at 57.73m (189-04) and stands fifth in the hammer at 66.34m (219-00).

Pressley is currently ranked in the shot put with her toss of 18.16m () and makes ASU just the third women's program in NCAA history with two putters to surpass the 18m mark. Pressley and Stevens also are the only teammates to have thrown past 18m in the same season. Pressley will also compete in the discus and hammer competitions where she ranks seventh and 10th, respectively. Battle, a new addition to the team this season, has come along nicely under Dumble as the junior qualified regionally in all three throws and will compete nationally in the hammer and discus where she ranks 26th and 13th, respectively.

While Dumble is being honored for his accomplishments with the women's group, he also has brought along the men's side as well with three of his throwers competing nationally this week. Ryan Whiting is ranked second nationally in the shot put and was third at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships as a freshman while javelin throwers Andrew Smith and Brad Roth, who rank 13th and 14th, respectively on the national lists, also will compete in their first outdoor national meet.

Dumble and the Sun Devils that have qualified will head to the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week with competition taking place June 6-9 at the Alex G. Spanos Athletic Complex in Sacramento, Calif.

WOMEN'S EVENTS HONOREES
East Region
Sprints/hurdles: Lawrence Johnson, Virginia Tech
Distances: Michael Whittlesey, North Carolina
Jumps/combined events: Todd Lane, Miami (Fla.)
Throws: Don Babbitt, Georgia

Mideast Region
Sprints/hurdles: Rolando Greene, Arkansas
Distances: Mike McGuire, Michigan
Jumps/combined events: Boo Schexnayder, LSU
Throws: Ross Richardson, Purdue

Midwest Region
Sprints/hurdles: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
Distances: Jon Murray, Texas Tech
Jumps/combined events: Kris Grimes, Nebraska
Throws: Lynne Anderson, Minnesota

West Region
Sprints/hurdles: Tina Fernandes, USC
Distances: Patrick Shane, BYU
Jumps/combined events: Mike Powell, UCLA
Throws: David Dumble, Arizona State

MEN'S EVENTS HONOREES
East Region
Sprints/hurdles: Ken Harnden, Florida State
Distances: Dave Hartman, Georgia
Jumps/combined events: Josh Langley, Clemson
Throws: Brian Blutreich, North Carolina

Mideast Region
Sprints/hurdles: Norbert Elliott, Tennessee
Distances: Jerry Schumacher, Wisconsin
Jumps/combined events: Jake Jacoby, Louisville
Throws: Jerry Clayton, Auburn

Midwest Region
Sprints/hurdles: Dana Boone, Oklahoma
Distances: Jason Vigilante, Texas
Jumps/combined events: Jeremy Fischer, Oklahoma
Throws: Scott Cappos, Iowa

West Region
Sprints/hurdles: Dan Steele, Oregon
Distances: Tony Sandoval, California
Jumps/combined events: Sheldon Blockburger, Arizona
Throws: Dan Lange, USC