University of Hawaii junior Alex Porlier-Langlois qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships by placing ninth in the shot put at the West Preliminary Round on Saturday in Austin, Texas.
Porlier-Langlois’ first throw went 52 feet, 13⁄4 inches. She fouled on her next two attempts but remained in the top 12 to earn a spot in the NCAA championships, set for June 10-13 in Eugene, Ore.
"The first throw was a big throw, it was one of my best throws in my life," Porlier-Langlois said in a telephone interview. "The second and third, I wasn’t patient enough. I just wanted to throw far without executing the technique. So I was really thankful for the first one.
"We’re getting back on the grind on Monday. I know what I have to work on, the mistakes I made today and I really have to get it down. … We’ll work on those little technique details and I’m sure it’s all going to be fine for nationals and I’m going to be ready."
Porlier-Langlois fouled on all three of her attempts in the discus on Friday, waited through three weather delays on Saturday before starting the shot put and got the mark she needed to extend her season. Iowa State’s Christina Hillman finished first at 56-23⁄4.
"After discus I was very disappointed," Porlier-Langlois said. "Today I came in with the mind-set of, ‘You don’t have anything to lose. You know you deserve to be there.’ "
UH sophomore Rachel Toliver finished 23rd in the triple jump to close her season. She fouled on her first attempt and covered 40 feet, 11 1⁄2 inches (12.48 meters) on her second. She fouled again on her third attempt.
Texas A&M’s Devin Jenkins finished 15th in the 200-meter quarterfinal with a time of 20.89. The Kapolei graduate missed qualifying to the NCAA championship by three places.
Sataraka’s season ends with UCLA loss
UCLA third baseman and Punahou graduate Mysha Sataraka drove in a run in a Women’s College World Series shootout with Auburn on Saturday. But her junior year ended with an 11-10 Bruins loss in 10 innings in an elimination game in Oklahoma City.
Sataraka went 0-for-3 but delivered a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. She came up with the bases loaded and two out in the fifth and Auburn third baseman Kasey Cooper made a leaping snag of her line drive.
UCLA took the lead with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh, but Auburn tied the game in the bottom of the seventh and advanced on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th.
Sataraka ended the season hitting .361 and drove in 33 runs. She hit .467 with 11 RBIs in the postseason.
Higa, UH administrator to speak at QB Club
Brandi Higa and Marilyn Moniz-Kaho‘ohanohano are the featured speakers for the Honolulu Quarterback Club’s luncheon on Monday.
Higa, a 2005 graduate from Hawaii Baptist Academy, is a news producer and weekend sports anchor for KITV.
Entering her 24th year at the University of Hawaii, Kaho‘ohanohano is the senior woman administrator and assistant athletic director.
The Honolulu Quarterback Club meets on Mondays at the Maple Garden Restaurant. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and the program begins at noon. The cost is $15.
