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NAMPA ? The Utah State men and Louisiana Tech women captured the 2008 WAC Indoor Track and Field Championship Saturday night at Jacksons Track in Nampa, Idaho. It is Utah State’s first-ever WAC Indoor Track and Field Championship and is Louisiana Tech’s third trophy in four years.
In its first-ever WAC title, the Utah State men held their lead after the first two days of competition to capture the crown with 177 points. Boise State finished second with 152 points, followed by Idaho in third with 116 points and Louisiana Tech in fourth with 77 points.
With the women’s title coming down to the final race of the night to determine the champion, the Louisiana Tech women edged out Hawai’i, 122 to 121. With just 2.5 points separating third through sixth place, Idaho improved two spots from last year, finishing third with 86 points, followed closely by Utah State with 85.50 points in fourth, Boise State with 85 points in fifth and Nevada finishing sixth with 83.50 points. Fresno State took seventh with 69 points followed by New Mexico State in eighth with 11 points.
For the men’s individual awards (voted upon by the coaches), Utah State junior Nick Karren garnered Top Track Performer of the Year, while Idaho senior Russ Winger took home Top Field Performer of the Year. Utah State’s Silas Pimental earned Freshman of the Year, while Boise State sophomore Ryan Grinnell picked up two gold medals and one silver (first in high jump and triple jump, second in long jump) and 28 points to earn the Men’s High Point Winner. Utah State’s Gregg Gensel took home Coach of the Year honors.
For the women’s individual awards (voted upon by the coaches), Nevada freshman Amanda Moreno garnered Top Track Performer of the Year, while Boise State junior Eleni Kafourou took home Top Field Performer of the Year. Nevada’s Moreno also earned Freshman of the Year honors, while Hawai’i senior Mallory Gilbert picked up three silver medals (pentathlon, high jump and triple jump) and 28 points as this year’s Women’s High Point Winner. Louisiana Tech coach Gary Stanley brought home Coach of the Year honors.
The final day of the championship event started with the men’s weight throw, with Boise State junior Simon Wardhaugh taking the gold medal with a toss of 69’ 9” (21.26m). Idaho took both second and third place, with last year’s champion, Matthew Wauters launching the weight a season-best 69’ 0.75” (21.05) for second. Russ Winger finished third with a toss of 67’ 2.25” (20.48m).
Boise State earned its second gold medal of the evening when Boise State senior Cody Eaton held on to win the men’s mile run, acing out Utah State’s Jason Holt by .03 seconds. Eaton finished with a time of 4:13.09, with Holt right behind him at 4:13.12 for second place. Utah State freshman Eric Larson came in third with a season-best time of 4:13.59.
Utah State junior Nick Karren won the men’s 60-meter high hurdles with a season-best time of 8.05. Idaho took both second and third place, with freshman Paul Dittmer clocking a time of 8.12 and junior Elvie Williams crossing the finish line at 8.14.
Karren earned his second gold medal of the evening with a victory in the men’s 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line first in a time of 47.61. Louisiana Tech took both second and third place, with sophomore Albert Fullwood clocking a 47.90 and freshman Demonte Willis finishing third with a season-best time of 48.35.
In the men’s 60-meter dash, Louisiana Tech junior Mike Coleman smoothly took the gold medal, notching a Jacksons Track facility record time of 6.68. Coleman’s winning time was an NCAA provisional qualifying standard and also his season-best. Utah State freshman Silas Pimental finished second in a time of 6.92, followed by Boise State sophomore Marlon Douglas in third at 7.00.
Idaho sophomore Lucas Pope won the men’s pole vault, matching a season-best mark of 16’ 4.75” (5.00m). Boise State sophomore Heigo Nurmsalu came in second, registering a season-best vault of 16’ 0.75” (4.90m), nearly a foot higher than his previous best this season. Idaho sophomore Mike Carpenter finished third with a mark of 15’ 5” (4.70m).
Louisiana Tech sophomore Corey Denstel captured the men’s 800-meter run crown, crossing the finish line first with a season-best time of 1:53.74. Denstel’s winning time was over three seconds faster than his previous best this season. Idaho junior Cesar Barquero finished second, clocking a time of 1:54.34, followed by Utah State freshman James Allred in third at 1:54.52.
In the men’s 200-meter dash, Louisiana Tech sophomore Albert Fullwood turned in the top time with a season-best 21.38. Utah State freshman Silas Pimental came in second, matching his career-best time of 21.48, while Boise State senior Nick Cunningham finished third in a season-best time of 21.63.
Boise State swept the top three spots in the men’s triple jump, with sophomore Ryan Grinnell earning his second gold medal of the championship, registering an NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 53’ 3.75” (16.25m). Junior Savvas Diakonikolas finished second with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 50’ 10” (15.49m), while sophomore Zacharias Arnos came in third with a leap of 49’ 7.25” (15.12m).
Utah State sophomore Steve Strickland took the gold medal in the men’s 3,000-meter run, finishing first with a time of 8:27.45. Boise State earned both second and third place, with freshman Brian Pierre clocking a season-best time of 8:33.39 for second place and freshman Sawyer Bosch registering a season-best time of 8:33.51.
Utah State’s team of Brandon Waller, Keith Williams, Brett Knighton and Nick Karren took home the men’s 4x400-meter relay crown, clocking a time of 3:13.33, followed by Boise State (3:18.06) and Idaho (3:19.97), earning second and third, respectively.
For the women, Hawai’i finished one-two-three in the women’s high jump, with junior Emily Sheppard earning her second-consecutive WAC title as she beat out teammate Mallory Gilbert for the gold medal. Sheppard and Gilbert both leaped 5’ 8.75” (1.75m), while junior Annett Wichmann took third, clearing 5’ 7.75” (1.72m).
In a tight race, Utah State sophomore Erin Stratton took the gold medal in the women’s mile run, crossing the finish line first with a time of 5:00.77. Idaho junior Allix Lee-Painter finished second at 5:01.54, with Nevada junior Christa Avena coming in third with a time of 5:02.27.
In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Idaho junior Heather Bergland earned her second-consecutive WAC title, clocking a season-best time of 8.53. Boise State junior Megan Olivetti finished second in a season-best time of 8.70, followed closely by Fresno State senior Krystina Jackson coming in third with a time of 8.72.
Boise State junior Paige Olivetti took the gold medal in the women’s 400-meter dash with a season-best and school record-breaking time of 54.49. Olivetti’s winning time is nearly two seconds faster than her previous best this season. Fresno State freshman Tiera Hilliard came in second with a career-best time of 55.52, while Louisiana Tech junior El Charrita Reynolds finished third in a season-best 55.57.
Louisiana Tech swept the top three spots in the women’s 60-meter dash, with freshman Chasidee Lewis edging out her teammates in a close finish, clocking a season-best winning time of 7.49. Sophomore Rakeisha Green finished second with a time of 7.56, followed closely by freshman Simone Carter in third at 7.60.
In the women’s 800-meter run, Hawai’i junior Thalia Amanakis crossed the finish line first, clocking a season-best time of 2:10.07. Boise State junior Kayleen McDowell finished second with a season-best time of 2:13.13, and Utah State senior Amy Egan came in third at 2:14.52.
Louisiana Tech finished one-two in the women’s 200-meter dash, with senior Lasadies McClain coming in first in a time of 24.37 and freshman Simone Carter in second with a season-best time of 24.44. Boise State junior Paige Olivetti finished third, recording a season-best time of 24.80.
Boise State junior Eleni Kafourou earned her second gold medal of the championship, finishing first in the women’s triple jump with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 43’ 3” (13.18m). Hawai’i senior Mallory Gilbert came second with a leap of 39’ 9.25” (12.12m) and Louisiana Tech sophomore Latoya Collins finished third with a jump of 39’ 3.25” (11.97m).
In the women’s 3,000-meter run, Nevada freshman Amanda Moreno won her second gold medal of the championship, winning the event by a 22-second margin in a time of 9:52.24. Utah State senior Amy Egan crossed the finish line second in a season-best time of 10:14.33, while Nevada freshman Alma Janet Martinez finished just behind her in third with a season-best time of 10:14.66.
Louisiana Tech senior Nadia Alexander captured the gold medal in the women’s shot put, launching an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 52’ 10.25” (16.11m). Hawai’i senior Meghan Weaver came in second with an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 52’ 6.50” (16.01m), which is also a season-best mark by 21 inches. Fresno State freshman Rosario Sanchez finished third, also recording an NCAA provisional qualifying standard throw of 51’ 2.25” (15.60m), and a season-best mark by nearly 17 inches.
In the final event of the event, Boise State’s team of Nataucha Lowry, Megan Olivetti, Kayleen McDowell and Paige Olivetti won the women’s 4x400-meter relay, clocking a time of 3:45.83. Louisiana Tech came in second with a time of 3:46.05, while Fresno State finished third in 3:48.32.
2008 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview
2008 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championship Day 1 Results
2008 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championship Day 2 Results
General Information
Location: Idaho Center, Jacksons Indoor Track, Boise, Idaho
Date: February 28 - March 1, 2008
Host: Boise State University
Tickets: All-Session Passes (includes all sessions on Friday and Saturday) are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens and youth and $10 for students. A Single-Session ticket must be purchased for events on Thursday and are $8 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, students and youth.
Single-Session prices are as follows:
Thursday, February 28 (Men's Heptathlon and Women's Pentathlon): Adults $8; Senior Citizens, Students and Youth $5
Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1: Adults $12, Senior Citizens and Youth $8, Students $6
All-Session prices are as follows:
Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1: Adults $20, Senior Citizens and Youth $15, Students $10
Schedule: Click here for an online schedule
Parking: Fan parking is available at the Jacksons Indoor Track and Field Complex free of charge.
Concessions: Food and drink will be available for purchase inside the Idaho Center.
Boise, Idaho: For more information regarding all that the city of Boise has to offer, please click on the links below to visit the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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