ON TAP IN THE WAC - In this first weekend of the indoor track and field season, Louisiana Tech kicks-off the 2009 season when it competes in Houston, Texas at the Houston Invitational. New Mexico State heads to Albuquerque for the Lobo Invitational while Hawai?i begins its mainland road trip at the Lumberjack Invitational. Closing out the weekend meets is Utah State, when it hosts the Wilson Motor Invitational on Saturday.
WOMEN ATHLETES OF THE WEEK (DEC. 8) -
Nevada’s Analisa Serrano and Boise State’s Megan Olivetti have been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of Dec. 1-7. This marks the first career Athlete of the Week honor for both Serrano and Olivetti.
Serrano, a redshirt senior from Sparks, Nev. (Reed HS), took first place in the 60m hurdles at the 2008 Jackson Open as the Wolf Pack opened its indoor season on Dec. 5-6. She finished with a time of 8.84, ahead of second-place finisher, Gina Deckard of Nevada, who recorded a time of 8.94. Serrano also set a personal-record in the long jump with a jump of 5.45m, good for fourth-place in the meet.
Olivetti, a senior from Reno, Nev. (Wooster HS), won her first pentathlon with 3,386 points at the Jackson Open in Boise last week. Of the five events, she won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.74 and the high jump with a 5-3 mark. She was also placed second in the long jump with a mark of 17-1.50.
Other track nominees: Boise State’s Nerisha Phillip won the 500m dash with a time of 1:16.06 and ran opening leg of the Broncos’ winning 4x400m relay team which posted a time of 3:55.02.
Other field nominees: Amanda Boice of Nevada took first in the high jump with a jump of 5-6.
BSU RANKED IN TOP 25 - Boise State men’s track and field team was voted in at No. 22. The University of Oregon earned the top spot in the men’s poll.
Boise State is led by 2007-08 All-Americans Simon Wardaugh and Ryan Grinnell. Wardaugh broke the school record in the 35-pound weight throw earlier this season at the Jackson’s Open on Dec. 6 with a throw of 73.00.0 (22.25m). Grinnell, who earned four All American honors last season in the triple and long jumps, won the men’s triple jump at the Jackson’s Open with a jump of 52-6.00 (16.00m).
WARDHAUGH’S WEIGHT THROW - Simon Wardhaugh set a school record in the men’s 35-pound weight throw at the Jackson’s Open on Dec. 6. Wardhaugh broke the record with a mark of 73-00.0 (22.25 meters). His throw is an automatic qualifying mark to the NCAA National Indoor Championships, and breaks the record set two years ago by Mattias Jons at 72-4.50. The throw earned the senior WAC Male Track and Field Athlete of the Week.
HAWAI’I OPENS 2009 SEASON - The Hawai?i indoor track and field team opens the 2009 season by participating in the Lumberjack Invitational, Saturday, Jan. 17. The Rainbow Wahine will be making their first-ever appearance at the meet, which is hosted by Northern Arizona University.
UH will participate in three mainland regular season meets in addition to hosting three Sunset Series meets at the Clarence T.C. Ching Field during the indoor season. Hawai?i will also field a full team at the Western Athletic Conference Championships which will be held in Nampa, Idaho.
The Rainbow Wahine return a number of athletes from last season including All-American multi-sport athlete Annett Wichmann, All-American high jumper Amber Kaufman, who competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials, and All-American high jumper Emily Sheppard.
Head coach Carmyn James enters her ninth season at UH. She will be assisted by eighth-year assistant Garrett Collier (throws) and first-year assistant Althea Belgrave (distance). Volunteer assistant Spencer Chang returns to coach the pole vaulters.
WOLF PACK TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA - The University of Nevada track and field team will compete in the all comers meets January 10 and 17 at CS Northridge. Nevada is spending two weeks at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., as part of a training trip.
Nevada will have three student-athletes competing: Constance McAlman (weight throw); Alicia Echevarria and Muriel Roberge (pole vault).
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO BOISE ? The 2009 edition of the WAC Championship returns to Idaho Sports Center and Jacksons Track in Nampa, Idaho. The meet will be held Feb. 26-28.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP ? The 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship returns to College Station, Texas, March 13-14. Texas A&M University is hosting the event.