Nampa, Idaho ? The 2009 edition of the WAC indoor Track and Field Championship returns to Jacksons Track in Nampa, Idaho, Feb. 26-28, where four men’s teams and eight women’s teams will compete for the 2009 title. The Utah State men will look to defend their title after a victory in 2008, when the Aggies finished with 179 points. The host, Boise State, was not far behind as the Broncos tallied 154 points. Idaho (118) and Louisiana Tech (66) rounded out the standings on the men’s side.
On the women’s side, Louisiana Tech edged out Hawai?i for a one point win over the Rainbow Wahine to take the crown, in a thrilling 122 and 121 win. Idaho (86), Utah State (85.50), Boise State (85) and Nevada (83.50) fi nished three-four-fi ve-six, respectively. Fresno State registered 69 points, while New Mexico State finished with 11.
This year, both sides are up for grabs. For the men, Utah State is led by Nick Karren (400m) and Steve Strickland (3,000m) on the track, both have conference-best times. Sophomore Clint Silcock and senior John Strang lead the Aggies in the fi eld as both posted WAC-bests and NCAA provisional marks this season in the high jump and the heptathlon, respectively. Boise State brings its own fi repower to the mix. Senior Simon Wardhaugh threw for a NCAA automatic qualifying mark (73’; 22.25m) in the weight throw in early December, the mark stands as the best in the conference by six feet and the second-best mark in throw in the nation. Freshman Eric Capelle is tied for the best 60m in the WAC with a 6.84, while Sawyer Bosch holds a top mark in the 5,000m. Senior Mike Coleman leads Louisiana Tech in sprints with a conference best 60m time (tied with Bosch). The Bulldogs also lead the league with a time of 3:12.07 in the 4x400m relay, a school record set at the Texas A&M Invite. Idaho male athletes were named athletes of the week a conference-best fi ve times over the course of the season. The Vandals own five conference-best marks, including sophomore Paul Dittmer’s 60m hurdle time of 7.84. Dittmer is the only WAC athlete to own a sub-eight time.
On the women’s side, Louisiana Tech owns three top times in track events. At the Razorback invitational, Chasidee Lewis ran a 7.59 in the 60m with teammate Antoinette Cobb close behind (7.74). The Lady Techsters also boast the best 4x400m relay time of 3:41.80. For Hawai?i, Emily Sheppard is the two-time defending WAC champion in the high jump, she also won the silver medal in 2006 and owns the second-best mark in the conference this season (5’ 9.75”; 1.77m). Pole vaulter Jessica Custance won the bronze at last year’s indoor championship. Custance is the school record holder in the event (12-6/3.86m). The Vandals are led by junior Mykael Bothum who holds the nation’s sixth-best mark in the shot put with a school-record and conference-leading throw of 16.32m (53-6.5), while fellow junior KC Dahlgren sits in a tie for 12th in the nation with her pole vault of 4.16m (13-7.75), a mark that ranks second in the WAC.
For Utah State, sophomore Sonia Grabawoska set a new Utah State record in the pole vault as the Aggies hosted their fi rst meet of the season, the Wilson Motor Invitational, clearing 13-09.50. Her mark was an NCAA automatic qualifying mark, a PR and top in the WAC standings. Returning as the WAC champion, Erin Stratton holds the top spot in the WAC in the mile. The hosts, Boise State, will look to improve on last year’s fi fth-place fi nish. The current BSU roster has accounted for 13 different WAC championships. Twin sisters Megan and Paige Olivetti have captured fi ve total WAC championships. Senior Eleni Kafourou posted NCAA marks in the long jump (automatic) and triple jump (provisional). This season, Nevada returns 2007-08 WAC Indoor Freshman of the Year and Top WAC Track Performer of the Year in Amanda Moreno. Moreno also won two individual titles at the 2007-08 WAC Indoor Championships in the 3000m and 5000m. Fresno State will lean on defending WAC weight throw champion, Sharon Ayala, as threw a season-best 61-2 (18.64m) at the New Mexico Classic, the mark stands as a WAC-best and a provisional qualifying mark. NMSU has improved or set 63 all-time school records this season. Sprinter Leah Benton leads
the way for the Aggies as she posted a conference-best time of 24.51 in the 200m earlier this season.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location: Idaho Center, Jacksons Indoor Track, Boise, Idaho
Date: February 26 - 28, 2009
Host: Boise State University
Tickets:
Thursday, February 26th: Men's Heptathlon and Women's Pentathlon
Single-Session
Adults $8
Students, Senior Citizens & Youth $5
Friday, February 27th - Saturday, February 28
Single-Session All-Session
Adults $12 $20
Senior Citizens & Youth $8 $15
Students $10 $10
Schedule: Please refer to the 2009 WAC Indoor Track and Field Championship Schedule of Events for competition events and start times. The schedule of events can be found on the Championships page of www.wacsports.com
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.