ON TAP IN THE WAC - The 2011 indoor track and field season continues Friday with road trips for four teams and home meets for two others. Boise State will host the Bronco Invitational Jan. 22 in Nampa, Idaho. Hawai'i hosts Sunset Meet No. 1 in Honolulu, Hawai'i on Jan. 22. Idaho travels to Pullman, Wash., for the Cougar Indoor on Jan. 21. Louisiana Tech will compete in the Arkansas State Invite Jan. 22 in Jonesboro, Ark. New Mexico State will head to Albuquerque, N.M., for the UNM Cherry and Silver meet on Jan. 21. Utah State will also travel to Pullman, Wash., for the Cougar Indoor on Jan. 21.
Verizon WAC Women Athletes of the Week (Jan. 10-16)
New Mexico State's Lasasha Aldredge and Hawai'i's Sarah Saddleton were named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women's Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of Jan. 10-16.
Aldredge, a sophomore from Fresno, Calif. (Central East HS), had a great start to the 2011 season at the University of New Mexico Lobo Open Invite in Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 15. Aldredge placed first in the 400 meters with a time of 57.27 seconds. Her time is the best mark in the WAC thus far in the early portion of the season. She was also a member of the 4x400 meter relay team that placed first finishing with a WAC-best time of 3:53.50. Aldrege also had a fifth-place finish in the 200 meters finishing with a time of 25.50.
Saddleton, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand (ACG Strathallan), set the bar for the WAC in the high jump at the University of Washington Indoor Preview on Jan. 15, in Seattle, Wash. Saddleton's leap of 5-8 (1.73m) netted her first place in the event along with the top mark in the WAC this season.
Other track nominees included: Racquel Jones, Boise State; Keli Hall, Idaho; Chelsea Hayes, Louisiana Tech; Katelyn Heiner, Utah State
Other field nominees included: Mele Vaisima, Boise State; Gabby Midles, Idaho; Micarra Vassell, Louisiana Tech; Zoe Meade, New Mexico State; Chari Hawkins, Utah State
Verizon WAC Men Athletes of the Week (Jan. 10-16)
Utah State's Armahd Lewis and Boise State's Trevor Kraychir were named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men's Indoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for the week of Jan. 10-16.
Lewis, a senior from Stockton, Calif. (Sacramento City College), had a career-best day in his season opener at the Snake River Open in Pocatello, Idaho, on Jan. 15. Lewis claimed the 60 meter dash title after running a career and WAC-best time of 6.80 seconds. His blazing sprint also tied him for fifth place all-time in USU history with Anthony Stewart.
Kraychir, a junior from Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Twentynine Palms HS), recorded a career-best toss in the weight throw competition at the Blue and Orange Opener held in Nampa, Idaho, on Jan. 15. Kraychir's hurl of 65 feet, 7.75 inches easily netted him first place in the event as he won by a margin of 8 feet 6.75 inches. The throw was an improvement of 8.5 inches from Kraychir's previous career best.
Other track nominees included: Manoah Wesson, Boise State; Kevin Stewart, Louisiana Tech
Other field nominees included: Eugenio Mannucci, Idaho; Jonathan Keys, Louisiana Tech; Clint Silcock, Utah State
Boise State Broncos
The Broncos had a successful showing at home in the Blue and Orange Opener on Jan. 15 in Nampa, Idaho ... Boise State collected 12 event wins in the meet against Arizona ... junior Racquel Jones led the Broncos with two wins, capturing the 60-meter dash (7.86 seconds) and long jump (18' 7.75") titles ... freshman Kimberly Miller earned the triple jump title (34-11.50), and Mele Vaisima won the weight throw with a season-best mark of 57' 5.75" ... junior Trevor Kraychir had a career day in the men's weight throw, winning the event with a toss of 65' 7.75", besting his previous best by 8.5 inches ... junior Eetu Viitala captured the men's long jump title with a jump of 24' 8.25" ... Boise State next hosts the Bronco Invite on Jan. 22.
Fresno State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs look to improve off a last place finish in the WAC championships last season ... Fresno State's 2011 Indoor season will begin Jan. 28-29 at the New Mexico Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.
Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine
The Rainbow Wahine had an impressive start to the 2011 indoor season by posting 13 all-time school Top 10 performances at the University of Washington Indoor Preview ... junior Sarah Saddleton won the high jump competition with a leap of 5-8 (1.73m) ... senior Ashley Aitken shaved 11 seconds off of her best time in the mile with a time of 5:03.30 ... freshman Ashley Satterwhite recorded a pair of Top-10 school performances in the 60-meters (8.08) and 200-meters (26.47), in her first career indoor competition ... Hawai'i will next host the Sunset Meet No. 1 meet in Honolulu, Hawai'i on Jan. 22.
Idaho Vandals
The Vandals began the 2011 indoor season at the Washington State Open in Pullman, Wash. on Jan. 14-15 ... senior Eugenio Mannucci, a 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier, claimed the men's shot put title with a throw of 56' 1.75" (17.11m) to lead the team ... sophomore Keli Hall was the top finisher on the women's side taking second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:23.15 in her first action since missing last season with an injury ... 17 athletes were competing in their first track and field competitions for the Vandals in this meet ... next up for Idaho will be the Cougar Indoor on Jan. 21-22 in Pullman, Wash.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
The La. Tech men's team claimed third while the women came in fifth at the Leonard Hilton Invite held in Houston, Texas on Jan. 14 ... the distance medley relay team of Jermaine Morris, Wade MaGaha, Jeff Boudreaux and Alwayne Green won with a time of 10:24.5 ... sophomore Jonathan Keys placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 48' 0.75" ... on the women's side, senior Tiana Davis claimed the long jump crown with a leap of 19' 8.25" (6.00-meters) ... sophomore Micarra Vassell finished third in the shot put with a throw of 46-4.75 ... Louisiana Tech returns to action on Jan. 22 for the Arkansas State Invitational in Jonesboro, Ark.
Nevada Wolf Pack
The Wolf Pack athletes produced a number of personal bests at the Jacksons Open on Jan. 3-4 in Nampa, Idaho ... in only her second time competing in the event, April Pate placed third overall in the pentathlon with a total score of 3,387 points while setting person bests in the high jump (1.60-meters) and shot put (10.32m) ... Angelica Earl ran the third-fastest time in school history in the 60 meters (7.71) and also in the 200-meters (24.64) ... Nevada next will travel to the Lobo Challenge on Jan. 28-29 in Albuquerque, N.M.
New Mexico State Aggies
The Aggies had a great opening meet at the University of New Mexico Lobo Open Invite on Jan. 15 in Albuquerque, N.M. ... sophomore Lasasha Aldredge was named the WAC Track Athlete of the Week for her performance as she placed first in the 400m with a time of 57.27 and first in the 4x400m relay after her foursome finished with a time of 3:53.50 ... both were season best times in the WAC ... freshman Zoe Meade was the runner-up in the high jump competition with a leap of 5' 7", and was also a member of the 4x400m relay team that placed first ... the Aggies continue their season at the UNM Cherry and Silver Invite on Jan. 21-22 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Utah State Aggies
Utah State opened the season at the Snake River Open in Pocatello, Idaho, on Jan. 15 ... senior Armahd Lewis claimed the 60 meter dash title after running a career and WAC-best time of 6.80 seconds ... his sprint also tied him for fifth place all-time in USU history with Anthony Stewart ... senior Clint Silcock also claimed the high jump title with a leap of 7' 0.5", netting him the top jump in the WAC up to this point in the season ... Utah State next travels to Pullman, Wash., for the Washington State Invitational on Jan. 21-22.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO BOISE - The 2011 edition of the WAC Indoor Track and Field Championship returns to Idaho Sports Center and Jacksons Track in Nampa, Idaho, for the eighth-straight year. The meet will be held Feb. 24-26. Championship details, as well as WAC Indoor Track and Field news, records and award information is available at www.wacsports.com.
2011 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP - The 2011 Men's and Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships will be held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M University is hosting the event. For ticket information, call 1 (888) 992-4443, or visit www.aggieathletics.com.