|
Aggie Track & Field Hosts Indoor Season Opener Friday
Jan. 17, 2008
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's men's and women's track and field teams will open the 2008 season hosting the Wilson Motor Invitational on Friday, Jan. 18, held on the USU campus at the George Nelson Fieldhouse. "This is the first time in recent memory that we've actually been able to open at home," USU head coach Gregg Gensel said. "That in itself is always a fun thing because it is always nice to have a home meet and by competing at home, the kids feel a lot more comfortable." The meet is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. with the women's 3000m race and both men and women's pole vault. Events are scheduled to conclude at 5:30 p.m. with the men's and women's 4x400 relay. Other teams competing include Idaho State, Southern Utah, Utah Valley and Utah. "In addition, this year I'm really excited because we have had two weeks after the holiday break to practice before our first meet and that's given me time to get excited about what the potential of our team is," Gensel said. "Normally we come back from break and go right to our first meet and we just have to depend on what they've done over the break. Obviously, they're not going to be at their top form but they'll certainly be better than had they just come back from break." Following Friday's action, both men's and women's teams will be competing in the Idaho State Snake River Open at Pocatello, Idaho at ISU's Holt Arena. Utah State competitors will start at Noon. "I'm excited for this weekend, we've got basically two competitions, with people competing in two different places," Gensel said. "It's going to be very exciting." Approximately half the team will be competing in both meets. "I'm expecting to find out where everybody is right now at this particular point and time, and to prepare for the WAC Championships at the end of February," Gensel said in reference to the conference indoor championships on Feb. 28-March 1 at Boise, Idaho. "This is a good simulation for what it will be like at the WAC Championships, with people competing in one or two events on Friday and having to come back and compete on Saturday, even though it might not be the same events this week, but it gives them a good idea of what it's going to be like at the conference championships."
According to Gensel, the Air Force Invitational on Feb. 8-9 is the other two-day competition besides this weekend and the WAC Championships. Gensel expects big weekends from senior distance runners Stacie Dorius and Amy Egan as well as junior hurdler Katie Thatcher, as well as the Aggie's newcomers which include 12 freshmen. On the men's side, Gensel looks for senior sprinter Dasheek Akwenye, distance runners junior Seth Wold and sophomore Steve Strickland to have good opening weekend performances along with junior hurdler Nick Karren and classmate John Strang in the multi-events. The USU men also have 11 freshmen that Gensel expects to see positive outings from. Egan and Dorius are defending WAC indoor champions in the 800 and 3,000 meter runs, respectively, while Akwenye is the defending WAC indoor champion in the 400 meter dash. USU's men finished second for the second consecutive year, while the Aggie women were fourth at last year's WAC Championships. Results will be made available on USU's athletic page web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com after both meets. WILSON MOTOR INDOOR TRACK & FIELD MEET January 18, 2008*Start times for the shot and triple jump to be determined. These events will begin thirty minutes after completion of the preceding event at the same venue, and will be announced. The implements for both the men's and women's weight throw and the shot will be weighed between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
|
