JUST IN: UTAH STATE MEN FINISH SECOND, WOMEN THIRD AT WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

HONOLULU, Hawai’i – DJ Smith won the 100 meters, Trever Ball won the 5,000meters, and Clinton Silcock won the high jump to lead Utah State’s men’strack and field team to a second-place finish at the 2006 Western AthleticConference Championships here late Saturday.

Utah State’s women’s team was led by Amber Judd who finished second in boththe 100 and 400 meter hurdles as the Aggies finished in third-place finishat the 2006 Western Athletic Conference Championships here late Saturday.

For Utah State’s men, the second-place finish is its best since winningback-to-back Big West Conference championships in 2002 and 2003, while thewomen’s third-place finish is its best since placing second at the 2001 BigWest Championships.

Boise State, who is ranked 25th in the nation according to Trackwire.com,won the men’s championship with 185 points, followed by Utah State (127),Idaho (116), Fresno State (100), and Louisiana Tech (90).

On the women’s side, Louisiana Tech’s won the team championship with 174points, followed by Idaho (145), Utah State (113.50), Nevada (100.50),Fresno State (85.50), New Mexico State (73), Boise State (72), and Hawai’i(53.50).

“We came over with the intention of competing with Boise State (on the men’sside) and Louisiana Tech (on the women’s side) and we did jus that,” saidUSU head coach Gregg Gensel. “Overall, I thought we competed about as wellas we could have, and to finish second on the men’s side and third on thewomen’s side is a great accomplishment.”

Smith, a junior from Pleasanton, Calif., won his first-ever championship ashe posted a time of 10.51 in the 100 meters, while Silcock, a freshman fromArco, Idaho, cleared 6-08.25 in the high jump to post the win. Ball, asenior from Logan, Utah had placed second in the 5,000 meters in each of thelast two years at the Big West Championships before winning the WAC titlewith a time of 14:39.15.

Other Aggie men to perform well on Saturday included Cedric Young, whoplaced third in the 200 meters (21.65), Ben Kessen, who placed third in the1500 meters (3:53.51), Mike McConkie, who placed third in the high jump(6-05), Scott Bell, who placed fourth in the 110 meter hurdles (14.61), andNick Karren, who placed fourth in the 400 meter hurdles (52.88).

Judd, a junior from Midvale, Utah, placed second in both the 100 and 400meter hurdles with times of 14.09 and 1:00.06 respectively to pace USU’swomen. Kristen Guymon also posted a second-place finish with a time of4:24.26 in the 1,500 meters, to go along with a third-place finish in the5,000 meters (17:40.43).

Other Aggie women to perform well included Kathryn Duhadway, who place thirdin the pole vault (11-11.75), Jill Steele, who was fourth in the 800 meters(2:11.78), Jennifer Twitchell, who was fourth in the 1,500 meters (4:27.84),and Stacie Lifferth, who was fourth in the 5,000 meters (17:40.88).

Utah State’s next competition will be on May 26-27 at the NCAA WestRegional, which will be held in Provo, Utah.

WAC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPSFinal Results

Team Scores Men1. Boise State 1852. UTAH STATE 1273. Idaho 1164. Fresno State 1105. Louisiana Tech 90

Women 1. Louisiana Tech 1742. Idaho 1453. UTAH STATE 113.504. Nevada 100.505. Fresno State 85.506. New Mexico State 737. Boise State 728. Hawai’I 53.50

USU Results

Saturday’s Results

Men100 – 1. DJ Smith, 10.51, 4. Cedric Young, 10.82110 Hurdles – 4. Scott Bell, 14.61, 5. Jason Jeppsen, 14.70200 – 3. Cedric Young, 21.65400 – 6. Dasheek Akwenye, 48.60400 Hurdles – 4. Nick Karren, 52.88, 7. Brad Martin, 57.72800 – 5. Yance Fawcett, 1:54.64, 8. Emon Williams, 2:01.641500 – 3. Ben Kessen, 3:53.51, 6. Todd Griffith, 3:58.155000 – 1. Trever Ball, 14:39.15, 4. Vance Twitchell, 14:48.60, 12. ClarkBryner, 16:17.444×100 Relay – 2. 40.72 (C. Young, DJ Smith, J. Wickard, S. Bell)4×400 Relay – 4. 3:14.44 (N. Karren, C. Bown, B. Knighton, D. Akwenye)Hammer – 7. Kevin Liu, 178-06 (54.41m)High Jump – 1. Clinton Silcock, 6-08.25 (2.04m), 3. Mike McConkie, 6-05(1.96m), 5. Nnamdi Gwacham, 6-03.25 (1.91m)Triple Jump – 7. Nnamdi Gwacham, 45-07.25 (13.90m), 8. Kevin Robinson,45-05.75 (13.86m)Shot Put – 7. Kevin Liu, 52-04.50 (15.96m)

Women100 Hurdles – 2. Amber Judd, 14.09, 5. Lacey Hulbert, 14.57400 Hurdles – 2. Amder Judd, 1:00.06800 – 4. Jill Steele, 2:11.78, 6. Kristen Guymon, 2:16.151500 – 2. Kristen Guymon, 4:24.26, 4. Jennifer Twitchell, 4:27.84, 8.Caroline Berry, 4:39.625000 – 3. Kristen Guymon, 17:40.43, 4. Stacie Lifferth, 17:40.88, 9.Caroline Berry, 18:16.454×100 Relay – 6. 49.03 (M. Wold, E. Connolly, J. Day, K. Duhadway)4×400 Relay – 4. 3:49.55 (A. Judd, J. Day, E. Connolly, J. Steele)Pole Vault – 3. Kathryn Duhadway, 11-11.75 (3.65m), 5. Kaylene Gastaldi,11-11.75 (3.65m)

Friday’s Results

Men100 (Prelims) – 2. DJ Smith, 10.53, 3. Cedric Young, 10.69110 Hurdles (Prelims) – 3. Justin Wickard, 14.27, 5. Scott Bell, 14.48, 7.Jason Jeppsen, 14.59, 9. Nick Karren, 14.87 (DNQ)200 (Prelims) – 2. DJ Smith, 21.74, 5. Cedric Young, 21.85400 (Prelims) – 5. Dasheek Akwenye, 48.20, 9. Brett Knighton, 48.63 (DNQ)400 Hurdles (Prelims) – 2. Scott Bell, 52.70, 6. Nick Karren, 53.67, 7. BradMartin, 54.53800 (Prelims) – 4. Emon Williams, 1:55.71), 8. Yance Fawcett, 155.72, 11.Craig Bown, 1:57.20 (DNQ), 12. David Gray, 1:59.57 (DNQ)10,000 – 3. Seth Wold, 32:40.15, 6. Clark Bryner, 33:50.57Steeplechase – 1. Vance Twitchell, 9:06.48.Long Jump – 3. Justin Wickard, 23-10.75 (7.28m), 9. Kevin Robinson, 21-09.50(6.64m)Pole Vault – 2. Max Hansen, 15-07.00 (4.75m), 5. Palmer Hawkins, 14-07.25(4.45m)Javelin – 6. Logan Moore, 182-08 (55.68m), 7. Chase Taylor, 182-00 (55.48m)Discus – 9. Kevin Lui, 157-03 (47.93m)

Women100 (Prelims) – 16. Natalie Wisan, 12.75 (DNQ), 17. Megan Wold, 13.17 (DNQ)100 Hurdles (Prelims) – 1. Amber Judd, 14.08, 7. Lacey Hulbert, 14.68200 (Prelims) – 19. Natalie Wisan, 26.27 (DNQ), 22. Megan Wold, 27.67 (DNQ)400 (Prelims) – 12. Elaine Connolly, 58.63 (DNQ), 16. Jennifer Day, 59.66(DNQ)800 (Prelims) – 3. Jill Steele, 2:10.91, 7. Kristen Guymon, 2:12.5110,000 – 4. Amy Egan, 38:30.55Steeplechase – 1. Stacie Lifferth, 10:24.67, 3. Tiffany Strickland,10:49.00, 4. Jennifer Twitchell, 11:12.49High Jump – 4. Lacey Hulbert, 5-05.25 (1.66 m), 9. Aimee Sauvageau, 5-00.25(1.53m), 9. Tara Pickett, 5-00.25 (1.53m), 9. Jamie Garn, 5-00.25 (1.53m)Hammer – 17. Michelle Bowen, 150-02 (45.77m)Shot Put – 18. Krista Larson, 40-02 (12.24m)

Thursday’s Results

MenDecathlon – 1. Logan Moore, 6,713 points

WomenHeptathlon – 2. Lacey Hulbert, 5,304 points, 8. Aimee Sauvageau, 4,165.