Ag track in seach of title
With a successful indoor track season coming to an end, only the best is expected from this year’s USU track team for the upcoming outdoor season.
The Aggies started off the indoor season with senior DJ Smith, juniors Scott Bell and Kevin Liu, and freshmen Nicholas Karren and Brittany Chadwich, five athletes who placed first in the season opener against Idaho State, which Head Coach Greg Gensel said he was pleased about.
“We’ve kept improving, set a few school records,” Gensel said. “So far, it’s been good.”
Describing them as good would be an understatement.
Senior Amber Peterson, junior Lamar Brown and Chadwich were of the first to beat school records and were able to do so in their first home meet of the year, the Wilson Motor Invitational.
“That’s what coaches like,” Gensel said, “to watch athletes get better and have improvements that are significant.”
Their improvements helped the team achieve seven first places against Washington State, but it was the Boise Invitational where the team really shined.
Senior Dasheek Akwenye posted a conference leading mark in the 400-meter with the time of 48:20, putting him in seventh place in the school’s record books.
Peterson also made seventh in the books with her lifetime best in the 200-meter.
The men’s 4×400 relay team was named USU’s second fastest team of all time, with each leg of the race passing up his own personal best.
Freshman Ashlee Cannon’s achievements in the 200-meter and the 60-meter hurdles were also good enough for record books, putting her right behind Peterson’s freshman score.
At their last invitational in Seattle, their winning streak did not end.
Senior Stacie Lifferth set a school record in the 3,000-meter, bumping out former record-holder Alisa Nicodemus, an All-American at USU in 1992.
Freshman Tony Jones did well in the 3,000-meter, holding him ninth place in the records while seniors Vance Twitchell and Seth Wold set top-10 indoor marks in the 5,000-meter.
Even though numerous records were shattered by this year’s team, placements in the Western Athletic Conference are not determined until the WAC championships, held this weekend.
“We could have a good meet and be fourth, or we could have a great meet and be first,” Gensel said. “It just depends on what actually happens.”
There is no doubt this team has talent. With practice and determination, these track athletes will sure to be successful at this year’s championship.
“I think the season is progressing well, and it’s all going to happen this weekend to know how well it’s gone,” he said.