Aggie Track And Field To Compete At WAC Championships Tuesday Thru Friday In Hawaii
Utah State’s men and women’s track & field teams will be competing at the 2011 Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Tuesday-Friday, May 10-13. The championships are hosted by Hawai’i at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex in Honolulu.
The Aggie men are the two-time defending WAC Outdoor Champions, while the USU women have placed fourth each of the last three years. The Utah State women look to avenge their one-point loss to Louisiana Tech earlier this year in the indoor season.
“The goal in any competition is the make an effort to win,” said USU veteran head coach Gregg Gensel. “Everything we have done this year has been preparing the athletes and giving them the chance to win. This is the last time that we will be competing as a team and we feel we are prepared to do our best. We have a lot of key athletes that we are counting on getting us good points, but if everyone on the team can do their part then we will be in good shape to win. The athletes definitely think can win this and we as coaches believe they can as well.”
On Tuesday, action begins with the women’s heptathlon 100m hurdles at 5 p.m. (MT) and is set to conclude at 10:10 pm. with the men’s decathlon 400m. The multi-events will continue through Wednesday ending at approximately 9:30 p.m. Thursday’s action kicks off with the women’s hammer at 6 p.m. and ending with the men’s 10,000m at 1:05 a.m. Friday morning. The final day of the championships begins Friday evening with the men’s hammer at 5:30 p.m. and with the last event being the 4x400m relay at 11:25 p.m.
Men – Year-by-Year
WAC Outdoor Champions
2010 – UTAH STATE
2009 – UTAH STATE
2008 – Boise State
2007 – UTAH STATE
2006 – Boise State
2005 – UTEP
Women – Year-by-Year
WAC Outdoor Champions
2010 – Louisiana Tech
2009 – Louisiana Tech
2008 – Louisiana Tech
2007 – Louisiana Tech
2006 – Louisiana Tech
2005 – Louisiana Tech
IN THE RANKINGS – On the men’s side, the Aggies sit at No. 112 in the nation and seventh in the Mountain Region. Other WAC schools who are ranked include Boise State at No. 96, Louisiana Tech at No. 101, Idaho at No. 148 and Fresno State at No. 184. On the women’s side, Louisiana Tech leads the WAC at No. 62, followed by Nevada at No. 72. Idaho landed at No. 112, followed by Hawai’i (No. 119), Fresno State (No. 149), and Utah State (No. 159).
UP NEXT – Those athletes that qualify will be competing in the NCAA Championship West Region Preliminary Round, in Eugene, Oregon on May 26-28 at Hayward Field.
LIVE RESULTS – Live results for the 2010 WAC Championships are available by clicking on the “Live Results” link at www.utahstateaggies.com as well as www.wacsports.com.
AGGIE NOTES
DEFENDING CHAMPS – The Aggie men are set to defend their two-straight Outdoor WAC Championships as they have won the championship three out of the last four years, winning in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Seniors Mike Pyrtle and Clint Silcock will defend their individual titles in the 100m and high jump, respectively, along with junior Joe Canavan in the shot put.
INDOOR SUCCESS – Utah State finished the indoor season strong as the USU men won their third-straight WAC Indoor title as they were named co-champions with Boise State and the Aggie women finished second for the second-straight year coming in just one point behind Louisiana Tech.
IN THE NATION – The Aggies have five athletes ranking in the top 50 in the nation for their event including senior Clint Silcock who comes in at No. 15 in the high jump with a mark of 2.19m (7-02.25). Junior Joe Canavan is the next highest Aggie sitting at No. 24 in the shot put with a throw of 17.93m (58-10.00) followed by freshman Chari Hawkins in the heptathlon at No. 29 with a point total of 5,159. Junior Daniel Howell ranks No. 31 of the 3000m steeplechase (8:53.81) along with senior Jason Holt ranking at No. 39 in the 800m (1:49.34).
LEADING THE WAC – Leading the Western Athletic Conference in their respective events for USU is Holt (800m), Larson (1500m), Silcock (high jump) and Canavan (shot put), along with junior Ruth Hilton (3000m steeplechase). Hawkins also leads the WAC in the heptathlon. Holt and Larson remain undefeated on the season as Holt has won five straight events in the 800m along with Larson winning four in a row in the 1500m.
AGGIES TO WATCH FOR
UNDEFEATED JASON HOLT – Senior Jason Holt remains undefeated in the 800m, winning all five events he competed in this season. Holt ranks fourth in USU history with his personal-best time of 1:49.34.
SOARIN’ CLINT SILCOCK – Senior Clint Silcock holds the nation’s 15th-best mark in the high jump of 2.19 (7-02.25) and will defend his 2010 individual WAC Championship in the high jump.
QUICK KIM QUINN – Junior Kim Quinn set a school record in the 5,000m at the Sacramento State Mondo Invite on April 9 with a time of 16:43.51. She also holds the school record in the 10,000m (17:17.39).
ALL-AROUND CHARI HAWKINS – Freshman Chari Hawkins has had a standout season in the heptathlon, leading the WAC and ranking No. 29 in the nation with a point total of 5,159.