Track team sends 46 athletes to Arizona
The USU indoor track team will compete today and Saturday in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Flagstaff, Ariz., for the regional title and an opportunity to qualify for nationals.
Twenty-four men and 22 women who have met qualifying standards will compete against athletes from the 10 other teams in the region for the chance to be first in the region or qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The team has never finished lower than fifth in the region and has come in first several times in the past. Head coach Gregg Gensel said he thinks the team has a chance to win the meet again this year.
“I go into every meet thinking we have the chance to win,” he said. “I haven’t seen the competition and can’t control what they do, but our kids are ready to perform well.”
He also said many athletes, including Anthony Stewart, Dave Hoffman, Maurice Jenkins and several distance runners have the chance to qualify for the national championship, and James Parker has a chance to improve his already-qualifying mark.
Gensel said this is a good meet for the athletes to hit the qualifying standard because the competitors are so good.
“This is a meet where the competition is conducive to qualifying,” he said.
Those who don’t qualify for the national championships this weekend but have met a meet-qualifying standard will compete in the Last Chance Meet March 1-3.