Track to compete in second outdoor meet of year
The Utah State University track team heads to the University of California Davis to compete against UC Davis, California State Berkeley and Chico State University for its second team meet of the season Saturday at 11 a.m.
The Aggies haven’t competed against any of the California teams yet this season, and Head Coach Gregg Gensel said his goal is to just keep improving.
“We’ve just barely got started outdoors,” he said. “I’m impressed a lot with what I’ve seen in practice and I’m hoping that transfers into the actual meets.”
USU last competed at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., on March 23 where three Aggies won their events and the team took home 15 top-five finishes.
Shae Bair and Maurice Jenkins won the pole vault in Arizona in the women’s and men’s divisions, respectively, while Brett Guymon won the 400-meter hurdles.
Other Aggies who finished in the top five at the invitational were Kristi Connors, Kristen Coombs and Katie Farner on the women’s side.
On the men’s side, Justin Wickard, Nick Seedall, Robert Crockett and Josh Sides had top-five finishes at the meet.
Gensel said he expects Guymon, Wickard, Jenkins and Mitch Zundel to do well on the men’s side at UC Davis.
On the women’s side, he said he expects Bair, Connors, Coombs, Farner, Sandra Reategui and Melanie McClellan to perform well Saturday.
“I’m always impressed when people step up and do well,” Gensel said. “That’s what I expect from the team: To do their best, get confidence and perform better. I hope that keeps happening.”
USU will compete in its first outdoor meet in the state of Utah when the team travels to Ogden to compete in the Weber State Invitational April 13.
“I’m looking forward to getting some good weather meets in,” Gensel said.