USU sends record number to NCAA track tourney
Utah State qualified a school record eight athletes for the NCAA Track and Field Championships, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif. June 7-10. USU had sent seven athletes in 1998.
USU men competing in the national championship include DJ Smith (100), Vance Twitchell (steeplechase), and Justin Wickard (110 hurdles). Aggie women include Kristen Guymon (1,500), Lacey Hulbert (heptathlon), Amber Judd (400 hurdles), Stacie Lifferth (steeplechase), and Jennifer Twitchell (1,500).
All eight Aggie athletes are first-time qualifiers. Among the eight are five that will return next year as the only seniors are Guymon, Hulbert and Wickard.
“This is a year of firsts for us,” said USU head coach Gregg Gensel. “This is the most we have sent to the NCAA, the most women we have qualified and the most automatic qualifiers with just one at-large selection (Lifferth). They are so excited.”
Gensel said with eight athletes continuing their season, instead of the usual two to four athletes that have qualified in recent years, he has had to adjust a little bit.
“I actually had to schedule practices this week because we have so many athletes,” he said. “Usually it was just ‘when do you want to meet?’ There are a lot of logistical problems, but problems we like to have.”
Smith, a junior from Pleasonton, Calif., was third in the West Regional in the 100 with a clocking of 10.38, the second-fastest time in school history.
Vance Twitchell, a junior from Helena, Mont., ran a 9:02.19 time in the steeplechase to place fourth at the West Regional.
Wickard, a senior from Scottsbluff, Neb., was timed at 14.03 in the 110 hurdles in the regional and placed fifth. He has the second fastest time in school history with a 13.91 back in 2002. Earlier this year he competed in the U.S. Championships in the 60 hurdles and finished 19th while competing against professionals and four collegians.
Guymon placed second in the 1,500 at the West Regional in 4:24.08. The senior from Salt Lake City, Utah holds the school record in the event with a time of 4:23.80. Guymon missed last season after having a baby.
Hulbert qualified for the heptathlon during the regular season as the event is not contested at the regional level. The senior from Sandy, Utah was the WAC runner-up in the event and holds the school record with 5,304 points.
Judd, a junior from Midvale, Utah, placed fourth in the 400 hurdles at the West Regional with a personal best time of 59.79. That mark ranks third in school history.
Lifferth is the only at-large selection for USU. The sophomore from Layton, Utah finished sixth at the West Regional in the steeplechase, just one spot out of automatically qualifying. Lifferth is the school record holder in this event and ran a 10:37.41 at the regionals.
Jennifer Twitchell, the wife of Vance, who also qualified for the championships, posted the best finish of any Aggie at the regional meet, winning the 1,500 after entering the race ranked 15th in the region. The junior from Sandy, Utah edged teammate Guymon by .76 with a school record time of 4:24.08.
The NCAA meet begins Wednesday, June 7 at Sacramento State. Here is a look at USU’s athletes’ schedules:
Wednesday, June 7110 Hurdles – Justin Wickard (First Round, Semifinals)Steeplechase – Vance Twitchell (Semifinals)Steeplechase – Stacie Lifferth (Semifinals)
Thursday, June 8100 – DJ Smith (First Round, Semifinals)400 Hurdles – Amber Judd (First Round)1,500 – Kristen Guymon and Jennifer Twitchell (Semifinals)
Friday, June 9Heptathlon (Day One) – Lacey Hulbert
Saturday, June 10Hepathlon (Day Two) – Hulbert
Info On USU Qualifiers
Women
Kristen GuymonSenior, Salt Lake City, Utah1,500Thursday, June 8 (Semifinals)
Placed second at the West Regional to teammate Jennifer Twitchell with a time of 4:24.84 (Twitchell had a 4:24.08)Å One of two USU qualifiers in the 1,500Å Has the 15th-ranked time in the field at 4:19.48Å Has the second-best time in the WACÅ At the WAC Championships she finished second in the 1,500 (4:24.76), third in the 5,000 (17:40.43) and sixth in the 800 (2:16.15)Å Is the USU record holder in the 1,500Å Missed the 2005 season after having a baby.
Lacey HulbertSenior, Sandy, UtahHeptathlonFriday and Saturday, June 9-10
Finished second in the heptathlon at the WAC Championships with 5,304 pointsÅ Competed at the NCAA West Regional in the high jumpÅ Placed fourth in the league’s high jump competition with a jump of 1.66 meters (5-05.25)Å Also finished fifth in the 100 hurdles at the WAC meetÅ Owns the school record in the heptathlon.
Amber JuddJunior, Midvale, Utah400 hurdlesThursday, June 8 (First Round)
Set a personal best with a time of 59.90 at the West Regional to finish fourth in that eventÅ That time tied for third in USU historyÅ Has the second-best time in the WACÅ Finished second at the WAC Championships in both the 100 hurdles (14.09) and the 400 hurdles (1:00.06).
Stacie LifferthSophomore, Layton, UtahSteeplechaseWednesday, June 7 (Semifinals) Earned an at-large bid into the NCAA after placing sixth at the West Regional, one spot out of the automatic qualifying positionsÅ Ran a 10:37.41 at the regional, but has a top time of 10:22.76 this seasonÅ Won the WAC steeplechase (10:24.67)Å Placed fourth in the 5,000 at the league meet (17:40.88)Å Is the school record holder in the steeplechase.
Jennifer TwitchellJunior, Sandy, Utah1,500Thursday, June 8 (Semifinals)
One of two USU qualifiers in this event after winning the West Regional with a time of 4:28.08 to edge teammate Kristen Guymon (4:24.84)Å Enters the national championships with the eighth-best time among the qualifiers with a 4:18.72 clockingÅ Has the third-best time in the WACÅ Placed fourth at the WAC Championships in the 1,500 (4:27.84)Å Also placed fourth in the steeplechase at the league meet (11:12.49)Å Ranks fourth on the USU career performance list in the 1,500Å Her husband Vance qualified for the NCAA Championships in the steeplechase.
Men
DJ SmithJunior, Pleasonton, Calif.100Thursday, June 8 (First Round, Semifinals)
Ran a personal best and second-best mark in USU history with a 10.38 in the 100 at the West RegionalÅ Finished third in that eventÅ Also competed in the 200 at the regional, but did not qualify for nationalsÅ Ranks first in the WAC in both the 100 and 200Å Won the WAC title in the 100 in a time of 10.51Å Qualified second in the 200 at the WAC meet, but did not run in the finalsÅ Has the second-fastest 100-meter time in school history (Bode Osagiobare ran a 10.33 in 1993) as well as the sixth-fastest 200 time.
Vance TwitchellJunior, Helena, Mont.SteeplechaseWednesday, June 7 (Semifinals)
Placed fourth in the west region in this event with a time of 9:02.19Å Has best time in the WACÅ Won the WAC steeplechase title with a time of 9:06.48Å Was fourth in the 5,000 at the league meetÅ Wife Jennifer qualified in the 1,500 and will also compete in the NCAA Championships.
Justin WickardSenior, Scottsbluff, Neb.110 HurdlesWednesday, June 7 (First Round, Semifinals) Finished fifth at the NCAA West Regional with a time of 14.03 to advance to the NCAA ChampionshipsÅ Has the best time in the WACÅ Was disqualified in the WAC 110-meter hurdles finals after qualifying thirdÅ Owns the second-best 110-meter hurdles time in school history with a 13.91 clocking back in 2002Å Competed in the USA Track and Field Championships earlier this year, while redshirting the indoor season.
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USU Men’s NCAA Outdoor Finishes
Year Place1949 t23rd1957 t14th1958 t8th1960 t39th1965 t30th1966 t24th1967 t14th1968 t23rd1975 t21st1977 t16th1983 t58th1990 t64th1995 t53rd1998 t20th2000 t44th2001 t18th2002 41st
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USU Men’s All-Time Outdoor
Individual Champions
1961 – Glen Passey (Discus)1975 – Mark Enyeart (800)1977 – Mark Enyeart (800)
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USU Men’s Scorers (Since 1991)
1995 – 4. Lance White (Pole Vault)1998 – 4. Corey Murdock (400 Hurd.)1999 – 2. Corey Murdock (400 Hurd.) 4. James Parker (Hammer)2000 – 4. James Parker (Hammer)2001 – 2. James Parker (Hammer) 2. Dave Hoffman (High Jump)2002 – 4. Brett Guymon (400 Hurdles)
* * * * *USU Women’s NCAA Outdoor Finishes
Year Place1996 t49th1997 t38th2000 t45th
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USU Women’s All-Time Scorers
1996 – 4. LaDonna Antoine (400m)1997 – 7. LaDonna Antoine (400m)2000 – 4. Shae Bair (Pole Vault)
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2005-06 USU WAC Track Finishes
MenCross Country – 1st/6Indoor Track – 4th/5Outdoor Track – 2nd/5
WomenCross Country – 2nd/8Indoor Track – 3rd/9Outdoor Track – 3rd/8