This Week in Vandal Track & Field:
Feb. 23-25: WAC Indoor Championships (Nampa, Idaho)
Looking Forward
Idaho heads to Jackson Indoor Track at Nampa, Idaho, for the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships this week. The meet starts on Thursday with the men's indoor heptathlon and the women's pentathlon, while the individual portion of the meet runs Friday and Saturday. Idaho's men will try to win their first indoor conference crown since claiming the 1997 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) title and the Vandal women will try for their first indoor title since the 1983 Mountain West Athletic Conference win.
Historically Speaking
Idaho won six WAC titles last season - three each on the men's and women's sides - and claimed seven First-Team All-WAC honors and 14 Second Team accolades. Additionally, Markus Geiger was named WAC Men's Track Co-Performer of the Year after his 5000m title and his 3000m runner-up finish. Geiger is one of two returning 2011 WAC champions on the men's side, along with senior Jeremy Klas (pole vault). For the women, sophomore Hannah Kiser (3000m) and junior Liga Velvere (800m) return as individual champions, as does Idaho's entire 2011 champion distance medley relay team of Kiser, Velvere, senior Anna Kalbrener and junior Keli Hall. The Vandals also return the services of 2010 WAC indoor 800m champion Lauren Schaffer, who redshirted last season. In seven total WAC Indoor Championship meets, Idaho athletes have earned 27 individual conference titles.
A Quick Recap
In a final tune-up meet last weekend at home, Idaho athletes posted 23 career-best marks at the Vandal Collegiate at the Kibbie Dome. Vandals also claimed five individual titles at the meet. Senior Jeremy Klas cleared 17-7.75 (5.38m) in a jump-off to win the pole vault, sophomore Kyle Rothwell hit a career-best 58-11.5 (17.97m) to win the men's weight throw, senior Rendel Jones went 44-7 (13.59m) to win the triple jump. For the women, junior Liga Velvere ran a 2:08.46 to claim the 800m win and junior Kristine Leonard won the indoor discus with a toss of 156-10 (47.80m).
Live Championship Streaming
Live video of Saturday's action at the 2012 WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships will stream online. For a fee of $5.95, viewers can watch all the action from the final day of conference action, including most event finals and several field events. More information is available at www.WAC.tv. Live results will also be posted throughout the meet at www.WACSports.com.
Indoor Champion Regulars
Idaho's men have won the last four consecutive indoor WAC pole vault titles between Lucas Pope (2008, 2009) and senior Jeremy Klas (2010, 2011). They've also claimed five of the last six men's shot put titles between Russ Winger (2006, 2007, 2008), James Rogan (2009) and Eugenio Mannucci (2011). Vandals have claimed the women's pole vault title in five of the team's seven competitions between Melinda Owen (2005, 2006, 2007) and K.C. Dahlgren (2009, 2010).
Going for the Trifecta
Senior pole vaulter Jeremy Klas is attempting to match Vandal legend Russ Winger in Idaho history this week. Winger's three individual WAC titles in the shot put from 2006-08 are the most by any Vandal men's athlete since Idaho joined the conference for the 2005 WAC Indoor Championships. Klas is the two-time reigning champion in the indoor pole vault and enters the week as the conference's top vaulter.
Click on the PDF link above to view complete weekly notes.
