May 21, 2008

Track Notes: Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championship

QUICKLY
The Bengals performed well at the Big Sky Conference Championships in Sacramento, Calif. The women's team held first place through the morning of the fourth day but fell to third place after the final two events. The Bengals scored 120 points. The men began the championship scoreless but improved to a seventh place finish with 40 points. Idaho State will have two Bengal men and five women competing in the NCAA West Regionals on May 30-31st held at Cal State Northridge.

BIG SKY CONFERENCE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE MEET
Though Junior Cassie Merkley was unable to compete after the heptathlon event at the Big Sky Championship because of an injury she was still awarded women's field athlete of the meet due to her incredible performances in the hep. Merkley took the heptathlon title with 5.402 points. She continues to train in preparation for the NCAA Regionals and Nationals. Merkley has qualified for Regionals in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and javelin throw and has qualified for Nationals in the heptathlon. Her first NCAA heptathlon mark for the season earned her automatic bid to the national championship when she earned 5,563 points which is the 12th best score in the nation.

WOMEN'S PERFORMANCES AT CONFERENCE
Two Bengals captured titles in their events: Junior Kasie Scott in the pole vault and Senior Erin Bell in the long jump. Bell also earned the most conference points in the championship as an individual with 20.5 points. Six Bengals earned all-conference honors which includes all individuals who took either 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in the championship event. Sophomore Sydney Wendt collected all-conference honors in the high jump with a second place finish and in the heptathlon with a third place finish.

MEN'S PERFORMANCES AT CONFERENCE The Bengals had two All-Conference performers. Freshman Sergio Jones took second place in the 100-meter dash while Sam Pierson captured 2nd place in the pole vault. Jones also lead the Bengals in individual scoring points at the championship where he tied for the ninth best individual performer when he earned 13 points.

ATHLETES GOING TO NCAA WEST REGIONALS Six Bengal women and two men will be going to the NCAA West Regionals; four of which reached NCAA qualifying times or marks in their field at the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championship. Cassie Merkley, Lois Ricardi and Sergio Jones met qualifying times earlier in the season. Senior Ricardi has met the regional qualifying standard for the 3,000-meter steeplechase twice during the outdoor season. Her best performance was the first time she met the Regional qualifying time when she ran a 10:40.64 at the Mountain State Games. Her second best performance was a time of 10:45.10 at the BYU Robison Invitational.

Freshman Jones met the NCAA Regional qualifying standard in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Mark Faldmo Invitational. Jones ran a time of 10.50 in the 100-meter dash then followed his performance with a 21.19 in the 200-meter dash. His 100-meter dash is the third best in the Big Sky while his 200-meter dash time is second best in the Big Sky.

Junior Kasie Scott took the championship title in Idaho State's signature event, the pole vault and matched the NCAA Regional qualifying mark with her height 12-07.50. Scott's height was a performance best for her in the outdoor season. Incidentally, Scott also achieved the third best pole vault performance in school history. She improved on her previous best of 12-05.50 by two inches.

Erin Bell, a senior, will also be attending the NCAA West Regionals because she captured the gold medal in the long jump with her 19-04.75 jump.

Mandi Janowitz, a senior, threw a distance of 142-08 in the javelin throw, two inches farther than the NCAA Regional qualifying mark to capture fifth place. Junior Gemma Maini also joined the list of Bengals attending Regionals when she ran a time of 4:26.36 for a fourth place finish. Maini's performance best time earned her the third best 1,500-meter run in Idaho State school history.

Sophomore Sam Pierson captured second place All-Conference honors when he vaulted a height of 17-02.75, 7.75 inches higher than the NCAA Regional qualifying standard. Pierson tied with Steve Deming and McKay Womack for the third best All-Time Top-Ten Performers record at Idaho State, and also ties for the seventh best performance in Idaho State school history.

BENGALS COMPETE FOR EXTRA PRACTICE
Head men's and women's track and field coach Dave Nielsen will be sending a few of his Regional qualifiers to the 2008 High Performance Sprint and Power Meet held at the Clarence Robison Track in Provo, Utah. Brigham Young University will be hosting the event which will allow Bengal qualifiers to get in extra practice before they head to the NCAA West Regionals in Northridge, Calif. The competition will occur from May 23-24th where preliminaries will occur through Friday and final events will take place on Saturday.

Merkley is expected to compete in the javelin throw as she will during Regionals to rest her injury so that she will be in top shape for the National competition. Pierson plans to compete in the pole vault at the High Performance Spirit and Power Meet. Other Bengal qualifiers may also compete in their respective events but will be determined at a later date.