POCATELLO, Idaho -- Weber State's indoor track and field teams opened their 2012 season at the Snake River Open in Pocatello, Idaho, on Friday and Saturday, posting some impressive early season times and marks.
Coach Jim Blaisdell's women had nine athletes qualify for the 2012 Big Sky Conference championships. AmyLyn Schmidt won the women's pentathlon with a career best 3,487 points. Schmidt had personal best times/marks in four of the five events. Her point total is the fourth most in WSU women's indoor track and field history, and she also qualified for the open 60-meter hurdles.
Amber Henry won the mile run. Her time of 4:48.33 is the second fastest in WSU women's indoor history, just missing the record of 4:47.93 by Shawna Cox in 1995. Laken Hintze was second in a time of 5:06.27.
The Wildcats also got two qualifying times in the 3,000 meters. Sarah Callister ran a personal best time of 9:46.91, finishing second in the race. That is fourth best time in WSU school history. Taylor Thornley qualified in a personal best time of 9:56.06, and this is the 10th best time in school history.
Also making qualifying times were Kristin Billings in the 60 meters (7.78), where she finished second, and the 200 meters (25.63), where she finished third. Amanda Alston was second in the 400 meters (56.80). The Wildcats also won the 4x400 meter relay in 3:55.55.
"I am really pleased with our effort and marks today," said Blaisdell. "We some really good early season performances. Normally we have a few early season injuries which have slowed us down in past years, but everyone came into this meet healthy and ready to go and they came through in flying colors."
Coach Dan Walker's men had seven qualifying time/marks for the conference championships. Two of them came in the 3,000 meters where Mike Hardy won the race in a personal-best time of 8:34.0 Jason Nance was second in a personal best of 8:38.75.
Chris Struckman qualified in the 60 meters in 6.99. Jonathan McUne qualified in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.32. In the field events, Dustin Martin threw a personal best of 55-9.25 to qualify in the 35-pound weight throw, and Mike Staker, the defending Big Sky indoor men's high jump champion, qualified with a jump of 6-4.75. The men's 4x400 meter relay also qualified, winning the race in a time of 3:21.05.
"I was pleased with how hard we competed," said Walker. "Everyone did exactly what we asked them to do in this meet. We need to have a little more speed work over the next two weeks with our sprinters and 400 meter runners, but they had some good early season times despite not qualifying for the conference meet."
The Wildcats will have two weeks off before them compete again Jan. 27-28 at the Boise State Open.
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