After Great Opening Meet, Track Ready for Idaho
3/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga women's and men's track programs make the short trek to the University of Idaho for the Mike Keller Invitational Saturday.
The Zags opened the 2015 outdoor season with a highly successful showing at the Buc Scoring Invitational last weekend. They ran to several top 10 times, and had arguably the best start to an outdoor season in program history.
"It was a great opener, not exactly something you see at this time of year so we were pleased," GU women's Head Coach Patty Ley said. "Now, it is about us keeping them healthy, managing the fatigue levels and keeping this improvement going. That's the goal of every coach."
Maggie Jones ran to a school record in the women's 1,500 meters with a time of 4:35.25 at Whitworth University last Saturday. It was the third fastest time in program history. Teammate Jessica Mildes followed closely behind with a time of 4:35.88, the fifth fastest time in GU history. Both are scheduled to run in the 3,000 meters this week.
This is the first time the Zags have competed in an outdoor meet at Idaho since 2010. The Dan O'Brien Track and Field Complex opened in 1970, but underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 2011.
"Idaho has a fairly new surface and facility and hosted the WAC Championships two years ago I believe," Ley said. "It produced relatively quick times at that time, so it should be a good place to race. Looks like some rain and wind Saturday - so any marks might have to be taken with a grain of salt and a little bit of interpretation. Just being close to marks will be a good day. Idaho has a very good distance group and we are looking forward to competing with them."
On the men's side last week in Spokane, Willie Milam placed first and ran the fastest March time in program history in the 800 meters. The senior crossed the line at 1:53.25, fourth on the all-time list. He also ran the fastest March time in the 1,500 meters (3:50.81), and led a sweep of the top four spots in the event.
"I'd say the guys are hungry and motivated to continue to chase their goals," Director of Gonzaga track Pat Tyson said. "Idaho is another opportunity to compete and learn more about themselves in the heat of battle. Our goals are to control the race in a way that shows no mental lapses. I tell the athletes when they run down the homestretch to have no regrets, fight the good battle, run for the team, and take energy from the Gonzaga Jersey."
A total of 48 Bulldogs travel to Moscow for the meet, but the men will hold out a few student-athletes who are nursing injuries. Milam may not, but just got the news he will be running in the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational next Friday.
Washington State, University of Idaho, Whitworth University, Lewis and Clark State, and Community Colleges of Spokane will have athletes Saturday's Mike Keller Invitational. The meet opens with field events at 10 a.m. Gonzaga has runners in the first event on the track, the men's 5,000 meters, at 12 p.m.
Gonzaga Schedule12 p.m. Men's 5000: Fischer-Fraley-Branch-Kaderabek-Manley-Pearce-D. Roche-Stout-Van Deynze, Milam
12:20 Women's 3000: Albrecht-Henling-Johnson-Jones-Mildes-Thurston-Tyson-Urcadez-Winters
12:45 Men's 1500: Amann-Beard-Crichlow-Goldizen-Lunder-McCandless-N. Roche-Sicalo
1:00 Women's 1500: Albrecht-Bergmann-Chucka-Culver-A. Evans-O. Evans-Mills-Murray-Wika-Williams
1:50 Men's 800: Phillips-Pollard-Smith-Wendle
1:55 Women's 800: Albrecht-Bergmann- Chucka-Coic-C. Fraher-Riley-Saunders-Stroosma-Urcadez-Williams
2:35 Men's 3000 steeplechase: Morris
3:05 Men's 1600-meter relay: "A" Pollard-Graham-Smith-Phillips. "B" Amann-Beard-Sicalo-Crichlow
3:10 Women's 1,600-meter relay: Riley-Jones-Murray-C. Fraher /Saunders-Williams-Urcadez-Stroosma/Chucka-Henling-Culver-O. Evans
