Final Athletes of the Week Included
PDF of the Full Release
2010 Big Sky Conference/Weber State Credit Union Outdoor Track and Field Championship Page
2010 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championship Meet Program
Big Sky Men's Outdoor Record Book
Big Sky Women's Outdoor Record Book
The 2010 Big Sky Conference / Weber State Credit Union Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held this weekend in Ogden, Utah. Weber State University will be the host of the championship event. The Northern Arizona men are searching for their fourth-straight outdoor title, while the Sacramento State women have won back-to-back titles.
Weber State was the last men’s team to win an outdoor title, other than NAU, that championship was won in 2006. The Wildcats also won the men’s title the last time the championship was held in Ogden, back in 2004.
The Northern Arizona women’s squad has not won an outdoor title since 2006, which was the last of three-straight for the Lumberjacks. In 2007 Idaho State hosted the outdoor championship and the Bengals took home the women’s title with a team score of 140.5.
Entering the championship four Big Sky female athletes have marks that rank in the top-25 in the nation. Idaho State’s Cassie Merkley owns two ranked marks, her heptathlon score of 5352 is 11th in the nation and her javelin throw of 158’ 10” is 25th. Eastern Washington’s Nicole Luckenbach has been consistently ranked in the nation with he performances in the hammer throw. Her best of the season, 199-8, is ranked 14th in all of Division I.
The Big Sky men are also well represented on the national list. Northern Arizona senior David McNeill broke his own conference record in the 5,000m early this season with a time of 13:25.63, it still stands as the best time in the nation the season.
Teammate Degio Estrada owns the nation’s eighth best 10,000m time this season. His time of 28:40.19 is sixth best in conference history, he also is ranked for his time of 13:49.35 in the 5,000m.
Athletes of the Week
MEN’S FIELD
Ben Cogdill, Eastern Washington
Senior - Estacada, Ore.
Cogdill broke Eastern Washington’s school record with a winning vault of 16’ 8.25” at the Vandal Jamboree. He broke the mark of 16-7.25 set in 2005 by Mike Erickson. Cogdill already qualified for the BSC Championships earlier this season. That mark moves Cogdill into second in the conference.
Also nominated: Chris Hellekson, UM; Zach Perry, WSU
WOMEN’S FIELD
Lizzy Norvell, Sacramento State
Senior - Fresno, Calif.
Norvell moved into sole possession of third all-time in the Big Sky, with a pole vault height of 13-05.25 to win the Sacramento State Open. The senior previously was tied for third with a jump of 13-00.25. She also became the Big Sky leader in the process and is now ranked 21st in the West Region and 27th nationally.
Also nominated: Brianna Okoro, EWU; Lindsey Hall, UM; Kris Schaffer, MSU
MEN’S TRACK
Jason Nelson, Sacramento State
Senior - Placerville, Calif.
Nelson turned in personal bests in both the 200 and 400 at the Sacramento State Open. The senior ran 21.78 in the 200 and 47.73 in the 400. Nelson enters the conference championships ranked fifth in the Big Sky in the 200 and third in the 400. He won the 400 title at the 2010 Indoor Championships.
Also nominated: Cody Lund, UM; Graydon Curry, MSU
WOMEN’S TRACK
Alicia Truesdale, Sacramento State
Sophomore - Hayward, Calif.
Truesale ran a Big Sky leading 13.76 seconds in the 100m-hurdles to finish first at the Sacramento State Open on Saturday. Her time places her .08 seconds of Portland State’s Joenisha Vinson on the Big Sky list. Truesdale also moved into fifth place in school history with the time.
Also nominated: Sarah Frey, EWU; Jennifer Walter, UM; Camille Marchand, MSU