Feb. 27, 2005

NAMPA, Idaho - Competing as the first WAC affiliate in school history Utah State's men's track and field team took second place for the WAC Indoor Championship on Saturday. The women's team came in seventh place out of 10 schools.

Coming into to final day USU's men's team lead all scores with 78 points. However, a powerful UTEP team was able to pull ahead on Saturday and capture the team title. The men final score was 138 points to UTEP's 184. Do not let the point scale fool you, USU was actually leading upto the final events of the evening.

Even though the women did not score as many points as the men, they still performed exceptionally well. After coming in second place in the women's 5000-meters on Friday, Lida Riplinger finished fourth in the 3000-meters with a time of 9:59.86. Tiffany Strickland (10:02.15) finsiched sixth in the same event.

Mike Nielson continued to have a strong showing this week as he captured the men's 3000-meter title with a time of 8:25.54 and he also placed fourth in the mile at 4:13.74. Dustin Vetica (48.47), and Kevin Robinson (47-06.25) both placed third in their respected events.

Zack Lloyd won the men's shot put compitition by throwing a mark of 59-11.75. In the men's 60-meter hurdles Jarett Bush (8.06) finished in second place, while Justin Wickard (8.09) and Dustin Vetica (8.16) placed fifth and seventh.

Other top female finishers for USU were Alana Geisler (11-10.50) finishing sixth in the pole vault, and Jill Steele (2:14.18) finishing sixth in the 800-meters.

DAY 4 RESULTS

Women

Final Team Ranking: 7 Utah State University, 49

Mile: 7. Stacie Lifferth, 5:03.55; 8. Ashley Johnson, 5:06.83;

11. Carolyn Andrus, 5:18.90

800 Meters: 6. Jill Steele, 2:11.83

3000 Meters: 4. Lida Riplinger, 9:59.86; 6. Tiffany Strickland, 10:02.15;

12. Stacie Lifferth, 10:18.54; 18. Ashley Johnson, 10:30.57;

22. Becky Bostwick 10:40.56; 29. Caroline Berry, 11:09.32

4 x 400 Meter Relay: 9. Utah State University 3:54.49

1) Amber Judd 2) Emily Hillam 3) Cachet Webb 4) Katie Thatcher

Pole Vault: 6. Alana Geisler, 11-10.50; 10. Kaylene Gastaldi, 10-08.75;

11. Kathryn Duhadway, 10-08.75

Men's results

Final Team Ranking: 2 Utah State University, 138

200 Meters: DJ Smith, DQ

400 Meters: 3 Dustin Vetica, 48.24

Mile: 4 Mike Nielson, 4:13.74; 8 Ben Kessen, 4:22.27

800 Meters: 7 Yance Fawcett, 1:57.61

3000 Meters: 1 Mike Nielson, 8:25.54; 8 Clark Bryner, 8:36.19;

9 David Danley, 8:39.90; 10 Trever Ball, 8:46.07;

11 Steve Strickland, 8:46.84; 16 Jason Holt, 8:54.14

60 Meter Hurdles: 2 Jarett Bush 8.06; 5 Justin Wickard, 8.09;

7 Dustin Vetica, 8.16

4 x 400 Meter Relay: 4 Utah State University, 3:16.77

1) Brad Martin 2) Reece Hulbert

3) David Gray 4) Dustin Vetica

Triple Jump: 3 Kevin Robinson, 47-01.50; 9 John Strang, 42-03.25

Shot Put: 1 Zack Lloyd, 59-11.75; 11 Kevin Liu 46-10.00