The University of Idaho track and field team had one of the best overall team performances, not only of the season, but in years last weekend as two school records were broken and a plethora of regional qualifying marks and personal bests were reached.

The team will try to repeat the high performance level this week at two separate meets.
The team will split forces this week, sending a handful of distance runners and pole vaulters to Oregon for the Oregon Invitational at Eugene.
At last year’s Oregon Invitational, Vandal athletes accounted for two regional qualifying marks and four personal bests. Matt Racine, Allix Lee-Painter and Mandy Macalister will be attending the meet, and all three look to beat their personal bests set at last year’s meet.

The rest of the team will be in attendance at the Cougar Outdoor in Pullman The meet will be the team’s first trip of the outdoor season to Pullman.
Last year at the Cougar Outdoor, three athletes hit regional qualifying marks and six more hit personal bests.

Russ Winger also had a strong performance, breaking the meet record in the discus with a throw of 193 feet, 6 inches.
Idaho coach Wayne Phipps was pleased with the performances of the athletes and said it was one of the best Mt. SAC meets he’s seen.
“The Mt. SAC Invitational is one of those meets that can be hit and miss,” Phipps said. “Overall, I think this is the best Mt. SAC we’ve had that I can remember.”

Marcus Mattox broke the UI record in the men’s weight throw, but Phipps said that he wouldn’t be surprised if the record changes hands a couple more times this season.

“Marcus is throwing extremely well, but Russ Winger isn’t that far behind him,” Phipps said. “Matt Wauters has been battling an ankle injury but he’s a guy that could go in the 230-foot range and be in the top of the nation and that’s not to say that Marcus can’t match that either.”
Mattox’s throw of 208-10 is the throw that earned him the record.

The other record breaker at the invitational was pole vaulter Mike Carpenter, who broke a 24-year-old record by nearly a foot with his 17-3/4 effort. He earned the Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week award.

He is the second men’s athlete to receive the award during the outdoor season.
Always concerning to coaches and athletes alike is the chance of peaking too early in the season. Phipps said he didn’t think the athletes have reached their peak just yet.

“We finally had an opportunity to be in nice weather,” Phipps said. “It’s hard trying to be outside when its 35 degrees and snowing. In weather like that it’s just hard to come out race ready.”

After the invitational last week, where the Vandals exploded for a total of 20 regional qualifying marks, the athletes and coaches will try to focus on not having a let down, which coaches dread.

“One of the things is you go from Mt. SAC to a lower-key meet like WSU and the perception is going to change,” Phipps said. “You’re only going seven or eight miles and most difficult for the team is the weather adjustments. Just because it’s 30 degrees colder outside doesn’t mean we can’t have good performances.”

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