The University of Idaho track and field team continues to perform well at the meets leading up to regionals, and for some athletes, nationals.
The track and field team will be in Boise this weekend for the Bronco Twilight Invitational where they will compete against Boise State, Idaho State, Brigham Young University and Utah State.

The team is coming off of a week where it hit 12 regional qualifying marks, earned nine individual victories, beat two meet records and one school record as the team split between the Oregon Relays and the Cougar Invitational.
Idaho coach Wayne Phipps said the team plans on splitting again this week, but for a different purpose.

“Most of the schools at the meet are going to send a smallish group,” Phipps said. “We’re sending about 15 from each of the men’s and women’s teams and the rest will be here preparing for exams.”
The UI track and field team had two athletes honored with awards yet again. The awards were the ninth and 10th of the track and field season for the Vandals.

Mykael Bothum won the Western Athletic Conference Field Athlete of the Week award for her performance in the shot put. Bothum won the event setting the meet record and breaking the school record with her effort of 51 feet, 5 inches. Bothum also holds the indoor shot put record, which she set earlier this year.
Russ Winger won the Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Week award for the fifth time this year and eighth time in his career. Winger won two events — the discus and shot put, and placed fourth with a personal best in the hammer throw.

“Russ is just an incredible athlete and that lends him to be successful,” Phipps said. “I think I saw him throwing a javelin today. Anything that can be thrown, he wants to throw. It’s his mentality.”
With the regional meet being just three meets away, Phipps said that he is confident going into this weeks competition.

“We look pretty good on both the men’s and women’s sides,” Phipps said. “We’d look better on the men’s side if it weren’t for a couple of injuries.”
The team has been competing without two top athletes for most of the season.
The Vandals already have a slew of athletes preparing for regionals, which Phipps says is the first step.

“The biggest step is making it to regionals,” Phipps said. “Once there, you either have to finish in the top five or hope your qualifying mark is in the top 25 or 26 in the nation. Then you get to compete at nationals.”
UI already has more than 20 athletes qualified for regionals through winning efforts at previous meets. They may not be done just yet though.
“It’s been great seeing so many make it,” Phipps said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there are still a few more to come.”
The competition at the Bronco Twilight Invitational meet will begin Today in Boise.

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