For the first time this season, the Idaho track and field team will travel more than 10 miles for a meet. After competing in Pullman for the first two meets and in Moscow most recently, the Vandals travel to Seattle for the Husky Classic and UW Indoor Friday through Sunday.
“It’s going to be a great meet,” Idaho Director of Track and Field Wayne Phipps said. “I’m going to say (it’s) the top meet in the nation this weekend, bringing schools from all over the country.”
Not only will the Vandals face their first true road test, but they enter into competition against some of the nation’s top programs.
The teams travelling across the country to compete in Seattle this weekend include Florida, Clemson, Ohio State and Kansas along with nine Pac-12 schools. Phipps said several world-class, post-collegiate athletes will be among the competitors.
“Especially in the distance races, (the Husky Classic) is where everybody goes to try to qualify for nationals,” Phipps said. “From a distance standpoint, this is probably the best meet in the nation all year long.”
For Idaho sophomore Cait Rowland, the Husky Classic will be like another home meet. Rowland is from Gig Harbor, Wash., near the Seattle area.
“(There will be) great competition for all of us because there’s going to be some really good runners there,” Rowland said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone’s going to do when we actually get put up against some of the bigger teams.”
One of the team goals for the meet is to qualify runners for the NCAA National Tournament. In addition to the distance runners, Phipps thinks senior pole-vaulter Jeremy Klas has a chance to improve his national ranking. Phipps said he also wants to see the team stay healthy and improve as a whole.
“We’ve had a great start to the season,” Phipps said.” I wouldn’t change too much other than we need to make sure we are continuing to be healthy. This is the time of year where there’s a tendency to be a little banged up.”
The Husky Classic and UW Indoor is Idaho’s last chance to compete before the WAC Championships Feb. 23-25 in Boise.
“It’ll just be another competition and I hope that the athletes realize that,” sprints and hurdles coach Angela Whyte said. “I think it will be a good set up … for the WAC Championships.”