Both of Idaho’s NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship participants received all-American honors after strong performances in Nampa March 9 and 10. Sophomore Hannah Kiser finished No. 13 in the women’s 3,000-meter and senior Jeremy Klas finished No. 11 in the men’s pole vault to earn the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Second-Team All-America honors.
“That’s such an accomplishment, especially indoors because you are only taking 16 athletes in the whole country in an event,” Idaho coach Julie Taylor said. “Just getting (to nationals) is such an incredible feat in itself. Coming away with an all-American honor is such a great thing for these kids.”
Kiser ran a 3,000-meter time of 9:26.88 for her No. 13 finish, just six seconds out of the top 10. Georgetown’s Emily Infeld won the 3,000-meter race in 9:15.44. It was Kiser’s first time competing in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, but did compete in the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2011. Kiser is the first Idaho woman to qualify for nationals in cross-country and indoor track and field in the same season.
“I thought it was a really good performance,” Idaho Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Wayne Phipps said. “That was the loaded field for the women’s distance events this week — between the mile, 3k and 5k. It was arguably the best 3k field in history. It was the fastest field to ever make it into NCAAs and you basically had to hit the auto qualifier just to get in.”
On the men’s side, Klas cleared 17-4.5 feet in the pole vault to tie for No. 11 in the event. Had Klas cleared the next height, it would have tied his personal record. Andrew Irvin of Arkansas cleared 18-2.5 to win the event. Klas is the only Idaho non-thrower to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in three consecutive seasons. The senior earned his third all-America honor after receiving First-Team honors in 2010 as a sophomore and All-America Honorable Mention in 2011 as a junior.
“I’m very pleased with how (Klas) did,” Taylor said. “I know he was hoping to get that next height, which would have been right at his (personal record) — that would have moved him up considerably as far as his all-American honor but as far as how Jeremy has done … and how he has competed all year long, has been an amazing thing.”
The Vandals will rest and prepare for the outdoor season, which opens Saturday in Spokane with the Buc Scoring Invitational.
“It’s been a good break and people have had some time off to make sure that they are healthy,” Taylor said. “It will be a good opportunity to see where we’re at right now and gauge how the team is going to do outdoors.”