It has been a rough year for one aspect of Idaho track and field — the record books. Idaho athletes have broken into the Idaho all-time top-10 18 times this year.
“It’s amazing to continually have, week after week, people heading into the top 10,” Idaho Director of Track and Field Wayne Phipps said. “I think it’s a great sign for our program that we are continually progressing and continually competing at a high level and it keeps going week to week which is a neat thing to see.”
Idaho has broken into the record books nine times on the men’s side in 2012. Senior Stephane Colle jumped into the top 10 with his 14:05.03 time in the 5,000-meter at the Mt. SAC Relays. His time moved him to No. 2 all-time, right ahead of teammates Barry Britt, No. 3, and Markus Geiger, No. 7, who solidified their spots in 2011. Geiger, a senior, is also No. 8 in the 10,000-meter after running 30:40.67 in California earlier this season.
The Vandals also have a trio of pole vaulters in the top 10. Senior Andrew Blaser, sophomore Dylan Watts and freshman Matt Sullivan are tied for No. 5 at 16-0.75 this season. They each achieved the height at different meets. The trio is still behind teammate and all-American pole vaulter Jeremy Klas who is holding onto his 2010 vault of 17-2.75 to secure the No. 2 all-time spot at Idaho. Blaser is also No. 5 in the decathlon with 7,069 points.
Several throwers claimed top 10 spots for the 2012 Vandal men’s team. Sophomore Andrey Levkiv’s 57-7.75 shot put lands him at No. 9. The javelin throwers Mike Marshall and Ugis Svavs place at No. 4 and No. 6.
Several Vandal men stand on the brink of the top 10 including Blaser, 110-meter hurdles, senior Rendel Jones, triple jump, and sophomore Kyle Rothwell, hammer throw.
“Every weekend (Rothwell) seems to PR,” Phipps said. “Maybe it’s just my memory but it seems like every week for the past six weeks he’s (gotten a personal record) … (he’s) moved up into the top 25 in the region. I’ve been really impressed with his progress for sure.”
The women’s team has also broken into the top 10 all-time Idaho records nine times this season. Seniors Erica Digby, 4:22.18, and Anna Kalbrener, 4:30.11, broke into record books in the 1,500-meter. Digby is No. 3 and Kalbrener is No. 7. Teammate Hannah Kiser is between them at No. 5 with her 2011 time of 4:26.30. Kiser has battled illness much of this season.
Sophomore Holly Stanton moved up to No. 8 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with her time of 10:56.08. She still trails teammate and fellow sophomore Alycia Butterworth who is holding onto No. 6 with her 2011 time.
Johanna Hocketstaller has the most impressive record resume on the women’s side. The freshman from Germany already holds all-time top 10 spots in the shot put, No. 8 at 47-11.25, discus, No. 7 at 155-8, javelin, No. 8 at 139-9 and heptathlon, No. 6 at 4,991 points.
Junior Sarah Nutsch ranks No. 3 in the hammer toss with 187-9 and junior Ellen Rouse climbed to No. 6 in the javelin with 145-8 to round out the top 10 lists for the Idaho women. So far in 2012, the Vandals have had at least one athlete break into the all-time top 10 in each throwing event on the women’s side.
“We are just very fortunate to have a team that’s willing to really work hard every day in practice and make themselves better,” Idaho coach Julie Taylor said. “They are a talented group. It’s really exciting to see what they can do and how far they can go up on that list.”
Stephan Wiebe can be reached at [email protected]