While most collegiate teams would not consider the drive from Moscow to Seattle a long distance to travel, it’s the longest road trip of the season for the Idaho track and field team. The Vandals make the approximately 300-mile trip to the Husky Classic on Friday and Saturday, after having every meet this season in either Moscow or Pullman.
According to Director of Track and Field Wayne Phipps, the reason that the team has stayed in close vicinity is because UI and WSU are the only two full indoor facilities that can support a full collegiate competition.
Phipps said it is difficult for some athletes to make the transition onto WSU’s smaller 200-meter indoor track compared to Idaho’s full-length track.
This weekend will be a departure from the proximity, as the team heads to the University of Washington. According to Phipps, this is the only other school in the Pacific Northwest region, besides Eastern Washington in Cheney, Wash., that has an acceptable facility.
The streak of improvements and multiple wins each meet may continue this weekend in Seattle, despite the trip. Historically, Idaho has done well at the Husky Classic winning three events last year. The highlights from last year’s meet include senior Hannah Kiser breaking her own WAC record in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 9 minutes 4.74 seconds.
Idaho also had senior Kyle Rothwell hit a career-best throw of 62 feet, 10 inches in the weight throw. The final win came in the 4×400 relay where senior Andrew Bloom, junior Ben Ayesu-Attah and sophomores Ian Middleton and Blake Gerling won with a time of 3:15.54.
The Husky Classic will start at 4 p.m Friday with the women’s weight throw.
Curtis Ginnetti can be reached at [email protected]