The University of Idaho was forced to change the name of its second annual outdoor track and field competition Friday following a conflict over the naming rights of the event.
The university changed the title of the event from the Mike Keller Invitational to the University of Idaho Invitational after the former Vandal track and field coach released a statement to the university.
“(The fact) I never gave anyone permission to use my name in this U of Idaho meet is bad enough, but to never give me an invite is beyond comprehension,” Keller said in an email released to the university on the eve of the event.
The former Idaho coach was named the Big Sky Coach of the Year in five separate seasons, and led the team to five Big Sky titles during the 1980s and 1990s.
Keller also led the Vandals to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation indoor title in  1997 during a competition against Western Athletic Conference, Big West Conference and Pac-10 opponents.
Keller was inducted into the Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
The University of Idaho held the first Mike Keller Invitational track and field event in 2015.
Despite the disagreement with the university over the use of his name, Keller said the event was scheduled during his favorite stretch of the season.
“The best part of this track meet is the position of it in the track schedule of meets,” Keller said. “(The) placement in the schedule allows the athletes to experience the type of weather that I spent 25 years of standing out in — usually snow, wind, rain, hail or a combination of all four weather patterns.”
The Vandals won 13 individual events during the competition Saturday against Gonzaga and Washington State.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom