Sept. 23, 2008

Pocatello, ID -- With just under two months remaining before the start of the 2008-09 Indoor Track and Field season, the Idaho State track and field squad stepped things up this week, kicking off four weeks of event-specific training at Davis Field.

"We had two weeks of conditioning before this," said Dave Nielsen, beginning his 27th year as Idaho State's head track and field coach. "The next four-week block is like a non-traditional season. We're not competing against anybody, but we can do event work. We can practice the hurdles, pole vaulting, the high jump. It's a way to break up the monotony of the off-season."

The Bengals return four men's gold medallists from the 2008 indoor campaign, including heptathlon champion Brad Silvester and Zac Barrett, Eric Strand and John Ricardi, the last three of whom shared the distance medley relay gold with the graduated Saheed Khan. The outdoor season should be even more promising for the men's squad, as thrower Jed Sion and decathletes Levi Keller and Nathan Capps will all compete after sitting out the 2007-08 season.

"Outdoors, on paper, we have the bodies to make a difference," Nielsen said. "I don't know if we have the bodies to win the Big Sky Championship, but you never know. I think we can be pretty darn good."

Big Sky heptathlon champion Cassie Merkley has one of eligibility remaining as well. Nielsen said the team is exploring several different options for Merkley, who battled injuries at the end of the last season. If she does compete this season, though, Nielsen said it will be fun to watch.

"Cassie is someone who can be an All-American in the heptathlon and the javelin," Nielsen said. "That will be a lot of fun to watch, but we want to make sure she uses her last season as a Bengal at full strength."

Sydney Wendt, who finished third in the heptathlon and second in the high jump at the Big Sky Championships, and Kasie Shippen-Scott, the Big Sky pole vault champion, also return for another season.

The Bengals' first indoor meet is the Tie-Dye Meet on Dec. 12 and 13 at Holt Arena.