May 28, 2008

2008 NCAA West Regional Track and Field Schedule

Pocatello, ID--The Idaho State track and field team has been practicing all week in preparation for the NCAA West Regional competition held at the Matador Track and Field Complex from May 30-31st at Cal State Northridge in Northridge, Calif. Idaho State will be sending eight athletes, six women and two men, to compete.

The Bengal women will send three seniors Lois Ricardi, Mandi Janowitz and Erin Bell along with three juniors Cassie Merkley, Kasie Scott and Gemma Maini. The men will be sending a young group to Regionals with freshman Sergio Jones and sophomore Sam Pierson.

The Idaho State women's team holds the 96th NCAA Division I Ranking for Outdoor in week #8 of the 2008 season, down six spots from the previous week. The Bengals earned a team total of 10.20 points. The Idaho State men's team holds the 126th NCAA Division I Ranking for Outdoor in week #8, down five spots. The men earned a team total of 3.28 points.

Merkley holds the 12th best heptathlon performance in the nation which awards Idaho State 9.75 points. She also holds the 60th best performance in the javelin throw. Ricardi earned 0.42 points with her 38th place performance. Finally, Maini earned 0.03 points for Idaho State with her 4:26.36 run in the 1,500-meters a 52nd best performance in the nation, up 26 spots from last week. Pierson holds the 20th best performance in the nation with his height of 17-02.75 to award Idaho State their total of 3.28 points.

Competition at the NCAA West Regional begins Friday with the women's hammer throw trials and finals at 10 a.m. The running events begin at 2:10pm with the 4x100-meter relay women's preliminaries. All field events on Friday will be finals events while the running events contain only two finals in the men's and women's 5,000-meter runs. Saturday's events begin with the men's hammer throw trials and finals at 10 a.m. while the running event begins at 3:00 p.m. with the 4x100-meter relay women's final. All of Saturday's events will be final events.

To follow the events with live results go to the Cal State Northridge Athletics site at gomatadors.com and click on track and field or click here.