Track & Field | 1/27/2010 4:43:59 PM

What's happening:
The Western Oregon University men's and women's track & field teams will send an elite and talented group of student-athletes to the UW Invite in Seattle, Jan. 29-30. The qualifying marks for this meet have been increased compared to the UW Indoor Preview, limiting the number of participants. Friday's competition will start at 3:40 p.m., and will feature the multi-events and some distance races. Saturday the meet will get underway at 9:00 a.m., with the women's 3000m and will last all day.

Applebee earns provisional standard:
Annan Applebee registered the top mark in the 800m in NCAA Division II this season, when she posted a time of 2:12.08 at the UW Indoor Preview. Applebee was originally listed as a 'Did Not Finish' (DNF) on the result sheet, but after quick protests by the Western Oregon coaching staff meet officials watched the tape and confirmed Applebee had completed the race. Her provisional qualifying standard was awarded shortly after. Applebee just missed the automatic qualifying time of 2:11.70. She continues to lead DII in the 800m by over two seconds, two weeks into the season.

The field:
The meet is open to all Division I student-athletes and teams, and all other teams and student-athletes are by request only, so it is heavily populated with DI participants. The women's field will feature representatives from over 20 institutions with many of them coming from the DI level. However, the Western Oregon women will be joined by fellow DII members Western Washington, Seattle Pacific and Central Washington.

The men's field will be represented by teams throughout the Northwest and Canada. There are over 17 universities scheduled to compete in the meet on the men's side including Great Northwest Athletic Conference affiliates Western Oregon, Western Washington, Central Washington and Seattle Pacific.

The facility:
The Dempsey Indoor is located on the campus of the University of Washington and features a 307 meter Mondo track. It has a six lane straightaway and five lanes on the curve. It also features a 160 ft. elevated wooden long jump runway (132 ft. TJ) with rubber overlay and a 150 ft. elevated wooden pole vault runway with rubber overlay, along with an 80 ft. right/left wooden high jump approach area with Mondo overlay: reinforced wooden throwing ring.

The Wolves:
Western Oregon will be sending six females and 14 male student-athletes to the UW Invite to compete in a variety of events. This will be just the second meet of the season for the Wolves.

The men:
The men will be represented very strongly in the short distance events. Gabe Aguilar and Bobby Alexander will both focus exclusively on the 60m dash. Josh Moore, Ashtin Mott and Anthony Yakovich will all be participating in the same three events; the 200m, the 400m, and the 4x400m. Matt Kaino and Shane O'Connell will be joining the group to complete on the 4x400m relay team, and in the 400m. Andy Loscutoff will be taking part in the 60m hurdles to close out the sprint races for the Wolves. Jeff Long and Connor Kasler will be representing Western Oregon in the mid-distance races, as both are scheduled in the mile. Cross country All-American Chris Reed will be on the track for his first race of the indoor season when he laces them up in the 5k. The men will also send Jason Slowey, Jake Hyde and Matson Hardie to the meet. Slowey will take part in the weight throw, while Hyde competes in the triple jump. Hardie is schedule to compete in all three jumping events (high, long, and triple).

The women:
The Western Oregon women's team placed five runners and a jumper in the meet. Annan Applebee and her provisional qualifying mark will be on display once again in the 800m. She will also be joined in the event by Janelle Everetts. Stefani Dittmar and Lacey Meusec will represent the Wolves in the 60m dash, while Meusec will also take part in the 200m along with Sarah Kathrein. Kathrein will also run in the 400m dash. Ashley Potter will participate in the triple jump and be the lone representative from the women's team in the field events.

Head Coach Mike Johnson:
On the meet participants: "This week we are taking the student-athletes which are best prepared for this level of competition."

On the other student-athletes: "We will have our other student-athletes training this weekend and not competing, because this serves them best as they prepare for the indoor championships."

On possibility of over-competing: "We have four meets in four weeks, so if we have people compete in all four, we will not be as prepared (for the GNAC meet) as if we trained to get to where we need to be."

On the training/preparation: "Many of the student-athletes did a better job over Christmas. I felt the hardest part was not having a facility to hone the skills, but it is outdoors and it is Oregon, so we will get it done."

The Indoor Season:
The Wolves will compete in four races in preparation for the GNAC Championships which will be held Feb. 20, at the Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho.