Track & Field | 2/11/2010 2:23:35 PM

[Husky Classic schedule] [Husky Classic meet program] [UW Open entry list]

Gameday: [Live stats] [Live webcast]

What's happening:
The Western Oregon University track & field teams will be traveling to Seattle this weekend to compete in a pair of meets at the Dempsey Indoor. The Husky Classic will run from Friday, Feb. 12, thru Saturday, Feb. 13, and will feature nine WOU student-athletes. The one-day UW Open will then be held Sunday, Feb. 14th and a multitude of Wolves are scheduled to take part.

The Field:
The field at the Husky Classic will feature elite track and field athletes throughout the nation, and ranging from Division I to club. The standards for entry are also much stricter than some previous races. The UW Open will feature even more competitors but does not have as high of qualifying standards as the Husky Classic.

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.

Head Coach Mike Johnson:
On the meet: "This meet can best be characterized by who does not go. We will have around 20-25 (student-athletes) just training through the weekend to prepare for the GNAC Championships."

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."

Applebee has NCAA auto mark:
Annan Applebee is second in NCAA Division II in the 800m, with a time of 2:11.43. That mark also earned her the first NCAA automatic qualifying standard in the event this season. That time also solidified her atop the WOU record books and gave her the fourth-best mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history. The 2:11.43 topped her previous season-best mark of 2:12.08.

Women in the rankings:
In addition to Applebee, Janelle Everetts and Ashley Potter are also nationally ranked, as both earned provisional qualifying standards at the UW Invite. Potter is 19th in DII in the triple jump. She leaped a distance of 37-11.5 (11.57m) to earn a school record and the second-best mark in the GNAC this season. Everetts is 21st in the country with a time of 2:15.90 in the 800m. Everetts and Applebee now own the top two marks in the 800m in Wolves' history.

Long and relay team ranked:
The men's side, the 4x400m relay team owns the highest national ranking at No. 9. The team of Matt Kaino, Ashtin Mott, Josh Moore and Anthony Yakovich, set the GNAC and school record with an NCAA provisional time of 3:17.41. Jeff Long earned his provisional standard with a time of 4:11.49 in the mile, and ranks 19th nationally.

Pacing the GNAC:
Matt Kaino and Andy Loscutoff highlight men team in the sprint events. Kaino leads the GNAC in the 400m (49.30) and Andy Loscutoff leads the league in the 60m hurdles (8.47). In the field events, Matson Hardie is atop the conference in the triple jump (46-5.25, 14.15m) and Jason Slowey leads the shot put (49-7.75, 15.08m). Other Wolves leading the conference on the women's side include Sarah Kathrein in the 200m (26.09).

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.