Bengals Gear Up for Season, Home Opener

Snake River Open Schedule

POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State men's and women's track and field team commence the 2016 indoor season inside Holt Arena with the Snake River Open on January 15-16. Here is a preview of your men's and women's teams.

Men's Overview

"On the men's side we have a fairly balanced team," said Head Coach Dave Nielsen. "We have people in pretty much every event that have a chance to score at the conference level so I feel pretty good about that."

Among the balanced field, the jumping events should be a strong suit with Big Sky Conference Champions senior Deante Gaines (triple jump) and senior Steven Wacker (pole vault) returning to the 2016 squad. Senior Preston Perkins also returns for the pole vault after finishing second in both the indoor and outdoor Big Sky Championships last season.

In the sprints fans should watch Robert Counts in the 400 and 200 meter events. Nielsen is also counting on some newcomers to make a difference.

"We have a new guy Bret Davide who is tough as nails and we think he's going to do some pretty good stuff," Nielsen said.   

Idaho State welcomes back junior Justin Franz and his senior teammates Dallin Pearson and Zachary Havlovick, all athletes Nielsen believes can score in the throwing events. Franz is coming off a sixth place finish at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in which he threw a personal best 16.33m in the shotput.

Multiple cross country athletes will be featured in the distance events including senior Jacob Campbell, junior Ty James, sophomore Wyatt Didericksen, and freshman Vaclav Vlcek.

"Ty James looks really good, he had a great cross country season and he's looking great," said Nielsen. "Diderickson was second in conference on our team in cross country and Vlcek has showed some great potential."

The men will look to improve upon their fifth place finish at the Big Sky Indoor Championships in 2015.

Women's Overview

The women's track and field squad is less balanced and will rely on certain events to carry them through the season. The largest group for the women is the distance area, which will feature two middle distance and 10 distance runners. The distance field for the Bengals is a mixed bag with veterans like senior Katie Nicholls, newcomer Taylor Hewett, and sophomore Presli Hutchison. Nicholls won the Big Sky Indoor Conference Championship 800m event last year while Hutchison placed in the top ten of the 3000m and 5000m events.

"In the longer distances we have Presli Hutchison who did a fantastic job as a freshman last year and we expect her to do really well," Nielsen said.

Idaho State has high hopes for seniors Becca Harris and Kaitlin Sorensen-Keller in the triple jump and will lean on the pole vault to be another focal point on the women's side.

"Always a strong event for us is the pole vault," Nielsen said. "We have Samantha Simmons who has been all-conference or at least a conference scorer throughout her career. She's returning and going to be looking for a title."

Also joining the pole vaulting ranks is freshman Emily Header, a champion in the Simplot Games, who Nielsen believes will become one of the best jumpers in the conference if healthy. Nielsen also hopes to score points in the hurdle events with senior Shelby Erdahl and junior Tori Lanza leading the way.

A solid group of athletes will be featured in the combined events. After missing last year due to injury senior MaKenzie Gunter will rejoin teammate junior Bailey Woodbury in search of bolstering the women's track and field side. The women are coming off a 10th place finish at last year's Big Sky Indoor Conference Championships.