Gensel Named WAC Indoor Men's Track & Field Coach of the Year

March 2, 2008

For the second year in a row, Utah State University men's track and field head coach Gregg Gensel has been named Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Men's Coach of the Year, announced late Saturday night [March 1] at the conclusion of the WAC Indoor Championships at Boise, Idaho.

 

Gensel led the Aggie men to the team title, as Utah State ended with 179 points topping host-Boise State's 154 points, avenging the Aggies' two-point loss to the Broncos for last year's indoor team title.

This is the 22nd conference coach of the year award for Gensel, who is in his 20th season at the helm of the men's track and field program, as well as his 15th season leading the USU women's track and field program. Overall, Gensel has a 26-year tenure at Utah State, which included coaching the Aggie men's and women's cross country programs as well.

 

Saturday's WAC championship is the 22nd conference title that Gensel has led USU to, and is the sixth WAC crown, including the 2007 men's outdoor track and field, three-straight men's cross country crowns (2005-07) and the 2006 women's cross country title. Overall, Gensel has led USU to 24 conference championships.

 

Gensel's list of individual conference champions is now up to 149 after nine Aggies won WAC titles this past weekend, including junior John Strang's WAC and school-record 5,506 points in the heptathlon and junior Nick Karren winning both the 60 meter hurdles and 400 meter dash titles to earn Men's Track Athlete of the Year honors.

 

Under Gensel's direction, Utah State will head to Seattle, Wash., Saturday, March 8, for the Last Chance Meet, hosted by the University of Washington, the final opportunity for athletes to qualify for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., March 14-15 hosted by the University of Arkansas.