USU Sending School Record Eight Athletes to NCAA Track Championships

May 31, 2006

 

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State University qualified a school record eight athletes for the NCAA Track and Field Championships, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif., June 7-10. USU sent seven athletes in 1998.

 

USU men competing in the national championship include DJ Smith (100), Vance Twitchell (steeplechase) and Justin Wickard (110 hurdles). Aggie women include Kristen Guymon (1,500), Lacey Hulbert (heptathlon), Amber Judd (400 hurdles), Stacie Lifferth (steeplechase) and Jennifer Twitchell (1,500).

 

All eight Aggie athletes are first-time qualifiers. Among the eight are five who return next year, as the only seniors are Guymon, Hulbert and Wickard.

 

"This is a year of firsts for us," said USU head coach Gregg Gensel. "This is the most we have sent to the NCAA, the most women we have qualified and the most automatic qualifiers with just one at-large selection (Lifferth). They are so excited."

 

Gensel said with eight athletes continuing their season, instead of the usual two to four athletes who have qualified in recent years, he has had to adjust a little bit.

 

"I actually had to schedule practices this week because we have so many athletes," he said. "Usually it was just ‘when do you want to meet?’ There are a lot of logistical problems, but problems we like to have."

 

Smith, a junior from Pleasonton, Calif., was third in the West Regional in the 100 with a clocking of 10.38, the second-fastest time in school history.

 

Vance Twitchell, a junior from Helena, Mont., ran a 9:02.19 time in the steeplechase to place fourth at the West Regional.

 

Wickard, a senior from Scottsbluff, Neb., was timed at 14.03 in the 110 hurdles in the regional and placed fifth. He has the second fastest time in school history with a 13.91 back in 2002. Earlier this year he competed in the U.S. Championships in the 60 hurdles and finished 19th while competing against professionals and four collegians.

 

Guymon placed second in the 1,500 at the West Regional in 4:24.08. The senior from Salt Lake City, Utah holds the school record in the event with a time of 4:23.80. Guymon missed last season after having a baby.

 

Hulbert qualified for the heptathlon during the regular season as the event is not contested at the regional level. The senior from Sandy, Utah, was the WAC runner-up in the event and holds the school record with 5,304 points.

 

Judd, a junior from Midvale, Utah, placed fourth in the 400 hurdles at the West Regional with a personal best time of 59.79. That mark ranks third in school history.

 

Lifferth is the only at-large selection for USU. The sophomore from Layton, Utah, finished sixth at the West Regional in the steeplechase, just one spot out of automatically qualifying. Lifferth is the school record holder in this event and ran a 10:37.41 at the regionals.

 

Jennifer Twitchell, the wife of Vance, who also qualified for the championships, posted the best finish of any Aggie at the regional meet, winning the 1,500 after entering the race ranked 15th in the region. The junior from Sandy, Utah, edged teammate Guymon by .76 with a school record time of 4:24.08.

 

The NCAA meet begins Wednesday, June 7, at Sacramento State. Here is a look at USU's athletes' schedules:

 

 

110 Hurdles - Justin Wickard (First Round, Semifinals)

Steeplechase - Vance Twtichell (Semifinals)

Steeplechase - Stacie Lifferth (Semifinals)

 

 

100 - DJ Smith (First Round, Semifinals)

400 Hurdles - Amber Judd (First Round)

1,500 - Kristen Guymon and Jennifer Twitchell (Semifinals)

 

 

Heptathlon (Day One) - Lacey Hulbert

 

 

Hepathlon (Day Two) - Hulbert