Yote notes - edition 4

COMING UP: at Boise State Team Challenge, Friday (3 p.m.)-Saturday (9 a.m.), Nampa, Idaho

LAST WEEK: at Bronco Classic (Nampa, Idaho), at Mountain State Games (Pocatello, Idaho)

HURD BREAKS RECORD IN C OF I DEBUT: Heading into last week, the Coyotes were not expected to compete – using the week to train for the upcoming Boise State Team Challenge.  However, a pair of runners needed some extra work – with it paying off for sophomore Mike Hurd (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS).  In his collegiate debut, Hurd advanced to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles, finishing five overall, with  his time of 8.51 shattering the school record in the event by eight-tenths of a second.  He also recorded the second-best long jump of the season by a Coyote, leaping 20-10 1/2 to place eighth.

JANSSEN RUNS WELL IN POCATELLO: Also running last weekend was sophomore Derek Janssen (Pocatello, Idaho / Pocatello HS), who headed home for Winter Break and competed at the Mountain State Games, hosted by Idaho State.  Janssen finished third in his heat of the 800-meters in a time of 2:02.30.

BIG WEEKEND FOR COYOTE TEAMS: A full contingent of C of I competitors will close out the regular-season this weekend at the Boise State Team Challenge in Nampa.  Headlining the weekend for the Coyotes will be the women’s Distance Medley Relay, looking to earn a qualifying mark to the NAIA Indoor National Championships.  The women’s DMR has advanced to Nationals each of the last four years, including an eighth-place finish in 2009.  Middle-distance runners will compete in both the 800-meters and the mile run, both Mike Hurd and Austin Basterrechea (Gooding, Idaho / Gooding HS) will compete in the heptathlon, while Jasmine Sibert (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) looks for an NAIA qualifying mark in the 60-hurdles.

NATIONAL TOP TIMES: All five C of I national qualifiers are currently ranked among the NAIA Top-20 in their respective events.  Leading the group is Hillary Holt (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS), who is No. 3 nationally in the 800, with Kayloni Perry (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. / Lakeside HS) No. 9 in the 800.  Austin Basterrechea is No. 8 in the heptathlon; Sora Klopfenstein (Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) is No. 16 in the 3,000, with Greg Montgomery (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) No. 17 in the mile run.

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS: NAIA “A” – Greg Montgomery (Mile), Austin Basterrechea (Heptathlon), Hillary Holt (800), Kayloni Perry (800), Sora Klopfenstein (3,000).  NAIA “B” – None.

ABOUT THE COACH: Pat McCurry enters his eighth year at the helm of the track & field and cross country programs at The C of I. In eight years (after the Coyote running programs were dormant for nearly 30 years), McCurry has built the Coyote men and women into perennial NAIA Top-25 programs - with the men’s cross country team earning six berths to the NAIA Championships, with the Lady Yotes advancing to four-straight NAIA meets, winning the 2008, 2009, and 2011 CCC titles, with his 2011 squad placing seventh at Nationals.  For his efforts, McCurry was named 2008, 2009, and 2011 CCC women's cross country Coach of the Year. Student-athletes have claimed 18 individual CCC titles on the track, 11 NAIA All-American awards in cross country and track & field, seven All-NAIA Region I awards in cross country, 38 All-CCC awards in cross country - along with 67 NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete awards.   Prior to his arrival at The C of I, McCurry was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Eastern Oregon University, helping EOU to a national runner-up finish at the 2002 NAIA Men’s Cross Country Championships and the 2003 CCC title in men’s track & field. As an athlete at EOU from 1997-1999, McCurry claimed two consecutive CCC titles at 5000-meters and finished eighth at the NAIA Championships at 10,000-meters. His best athletic years came after college while running for Nike Portland, and later the Eastside Track Club - where at the 2003 University of Oregon Preview Meet, the Coyote skipper took home the title in the 3000-meters and has a personal best of 8:13 at that distance. He also holds the Willamette Invitational meet record and Charles Bowles track record at 10,000-meters from his 2004 performance there. McCurry has also claimed the title at many Treasure Valley area races, including the infamous Race to Robie Creek in 2005, 2009. and 2010, along with the City of Trees marathon.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on The C of I track and field program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/trackandfield.