yote notes - edition 13

COMING UP: at Oregon Relays (Eugene, Ore.), Friday; at Northwest Nazarene Open (Nampa), Saturday, All Day.

LAST WEEK: at John Knight Twilight (Monmouth, Ore.), at Eastern Oregon Open (La Grande, Ore.)

KLOPFENSTEIN BREAKS STEEPLE RECORD: Highlighting the Coyote contingent at the John Knight Twilight on Friday, Sora Klopfenstein (Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) hit the NAIA “A” standard with a fifth-place finish in the 3,000-steeplechase.  The sophomore broke the school-record with her time of 11:07.65, the third-fastest time in the NAIA this season.

BIG 1,500 RACES AT WESTERN: The Yotes hit two other NAIA “A” marks at Western Oregon – both in the 1,500-meters.  Dominic Bolin (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) had to fight with an uneven pace in his race, gutting out a fifth-place finish with a time of 3:53.95 – easily hitting the auto standard.  In the women’s race, Sarah Johnson (Shelton, Wash. / Shelton HS) hit the “A” standard with a sixth-place finish in a time of 4:38.41, qualifying for her first Outdoor National Championships.  Also in the women’s race, Kayloni Perry (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. / Lakeside HS) hit the “B” standard with her mark of 4:42.22.

TWO OTHER QUALFIERS: Two others hit national “B” marks – as Mike Hurd (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) placed second in his first-ever 400-hurdles race, smashing the school record with his time of 54.31, while Kenna Middleton (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. / Lakeside HS) recorded a personal-best in the 10,000-meters, placing third with a time of 38:03.02.

CCC MARKS AND RECORDS: It was a great weekend for the Yotes, as C of I runners hit 10 Cascade Conference qualifying marks at WOU, adding four more Saturday at Eastern Oregon.  Included in that group was freshman Jessica Aguilar (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), who set the school record in the shot put (37-0 1/2) in her collegiate debut.  Three other records were set – as Diamond Mitchell (San Diego, Calif. / Eastlake HS) broke the 100-meter record (12.43), Melinda Fuimaono (Chula Vista, Calif. / Southwestern CC) broke the javelin record (112-3), and Lexis Lange (Ephrata, Wash. / Ephrata HS) broke the pole vault mark (9-0 ¼).

BIG WEEK AHEAD: For the second-straight week, the Yotes will have a split squad – as six members of the team head to Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., for the Oregon Relays.  The event will give Greg Montgomery (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) a chance to record a fast time in the 5,000-meters, while Hillary Holt (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS) will make her season 1,500-meter debut – competing against some outstanding competition.  The remaining members of the team will compete locally at the NNU Open – a chance for sprinters and jumpers to record good marks in their final tune-up for the CCC Championships.  The big event in Nampa is the 4x800-relay, as the Yotes will have both a men’s and women’s team looking to hit the NAIA qualifying mark.

QUALIFIERS: NAIA “A” Standard – Nick Hampton (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) (800), Dominic Bolin (800, 1,500), Austin Basterrechea (Gooding, Idaho / Gooding HS) (decathlon), Mike Hurd (decathlon), Sora Klopfenstein (3,000-steeple), Sarah Johnson (1,500).  NAIA “B” Standard – Jason Hunt (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) (5,000), Andre Archer (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) (triple jump), Mike Hurd (400-hurdles), Kayloni Perry (1,500), Kenna Middleton (10,000). CCC Meet Standard – Mike Hurd (100, 200, 400, 110-hurdles, 400-hurdles, long jump, pole vault), Austin Basterrechea (200, 400, 110-hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin, pole vault), Dominic Bolin  (800, 1,500), Nick Hampton (800, 1,500), Jason Hunt (1,500, 5,000, 10,000), Derek Janssen (Pocatello, Idaho / Pocatello HS) (800, 1,500), Sean Saxton (Meridian, Idaho / Rocky Mountain HS) (800), Greg Montgomery (1,500), Andrew Hugill (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Coronado HS) (5,000, 10,000), Andre Archer  (triple jump), Simon Boycott  (Mbabane, Swaziland / United World College) (triple jump), John Fronk (McCall, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS)  (100, long jump), Diamond Mitchell (100, 200), Brittany Beame (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) (100, 200), Jasmine Sibert (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) (100, 100-hurdles, long jump, high jump), Hillary Holt (800), Elynn Smith (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) (800, 1,500), Sora Klopfenstein (1,500, 3,000-steeple, 5,000), Sarah Johnson (800, 1,500, 5,000), Kayloni Perry (800, 1,500), Kenna Middleton (5,000, 10,000), Kaitlyn Gerard (Kimberly, Idaho / Kimberly HS) (800, 1,500, 5,000), Andi Hayes (Fort Collins, Colo. / Poudre HS) (5,000, 10,000), Stevee Alletag (McCall, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS) (100-hurdles), Audrey Youren (Gooding, Idaho / Gooding HS) (long jump, triple jump, high jump), Lexis Lange (100, pole vault), Candace Crew (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) (high jump), Hailey Bull (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) (long jump, triple jump, high jump), Melinda Fuimaono (shot put, discus, javelin), Jessica Aguilar (shot put, discus, javelin).

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.