Track splits team for two meets away from Pullman this weekend

Cougars will separate team on road for third time this season

Sophomore+sprinter+Jordyn+Tucker+runs+Saturday+in+the+Cougar+Indoor+at+the+Indoor+Practice+Facility.

ABBY LINNENKOHL | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Sophomore sprinter Jordyn Tucker runs Saturday in the Cougar Indoor at the Indoor Practice Facility.

SAM HEIKELL, Evergreen reporter

After an impressive showing at the Cougar Indoor last week, WSU track and field will travel to Seattle and Albuquerque for the second time this season Friday and Saturday.

Just like they did earlier in the year, they are sending their distance runners, vertical jumpers and throwers to compete in the Husky Classic at UW’s Dempsey Indoor facility, while the sprinters and horizontal jumpers will travel to the Don Kirby Elite at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Wayne Phipps said the team is looking to build off the success they had at the two venues earlier this season.

“Two weeks ago, I thought we took some gigantic steps forward, added some outstanding personal bests, some national marks, so I’m very excited about the weekend,” Phipps said.

One of the highlights from the Cougar Indoor came from redshirt sophomore pole vaulter Molly Scharmann. She took first in the women’s pole vaulting competition with a personal record of 4.05 meters, a mark that was fourth-best in WSU history.

“Molly was fantastic,” Phipps said. “To go over 4 meters again and to be the fourth-best vaulter in WSU history is just absolutely fantastic.”

Junior Ja’Maun Charles has continued to impress as well. He won the men’s 60-meter dash at the Cougar Indoor with junior Ethan Gardner and senior Zach Smith right behind him.

Sophomore Jordyn Tucker took the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.69 seconds and junior Regyn Gaffney came in second with a time of 7.74.

“We worked them hard through the weekend, so to have the performances that we did is pretty outstanding,” Phipps said.

After a successful meet for the Cougars, they are trying to tone it down to rest up for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships later in the month.

“Now as we start to get closer to Mount Pacific and National Championships, we start to back off a little bit,” Phipps said. “We’re going to be a little fresher and hopefully we’ll get even better performances.”