Aggie Track and Field continues its dynasty Add Comment    May 29, 2010

Utah State men's Track and Field garnished together its third WAC outdoor track championship having been in the league a total of six years.  This is the first time USU has won both the outdoor and indoor championship in the same year, and it's first back-to-back championship since joining the WAC. What has been suspected for a few years is now becoming cemented in the legacy of Utah State Athletics - USU Track and Field is a WAC track and field dynasty.

Even before joining the WAC in 2005, USU was no track and field pincushion.  The Aggies won 7 track and field titles during their Big West years, a feat that no other school had accomplished in the limited time that USU was in the league.

To top it off, USU's coach, Greg Gensel, was given Coach of the Year honors. It is his fourth WAC honor and the 25th time Gensel has been honored over the course of his entire career.  

Everybody stepped up and contributed, Gensel said. I couldnt have asked them to do more. It was a true team effort as everyone had solid outings. The depth of having people at every event won the track meet for us.

Not only does USU have the best athletes on the track, the best coach in the field, and enormous depth, the coaches and athletes recognize that in order to continue in dominating fashion, humility and work ethic must maintain their spots as the focal point of the track program. As long as Gensel is at the helm, this team will stay at the top.  He has figured out how to elevate the game of these athletes just as legendary coach Stew Morrill elevated the game of Aggie Men's basketball shortly after joining the WAC.

Indeed, it must be said that other than the Men's ball team, USU's most successful athletic endeavor has been the track and field squad. USU basketball and outdoor track and field have the same amount of WAC championships (3). Indoor track and field has garnered two titles as well.

Notable from the final day of the competition, the day that saw USU make up 15 points to overtake Boise State and win the meet, was a 1-2 finish in the 100m dash from JUNIORS Mike Pyrtle and Armahd Lewis. They're juniors, folks. Also, Nick Karren, junior Armahd Lewis, freshman Matt Maughan and junior Mike Pyrtle ran a school-record time of 40.05 in the 4x100 relay, beating the school-record that they set in California earlier this year. As icing on the cake, Joe Canavan sealed out a season sweep of the shot put in the WAC, winning the event by hurling a metal ball 60 feet. Why a sweep? Canavan won the indoor title earlier this year as well.

While the women didn't do so well in the outdoor championship - they finished fourth - the Lady Ags did win the indoor title this year, and have a number of fine athletes returning next season to avenge themselves of their WAC foes.

Of the 100m dash performance he saw at the tournament, Gensel had this to say:

"If you had told me that we were going to go 1-2 in the 100 meter dash at the WAC Championships, I would have thought you were crazy, Gensel said. "Mike and Armahd ran a fantastic race.

I, for one, am certain that the craziness this Aggie team has brought to the track will continue for years to come.

Hats off to the Aggies - WAC Track and Field Champs 2010! 

Article written by

Landon Hemsley