Vandal Jumps To 3rd Title In Row

College track

The University of Idaho’s Niels Kruller defended his men’s long jump title Friday with a near-record jump of 25-feet, 5 1/2-inches during the first day of the Big Sky Conference track and field championships at Boise State University.

Kruller, who has won the last three Big Sky long jumps, exceeded the NCAA provisional qualifying standard. His mark was a quarter-inch away from the meet-record 25-5 3/4 set by Idaho’s George Ogbeide in 1987.

Idaho’s Frank Bruder won the steeplechase in 8 minutes, 59.72 seconds. Bruder ran an NCAAqualifying 8:43.46 earlier this year that ranks seventh in the country.

During preliminaries, the Idaho men had the top three times in the 100 and top four in the 200.

Idaho’s Angie Mathison won the women’s 10,000 with a time of 36:41.63.

“I am just thrilled for (Mathison),” said Idaho coach Scott Lorek. “After the way she struggled this fall with a bronchial infection, to come back at the end of the year and earn a conference title is just outstanding.

“Now she has the 5,000 and the 3,000 (today) and we will see how much this race took out of her,” he said. “I know she is very happy to finally win a track title after being a runner-up three times in the past.”

Idaho’s Jill Wimer placed second in the shot put at 45-11 1/4.

Northern Arizona, with 42 points, leads the men’s competition by three points over defending champion Weber State. Host BSU is third with 31, followed by Eastern Washington with 29 and Idaho with 28.

Defending champion BSU leads the women’s competition with 40 points, nine more than Idaho State.

EWU’s Noah Chambreau won the hammer throw and placed second in the discus. The senior threw a school-record 193-7 in the hammer to beat the field by more than 10 feet. His 167-11 in the discus fell short of NAU’s Nick Petrucci (172-11).

“I finally got my form right,” said Chambreau, a senior from Chewelah. “I felt better than I ever have before. Confidence is a big part. I knew all year I had a big throw in me.”

EWU’s Joyce Rainwater, the defending champion in the women’s 100 and 200, had her 100 meet record of 10.84 tied by BSU’s Misha Looney. Rainwater, who set the mark last year, qualified for today’s 100 finals at 12.10.

If she wins the 100 and 200, Rainwater would have 10 individual Big Sky titles. No Big Sky competitor has won more than nine.

Today’s competition begins at noon.

NIC at NJCAA

Michelle Edmonds of Mead, in the discus and shot put, is one of six North Idaho College athletes to qualify for today’s finals at the National Junior College Athletic Association Championships in Odessa, Texas.