Bulldogs Start Indoor Season With UW Preview
1/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. — Although still in the developmental stages, one of the most valuable additions to Gonzaga's track program has been an indoor season. This relatively brief stretch of competitions is not only beneficial, bridging the gap between the cross country and outdoor seasons, but a necessity to excel at the highest level.
"It's been a really good thing for our program," said Pat Tyson, director of GU's track program. "All high-powered Division I programs have indoor track."
The Bulldogs start their indoor season Saturday at the University of Washington's Indoor Preview. The meet, which starts at 8 a.m., is the first of five such competitions for the Zags before they begin the outdoor portion of their schedule in mid-March.
"We want to use indoor as a gauge for where we're at in our progression to peak for outdoor," said Tyson, who also serves as the head coach of the men's team. "You don't want to peak in January and February; you want to build a nice base."
Gonzaga added an indoor schedule to its program just three years ago. In addition to Saturday's meet at UW, the Bulldogs will participate in two other indoor competitions in Seattle this season. They will also travel to the University of Idaho twice for meets.
"We're using it to develop, to build, especially with the middle distance kids," said Patty Ley, head coach of the women's track team. "It gives them a chance to get their wheels turning. We're using it as a checkpoint more than anything else."
The UW Indoor Preview takes place at Dempsey Indoor, an 80,000-square-foot facility with a reputation as one of the fastest indoor tracks in the country. Subsequently, the meet attracts some of the country's top teams and athletes, including a number of professionals.
Of the 28 runners on the men's roster, all but five Zags will compete in events Saturday. Joe LaMontagne, a converted sprinter, is Gonzaga's lone entrant in the 800 meters, while four Bulldogs, including Ian Goldizen, will participate in the mile.
Gonzaga's featured event on the men's side, though, is the 3,000 meters. Eighteen Zags will run this race, including Robert Walgren, who Tyson said is anxious to return to the track after redshirting last year. Tyson is also expecting good efforts from Willie Milam and Colin O'Neil, both standouts on GU's cross country squad this past fall.
The GU men will miss the services of at least notable name: Conor McCandless. The school-record holder in the 5,000 meters is battling severe plantar fasciitis and will likely miss the entire indoor season. Tyson hopes McCandless will be healthy for the start of the outdoor season, but says that the sophomore may have to redshirt if the injury does not heal in time.
"He's been dealing with it for about 10 months now," Tyson said. "It is just unforgiving."
The Gonzaga women are also dealing with a rash of nagging injuries. As a result, Ley is taking only 14 runners — what she calls a skeleton crew — to Seattle. Ley said this will allow some younger runners to get opportunities they might not otherwise.
Three freshmen will compete in the 600 meters, as will redshirt junior Jordan McCann, the school-record holder in the 800. McCann will also be one of two Zags running the mile.
The 3,000 meters will feature 12 Bulldogs, including Amelia Evans, Zoë Urcadez and Alison Fraher. All three, according to Ley, have looked strong during the team's initial training sessions since returning from semester break.
The Gonzaga women will also enter a team in the 4x800 meter relay. The field will include West Coast Conference foe Portland as well as Pac-12 schools Stanford and Washington.
Additionally, Lindsey Drake, a 2013 graduate of Gonzaga, will compete in the mile for Bowerman Athletic Club, a running club based in Portland, Ore. Drake is GU's indoor-record holder in the mile and 3,000 meters.
"There will be schools from all over the country," Ley said. "It will be good to compete and see what other people are doing. It will be beneficial for our athletes just to watch professionals warm up and see what they go through and how they prep."
In addition to their five indoor meets, the Bulldogs can qualify for the 2014 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. That competition will take place March 14-15 in Albuquerque, N.M.
