ATHLETE QUOTES - May 13, 2006
 

Head Coach of Women's Overall Champion Team J.W. HARDY-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On capturing his third straight team title:  "It is definitely an accomplishment that we are proud of.  Coming into this thing a few years ago we realized that Weber State was doing a whole lot of winning so we just tried to build this program into one that will last.  Today was a pretty good day, the kids regrouped and did a good job in doing what they needed to do.  Yesterday we had a few mishaps and one of our hurdlers that we thought would score us some big points went down and one of our 200 meter runners not make the final and our long jumper that was leading the conference came in fourth.  We certainly had to overcome some adversity, but our ladies stepped up and did what they needed to do.  We are really excited about our win."
 

Head Coach of Men's Overall Champion Team CHICK HISLOP-WEBER STATE

On regaining the championship and earning the seventh team championship in nine years: "It feels really, really good.  People don't understand how young we are.  We only have three seniors on the team and Wiley is really important to us, but we won by more points than he scored so it's really a team effort that led to this win."

On if there were any surprises during Saturday's competition:  "Coming into today we were down fifteen points, but we had qualified well enough to where I thought we could gain those points back.  My prediction coming into the meet was that we would score 172 points and that’s exactly how many we scored."
 
 

Men's 4x400 meter member of the Champion EASTERN WASHINGTON-ALEX MOON

On winning the event: "It feels great to be with such an awesome team.  It takes all four strong legs to pull of a win, and we did it today."

On setting a new school record and track record: "It was one of our goals coming in to break the track record, but to set the school record is awesome."

Men's Discus Champion DAVID PAUL-EASTERN WASHINGTON

On winning the event at home:  "I didn't perform well in the hammer so it felt good to come back and do well in the discus.  Having the event at home was nice it feels better when you win, and worse when you do badly, but it was definitely an added bonus to win here at home."
 

Men's 5000 Meter Run Champion SETH PILKINGTON-WEBER STATE

On winning the event:  "I had the same plan going in as I had last night in the 10000 meter run.  I just tried to go out and make the pace honest.  I haven't decided whether or not I will run the 5000 at regionals.  If I don’t run the 5000 at regionals it will be because I choose to run the 10000 at nationals, but if I try to run the 5000 at nationals I will have to run at regionals to qualify.  I will decide which one I will run based on the field's in each one and which one I feel I will place best in."
 

Men's Triple Jump Champion RYAN GRINNELL-MONTANA

On winning the event: "It feels awesome. I can't believe it.  Yesterday I won the high jump and I woke up during the night a few times and had to ask myself if it really happened.  It hasn't settled in yet, but when I get home and have some time to think about it that’s when it will sink in.  Once again Jas Gill has helped me so much, I owe a lot to him and without him a lot of this wouldn't be possible.  He has helped me since day one and I am thankful for that."
 

Men's 400 Meter Hurdles Champion TREVOR ROLLINGER-PORTLAND STATE

On winning the event:  "I'm just happy to be here.  To have the chance to be here is awesome.  Football was my first sport and now to be here and have the opportunity to run with these guys is great.  I'm really glad I made it this far."

Men's 400 Meter Hurdles Runner Up ALEX MOON-EASTERN WASHINGTON

On preparing to run at regionals: "In two more weeks hopefully it's a different story.  I'm just ready to go run down there on that mondo track and high elevation.  I'll be in better shape and ready to go."
 

Women's Shot Put Champion DANA POSEY-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On winning the event:  "It's awesome.  Discuss went ok, but I was really hoping I would have done better in the hammer throw.  I'm very happy I was able to redeem myself today."

On the competition between Portland State's Women's team and Northern Arizona's Women's team:  "The competition is great.  I'm glad I was able to add another ten points for the team."

On Portland State possibly winning the overall women's title after winning the indoor track competition and cross country in the same year:  "We want the triple crown.  It's something that has never been done in the history of NAU athletics and knowing that I could be a part of that makes it even better."
 

Women's 800 Meter Run Champion ELIN WIIK-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On winning the event: "It feels great.  It was only forty minutes after the 400 meter final so I was tired, but it was great."

On the competition between Portland State's Women's team and Northern Arizona's Women's team: "I think we will win it, we have the confidence and team spirit to make it happen."
 

Women's 100 Meter Dash Champion UTICIA EDGECOMBE-PORTLAND STATE

On winning the event:  "It feels awesome.  I just wanted to go out and score some points for my team, which I did, which we all did."

On the competition between Portland State's women's team and Northern Arizona's women's team:  "The competition is still going strong, but its gonna end in our favor."
 

Women's 400 Meter Run Champion LONI PERKINS-MONTANA

On winning the event:  "It feels good.  I'm glad to get it done with to tell you the truth.  It's a pretty hard race."
 

Women's Triple Jump Champion MONIQUE YOUNG-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On winning the Triple Jump:  "It's a relief to have the first event out of the way.  Today was a good day."

On her expectations for regionals:  "I've been training through this meet.  I wasn't expecting anything big here because I'm trying to pop a big jump at regionals.  I'm ready to go."
 

Women's  4x100 Meter Relay Member of the Champion PORTLAND STATE- KERRY-ANN BLACKWOOD

On having another great day at the Big Sky Conference Championships:  "It feels amazing.  I know a lot of seniors that are on each different team and they just wanted to come out and do well.  Coming off of a disappointing indoor season I wanted better for my team."

On Portland State's women's team: "Our spirits are so high right now.  We're really trying to go for first right now.  Watch out because we're not letting up.  I know I'm not letting up.  I've still got one more race."
 

Men's 110 Meter Hurdles Champion and New Big Sky Conference All-Time Leading Scorer-WILEY KING-WEBER STATE

On his season thus far: "I've been working hard.  I hurt myself about seven weeks ago so I only had about half a season to train.  I knew I had it, but I was just hoping it would still be there.  It felt good to get the monkey off my back, now I can concentrate on getting the last points that I'm obligated to and focus on helping my team."

On becoming the New Big Sky Conference All-Time Leading Scorer:  "It's a huge honor.  There will always be people that are recognized from a year-to-year basis and a career basis as being at the top of the conference, but myself and all those who are recognized are just reflecting our teammates and the competition that our teammates bring everyday in practice that pushes us to do our best.  I'm just a symbol of everything my teammates do.  I mean does it take talent? Yea.  Does it take longevity? Sure.   But it's so much more of a team effort than anybody knows, because I can't simulate this competition without them.  It's just a huge honor to be a part of the lineage that the Big Sky has."
 

Women's 1500 Meter Run Champion KATJA ROSENPLAENTER-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On winning the event:  "It's very great.  With this win I also qualified for regionals so I'm very happy."
 

Women's Javelin Throw Champion STEPHANIE ULMER-EASTERN WASHINGTON

On her first throw:  "I seem to like those first throws.  I guess it's all the adrenaline, just ready to get it rolling."

On throwing in today's conditions as opposed to Friday's gusty winds:  "I was praying for nice weather.  I felt bad for our guys' javelin throwers, their javelin's were whipping around in that wind and their javelin's are heavier than ours.  I don't want to think about what Friday's wind would have done to ours.  I'm very thankful for today's weather."

On her season:  "I've had seasonal bests all year and this year all my throws were much better than in previous years.  I think I always throw my best at conference, although I didn’t this year since I threw better earlier in the season. I'm happy with my performance."

On focusing her attention this year on track alone instead of basketball and track:  "It was nice not being drained all the time this year.  I used to run from individual weight training in basketball straight to track practice afterwards.  It just takes a lot of work and takes a big toll on your body… especially when you get older, haha."
 
 

Men's Hammer Throw Champion JESSE ALLEN-MONTANA STATE

On winning the Men's Hammer Throw:  "I'm ecstatic.  I really didn’t see it coming.  I never thought this would happen, but I'm glad it did."

On Montana State sweeping the Men's Hammer Throw:  "The goal we set coming into the meet was for the three of us to take the top three spots.  We really believed we could do it.  We had hoped for some higher distances, but it was a really fast ring.  It wasn't quite what we expected, but we just came out winning in the end anyway."

On the better wind conditions today than Friday:  "It was really nice.  I think we throw a lot better in normal weather.  It's easier to relax and it helps keep your muscles warm so you can get better throws."
 
 
 
 

ATHLETE QUOTES - May 12, 2006

Women's 10,000 Meter Champion NICOLE GUELDEMEISTER-NORTHERN ARIZONA

On carrying on the NAU distance running tradition:  "I feel great.  We had a good indoor and outdoor season for our distance teams.  It's important that we score points for our school in order to continue our reign as Big Sky champions."
 

Men's Long Jump Champion RAPHAEL McFARLANE-SACRAMENTO STATE

On winning the Long Jump: "It feels great, it's something that I've been training for throughout the season.  I've been more focused on doing good in my sprinting events though."
 

Men's High Jump Champion RYAN GRINNELL-MONTANA

On winning the High Jump: "I'm happy to be the winner, but at the same time I feel bad for beating Jas (Gill)."

On his teammate Jas Gill:  "Jas has been my mentor.  Jas told me after the race that the torch has been lit and I'm just gonna keep that torch lit for the rest of my career at the University of Montana.  Jas has helped me in so many ways, he doesn't even know how much he has helped me.  Coming into college my P.R. was six feet nine inches and he has helped me improve so much.  Jas was the first guy I ever saw jump seven feet and that's one of the reasons I chose to go to the University of Montana.  I want to be like Jas Gill.
 

Men's Shot Put Champion DAVE NICHOLS-SACRAMENTO STATE

On winning the shot put:  "It feels real good to win.  Now I am just looking down the road to regionals and preparing for that.  I need to save my energy now for the discus tomorrow.  I was hoping to get the Big Sky All-time record, but it's good to have the meet and stadium records."

On how his season has gone thus far:  "My timing hasn't felt good all year and I really haven't felt good physically all year, but it just all came together today so I'm very happy."
 

Women's Long Jump Champion KERRY-ANN BLACKWOOD-PORTLAND STATE

On her winning jump:  "It was really helpful having my teammates go before me.  I saw Gayle (Imran-Sideris) go before me and she broke my school record and I just really wanted it back."

On breaking the Woodward Field stadium record:  "I had no idea I broke the stadium record!  That's just some added icing on the cake I guess."
 

Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase Champion SARIAH ST. LAURENT- WEBER STATE

On Weber State sweeping the race:  "We all knew what we needed to do during the race and we just came out and did it."

On the effect of the wind on the race:  "The backstretch was really windy and I swear I was going at a snails pace, but I think it was an honest race.  Of course I wish I could have ran faster, but I think we did really well as a team."
 

Men's Javelin Champion JORDAN SENN- PORTLAND STATE

On winning the Men's Javelin:  "It feels great to win. It was a pretty hard day to throw for everybody because of the wind.  I'm glad that everything turned out well and I was able to come out with the win."

On throwing the Javelin against harsh winds:  "I just tried throwing with the wind a little bit more, throwing from the right side of the field to the left seemed to help with my throws."
 

Women's Hammer Throw Champion ASHLEY JONES - MONTANA STATE

On winning the Women's Hammer Throw:  "It feels great to be the winner again this year considering I haven't been throwing that well and the season hasn't gone as well I would have liked. "

On the winning throw:  "It wasn't a very good throw for me, but I'll take it.  To be the winner again this year feels awesome."
 
 
 
 

ATHLETE QUOTES - May 11, 2006

Decathlon Champion NATHAN CAPPS- IDAHO STATE

On Winning the Men's Decathlon:  "It feels great to be the winner of the men's decathlon, I've been training all year for this. The second day went really well. I set personal records in four of the five events so that was really good for me."

On Idaho State Sweeping the Top Three Spots:  "We've been talking about the possibility of the sweep since the beginning of the year.  We have a strong decathlon group at Idaho State, and to have all three of us up there on the podium is great."
 

Heptathlete Champion ERIN JONES-GRAF- MONTANA STATE

On NCAA Championships Provisional Qualifying Mark: "I'm happy with the score. I was able to do so-so in all my events -- I didn't have to pull out anything huge and P.R. in anything. I just needed to be average in all my events to score in the mid-5,300 range, and that should get me in (the NCAA Championships). I had to keep reminding myself that the pressure wasn't on and I could relax. It makes me excited because none of my marks were amazing. It's just good to know that I can go out and get some stellar marks at nationals and hit upper 5,400 and become an All-American. At nationals I have nothing to lose and everything to gain -- I can just go out and compete."

On Competition on Final Day: "My biggest advantage is that I've been doing this for five years. Now, it's just experience and taking one event at a time. You go to the next event and you put the previous event behind you. That's easier said than done. If I'm scoring really well I have fun. Knowing I had experience coming into the second day gave me confidence. I've done this enough times and I know what I'm doing -- it's my fifth year."