UVSC track teams look to bright future

OREM — The Utah Valley State track and field team has its sights set on better days ahead.

That isn't to say that this outdoor season was a bust — in fact, far from it. In head coach Scott Houle's second season, the Wolverine women placed third out of eight teams at the Division I Independent Championships, while Utah Valley's men finished fourth in a six-team field.

This year's respectable showings aside, two numbers portend an even stronger showing in 2007: six and zero. That's how many athletes Houle will be losing from his men's and women's teams, respectively.

Division I Independent men's high jump champ Clifton Palmer? Check, due back for his senior year. Ditto that for Joe Bendoski and Mariama Salifu, who each won an event at the Independent Championships and finished top-three in a second event.

Add into the mix a batch of incoming freshmen who will contribute in events that have heretofore been Wolverine weaknesses, and you can't blame Houle for being downright optimistic about UVSC's prospects for next season.

"We have good recruits coming in who will give us points in areas we haven't had," Houle said. "They are pretty darn good athletes. No longer can kids come in here and automatically have a spot. They are going to have to work to gain the opportunity to compete for a top spot."

UVSC men

When healthy, Bendoski (Provo High) anchored the men's side by consistently scoring points in the distance events. After winning the 1,500-meter race at the Independent Championships, he had enough gas left in the tank to also place second at 5,000 meters.

Chris Fogt paced the sprinting corps with strong times in both the 100- and 200-meter sprints. Palmer leapt 6 feet, 8 3/4 inches to claim the Independent Championships high jump crown.

Michael Vick was seemingly hot on Bendoski's heels all season, and at the Pomona Pitzer Invitational Vick turned in perhaps the most stunning performance from a Wolverine all season by running the 10,000 meters in 31:30.56 to set school, track and meet records.

Mark Lott and Tim Rowberry (Orem High) also ran strong in the distance events. Of the quintet, only Vick graduates, although Rowberry will probably take two years off to serve an LDS mission.

UVSC women