IRVINE, Calif. - The Idaho men's track team finished the day third overall in the Big West falling to this years champion Utah State and runner-up Cal Poly, but still had some very strong individual performances.

"It was disappointing not to win a third consecutive championship, but I felt that we still competed well despite everything that happened this year," said co-head coach Wayne Phipps. "Without six of our key guys we just didn't have the depth necessary to win."

Senior Joachim Olsen won his fourth consecutive Big West shot put championships today, breaking his own meet record with a throw of 69 feet, 8 inches. Olsen set the standard on his first throw of the finals and no one else ever came close.

"Olsen was definitely the highlight of the meet. He broke the conference record in the shot and beat the third ranked discus thrower in the nation," said Phipps. "It will be impossible to replace Joachim, who has had the most successful collegiate career of any athlete in UI history."

Senior Simon Stewart finished the day in third with a season best throw of 63-0. Stewart was just a 1?Ľ short of second place finisher Jon O'Neil of Long Beach with a throw of 63-1?Ľ.

"Seniors Nikela Ndebele and Simon Stewart also had an outstanding meet. Nikela was undefeated in the meet and Simon threw a NCAA automatic qualifying mark as well as placing second in the discus and third in the hammer," said Phipps.

Senior Nikela Ndebele won three Big West Championships in the 100 and 200-meter dash and the 4x100 relay. Ndebele sprinted a 10.49 second 100-meter dash to place first in the event. Cal State Northridge's Rashaad Allen finished just behind Ndebele with a time of 10.53. Fellow Vandal Errol Aguilera also scored for Idaho in the event finishing with a time of 10.79 for sixth place.

In the 200-meter dash, it was Allen once again challenging Ndebele for the lead, but this time making it an even closer race. Ndebele kept a slight edge over the freshman from Northridge to finish in first with a time of 21.46, while Allen finished with a time of 21.48. Senior Sherwin James also scored for Idaho placing fourth with a time of 21.70.

In the 4x100 relay Idaho and Cal State Fullerton were able to go head-to-head for the second time this season. During the season the two teams traded the number one ranking in the Big West back and forth with Idaho ending up with the best time entering the meet. The only time the two teams met though, Fullerton walked away with the victory.

This time Ndebele blasted off the starting line to give Idaho a slight edge. Fullerton continued to gain on Idaho taking the lead on the third leg of the relay. When anchor Errol Aguilera received the hand-off he had to make up about 10 feet. As the teams entered the home stretch Aguliera had pulled alongside the Fullerton sprinter and dash across the finish line first with a time of 40.36, with Fullerton just behind at 40.44.

A trio of freshman showed the promise of what is to become the future of the Idaho women's team. Freshman Sprinters Tanya Pater and Vernee Samuel both scored valuable points for Idaho, as did freshman thrower Cathy Schmidt.

In the 100-meter dash, Pater sprinted to a time of 12.00 to finish in second. Samuel ran a time of 12.22 crossing the finish line one-hundredth of a second later than third-place finisher Georgia Wilkins of Cal State Northridge.

In the 200-meter, once again the two freshmen finished in the top five. Samuel claimed third with a time of 24.43, while Pater finished in fifth with a time of 24.71.

Entering the finals of the Javelin freshman Cathy Schmidt was in sixth. On her final throw of the event Schmidt hurled the javelin 146-5 to take home second place. Sophomore Sarah Fischer and senior Colleen Case also scored in the event finishing in sixth and seventh with throws of 137-9 and 134-3.

"I was really proud of all my freshman, particularly Pater, Samuel and Schmidt," said co-head coach Yogi Teevens. "Its exciting to see freshman compete in a meet of this magnitude and perform well."

The Idaho women finished the meet in fifth, but with a number of athletes returning from redshirting this year and a year of maturity for the freshman another Big West Championship might just be a year away.