Huskies prepare for dual against WSU

So far, every Husky athletic team has had its chance to battle the Cougars this year, and now the Washington track and field team will have its chance too. Today and tomorrow, cross-state rivals will meet for the 92nd annual UW vs. WSU Dual held at Husky Stadium.

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UW vs. WSU Dual

All-time records

Men: 57-33-1, WSU over UW since 1900

Women: 19-12, UW over WSU since 1979

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As it is with all Husky vs. Cougar match-ups, the track and field dual has a long history. It is one of the oldest track and field rivalries in the nation, with the teams having met 91 times since 1900 and annually since 1946.

On the men's side, it is the Cougars that hold the all-time advantage of 57-33-1, but the Huskies can still hold their heads high as they have won the previous two meets.

The Husky women will be ready to reclaim their title, as the Cougars have won nine of the last 10 in the series. Overall, though, Washington holds the all-time record, 19-12, due to women's track not being considered a varsity sport until 1979.

For the Husky seniors, this meet will mark an end to their four-year battle with the Cougars, making the meet all the more important.

"This is the best meet of the season," senior hammer thrower Martin Bingisser said. "There are a small number of athletes, but the intensity is still there."

Bingisser's scorn for the Cougars is even greater than most. He is a native of Bellevue, so the rivalry with WSU has been etched into his brain since birth.

"My freshman year we lost, and (coach Greg) Metcalf was really harping on us that we could have beaten them," Bingisser said.

That was in 2003 when the Cougars outscored the Huskies 116-81 on the men's side and 113-91 on the women's side. In 2004 it was the women that were victorious over the Cougars for the first time since 1996, while the men lost again by a 22-point deficit.

However, it was in 2005 that Bingisser and his teammates finally got to see a win against their rivals. The Huskies crushed the Cougars 110.5-92.5 and continued that streak into last year, when they beat WSU 112-91.

"It's a big rivalry for our team and has a lot of bragging rights riding on it," Bingisser said.

After traveling to the Mooberry Track Complex in Pullman last year to compete, the Huskies will have home-field advantage in their favor this year. This meet will mark the first of the back-to-back meets Washington will compete at in their own stadium.

"We don't get many home meets," Bingisser said. "It's nice to compete in front of family and friends and show them a good meet."

The senior is the No. 7 returning hammer thrower in the nation and third returnee in the Pac-10. With the enormous depth on the men's team this year and standouts Ryan Brown in the 800 meters, Scott Roth in the pole vault and Norris Frederick in the long and high jumps, the Washington men are more prepared then ever to defend their title over the Cougars.

"If we gain good momentum in the first events it will build our confidence and get us going for the rest of the day," Bingisser said. "Once people realize we can win, it motivates them to step up their performance."

The Washington women's team will have their work cut out for them this weekend as WSU standout twins Diana and Julie Pickler and top thrower Mackenzie Garberg will be traveling to Seattle to compete. However, the Husky women are ready to put their best foot forward as well [HTML_REMOVED] with senior All-American Ashley Lodree leading the way in the sprints and hurdles and juniors Amy Lia and Amanda Miller taking the spotlight in the mid-distance and distance events.

Reach reporter Rebecca Rogers at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.