Good Morning, Vandal Nation: Sept. 17, 2009

Good morning, Vandal Nation! Welcome to the more-or-less daily news roundup.

On tap today, we’ll have a commentary on what the Vandals need from Saturday’s home opener against the Aztecs and a Vandal Spotlight interview with senior point guard Charlotte Otero of the women’s hoops squad. Maybe another thing or two, too.

Remember, we’ll be liveblogging from the Kibbie Dome beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Join us!

Football

• The Idaho Press-Tribune’s Jake Alger reports on the Vandals’ home football opener and projects an Idaho victory.

• The Daily Aztec, SDSU’s student paper, previews the Vandals/Aztecs matchup.

• The Reno Gazette-Journal’s Dan Hinxman profiles Colorado State quarterback Grant Stucker — who the Vandals will face in the Kibbie Dome on Oct. 3.

• Las Cruces Sun-News sports editor Teddy Feinberg says the NMSU Aggies have to pass, pass, pass to win this week vs. UTEP. (h/t to BleedCrimson)

• The Bulldog Bounce has an in-depth preview of tomorrow’s huge WAC conference battle between the Boise State Broncos and the Fresno State Bulldogs.

• The Everett Herald’s Scott Johnson opines that even in defeat, the Vandals exposed real flaws in the Washington Huskies’ defense.

• ESPN.com’s Graham Watson profiles Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews.

• The UH Football Blog has a roundup previewing the Hawaii/UNLV battle.

Basketball

• The Idaho Press-Tribune’s Jake Alger talks to Renado Parker, a blue-chip JC recruit out of North Idaho College who verbally committed to the Vandals this week.

• CollegeHoopsNet ranks the New Mexico State Aggies #75 in the nation, #3 in the WAC.

• Over at The Mid-Majority, Kyle Whelliston fights the Footbally Menace.

Soccer

• GoVandals.com has an official preview of this weekend’s key games at home vs. Eastern Washington and at Gonzaga.

Cross country

• GoVandals.com has an official preview of the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle.

Idaho releases 2009-10 Vandals women’s hoops schedule

2009-10 Idaho Vandals Women’s Basketball Schedule

Sun., Nov. 1 — Northwest Christian, Memorial Gym, 2 p.m. (ex.)

Fri., Nov. 6 — Eastern Oregon, Memorial Gym, 6 p.m. (ex.)

Mon., Nov. 16 — Gonzaga, Memorial Gym, 7 p.m.

Thu., Nov. 19 — @ Eastern Washington, Cheney, Wash., TBA

Sun., Nov. 22 — Montana State, Memorial Gym, 2 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 27 — @ Baylor, Waco, Texas, 5 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 28 — vs. Lamar, Waco, Texas, 12:30 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 29 — vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, Waco, Texas, 10:30 a.m.

Tue., Dec. 1 — Colorado State, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.

Thu., Dec. 3 — Wyoming, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 6 — St. Mary’s, Cowan Spectrum, 2 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 11 — Portland, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 13 — @ Montana, Missoula, Mont., 1 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 20 — @ Long Beach State, Long Beach, Calif., 2 p.m.

Mon., Dec. 28 — UC Santa Barbara, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 9 — Fresno State, Cowan Spectrum, 3 p.m.*

Wed., Jan. 13— @ Hawai’i, Honolulu, 4 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 16 — Boise State, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.*

Wed., Jan. 20 — @ New Mexico State, Las Cruces, N.M., 6 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 23 — @ San Jose State, San Jose, Calif., TBA*

Wed., Jan. 27 — Utah State, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 30 — @ Louisiana Tech, Ruston, La., TBA*

Wed., Feb. 3 — Nevada, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.*

Wed., Feb. 10 @ Fresno State, Fresno, Calif., TBA*

Sat., Feb. 13 — Hawai’i, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.*

Wed., Feb. 17 — @ Boise State, Boise, Idaho, TBA*

Sat., Feb. 20 — New Mexico State, Cowan Spectrum, TBA*

Wed., Feb. 24 — @ Utah State, Logan, Utah, 6 p.m.*

Wed., March 3  — Louisiana Tech, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.*

Sat., March 6 — at Nevada, Reno, Nev., TBA*

March 10-13 — Western Athletic Conference Tournament, Reno, Nev.

Home games in bold, WAC games marked*. All times Pacific.

Idaho releases 2009-10 Vandals men’s hoops schedule

2009-10 Idaho Vandals Men’s Basketball Schedule

Fri., Nov. 6 — St. Martin’s, Memorial Gym, 8:05 pm (ex.)

Fri., Nov. 13 — @ Utah, Salt Lake City, 6 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 15 — @ Texas Southern, Houston, Texas, 4 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 21 — @ North Dakota State, Fargo, N.D., 2 p.m.

Tue., Nov. 24 — Sacramento State, Memorial Gym, 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 28 — Eastern Washington, Memorial Gym, 7:05 p.m.

Thu., Dec. 3 — @ Cal State-Northridge, Northridge, Calif., 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 6 — Portland, Cowan Spectrum, 5:05 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 9 — @ Washington State, Pullman, Wash., 7 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 12 — Eastern Oregon, Memorial Gym, 5:05 p.m.

Tue., Dec. 22 — @ Portland, Portland, Ore., 7 p.m.

Wed., Dec 30 — Lewis-Clark State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m. (ex.)

Sat., Jan. 2 — @ Hawai’i, Honolulu, 9:05 p.m.*

Mon., Jan. 4 — @ San Jose State, San Jose, Calif., 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 9 — Louisiana Tech, Cowan Spectrum, 5:05 p.m.*

Mon., Jan. 11 — New Mexico State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 16 — @ Nevada, Reno, Nev., 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 23 — Utah State, Cowan Spectrum, 5:05 p.m.*

Mon., Jan. 25 — Boise State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.*

Thu., Jan. 28 — Fresno State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., Jan. 30 — @ Seattle, Key Arena, Seattle, 7:10 p.m.

Thu., Feb. 4 — @ Utah State, Logan, Utah, 6 p.m.*

Sat., Feb. 6 — @ Boise State, Boise, Idaho, 6:05 p.m.*

Thu., Feb. 11 Nevada, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., Feb. 13 @ Fresno State, Fresno, Calif., 7 p.m.*

Thu., Feb. 18 — Seattle, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 20 — ESPNU BracketBusters, Cowan Spectrum, TBA

Thu., Feb. 25 — @ New Mexico State, Las Cruces, N.M., 6 p.m.*

Sat., Feb. 27 — @ Louisiana Tech Ruston, La., 6 p.m.*

Thu., March 4  — San Jose State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.*

Sat., March 6 — Hawai’i, Cowan Spectrum, 5:05 p.m.*

March 9-13 — Western Athletic Conference Tournament, Reno, Nev.

Home games in bold, WAC games marked*. All times Pacific.

Read on for our thoughts and analysis.

Live from the Vandal Indoor

The Vandal Indoor meet is underway in the Kibbie Dome, and already we have our first Vandal winner. Paul Dittmer broke a school record en route to victory in the men’s 60-meter hurdles in a time of 7.93 seconds.

Even with all the fancy football jumbotrons, there are no track and field results displays in the Dome – so I’m reliant on hearing the often-unintelligible PA announcements for times and winners. I may miss some names and times because of this limitation – apologies in advance to those I omit. (Edit: They’ve finally started showing results on one of the jumbotrons.)

Krystal Deyo of Eastern Washington University wins the women’s 60-meter dash with a time of 7.69. Morgan Clem of Washington State University came in second at 7.80. Angela Jensen of WSU was third, with a 7.82.

Vandal Matthew Wauters grabbed a provisional NCAA qualifying mark en route to victory in the weight throw, heaving the 35-pound ball 65 feet, 10.25 inches. Idahoan George Matthews finished second and set a new world record for his age group (65-69), with a mark of 65 feet, 4.75 inches.

Marlon Murray, of WSU, grabbed the win in the men’s 60-meter dash with a time of 6.82 seconds. Andre Jennings, also a Cougar, was second in 6.99 seconds. Dominic Schmidt was the top Vandal, placing third with a time of 7.13 seconds.

The Vandals grab a 1-2 finish in the women’s mile! Allix-Lee Painter leads the charge under the five-minute mark with a 4:58.94 time, and Teegan Schoch completes the top-two sweep for Idaho in 5:09.66. Amber Nickelson of EWU completes the top three, stopping the clock at 5:17.04.

Idaho also scored a 1-2 in the men’s mile, with Steve Potratz and Kevin Merkling pacing the field with times of 4:18.21 and 4:18.24. They had a tough battle early on, but the pack broke down and the Vandal duo were able to pull away easily from third-place finisher Brookman Holmes of Portland State, who clocked in at 4:20.34.

K.C. Dahlgren captured the women’s pole vault for Idaho, continuing the string of strong Vandal showings tonight. She set the bar at 13 feet, 3.5 inches, the only woman to break the 13-foot barrier. WSU came home second and third, with Kendall Mays and Alexa Huestis tying at 12 feet, 9.5 inches.

On the men’s side of the pole vault, Vandals Lucas Pope and Jeremy Klas flew over the bar for second and third place, behind Ben Codgill of WSU’s leap of 15 feet, 9 inches.

In the women’s 200-meter dash, Kelly Jacka captured the win with a time of 25.48, followed by Shannon Long of Eastern Washington with a 26.14 and Nicola Nida of Spokane Community College with a 26.68.

Emmanuel Bofa of Whitworth College came home first in the men’s 800-meter, in 1:53.58. Vandals James Clark and Josh Dalton finished second and third with times of 1:54.38 and 1:55.31, respectively.

Former Vandal standout Russ Winger dominated the shot put with a toss of 64 feet, 11.25 inches, blowing out his nearest competitor by nearly 10 feet. Eugenio Mannucci was a distant second at 55 feet, 4.25 inches and James Rogan finished third for the Vandals at 53 feet, 1.75 inches.

Complete results can be found here.