Even though practice has begun, the season for the track and field team doesn̢۪t officially start competing until the spring semester.

The only event that took place this semester was the Turkey Trials, which was held Nov. 15 at the Save Mart Center.

Turkey Trails is an all-track meet that the team competes in for fun, track and field Director Bob Fraley said.

Coaches can see how far the athletes have come after two and a half months of practicing.

“It evaluates the progress they have made or haven’t made,â€Â he said.

When the season starts in January, the team will travel to Reno, NV. for the Pole Vault Summit.

In February, the team will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo. for the U.S. Air Force Invitational.

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championships will take place Boise, Idaho also in February.

The team practices 20 hours a week, usually Monday through Saturday.

With nearly 80 hours of practice a month, Fraley has many hopes for this year̢۪s team.

Fraley who is in his 27th season, said he hopes to “have 20 men and women qualify for the regional championship and out of that, maybe four or five of them make the NCAA Championship. Then, have one male and one female All-American. That’s the goal.â€Â

Three years ago, the men came in second in the WAC, and in 2002 the women won the championship.

“This year’s team brings good jumpers, throwers and distance runners,â€Â Fraley said. “The men’s team is well rounded this year.â€Â

This year̢۪s main athletes to watch include, Erik Fossen, Sarah Savage, Andrew Pancotti and Gary Lee, Fraley said

Pancotti said one of the struggles this year will be to come together as a team.

“We have the talent and once we come together, we will win the WAC for sure,â€Â he said.

The season will bring 16 to18 meets for the women, and 12 to 14 meets for the men.

How well they do determines how many meets they compete in, Fraley said.

The women̢۪s season starts Jan. 21 against Cal Poly and Hawaii at the Save Mart Center.

The men begin their season in March against UC Davis.

According to Fraley, the team to beat this season is Cal Poly, which will add to the rivalry between Fresno State and Cal Poly, which goes back many years.

While Stanford is another school Fraley is looking forward to playing, the players can̢۪t wait to face Boise State.

Freshman jumper Fossen said he looks forward to beating Boise State.

Fossen competes in high jump, long jump and triple jump.

Pole vaulter Pancotti agrees that Boise State is the school to beat this season.

Pancotti̢۪s greatest experience was winning the WAC Championship last season in the pole vault competition.

He said it brings higher expectations for him this season.

While his highest jump was 16 feet, 3 inches, Pancotti is looking to Fraley̢۪s coaching skills to improve his jump.

Pancotti said that Fraley is one of the greatest coaches in pole vaulting and has coached people to a 18 to 19-foot jump.

“The more time [Fraley] has with us, the better chance he has [of] making us better