Wolf track and field athletes won’t visit the red football field at Eastern Washington University next spring. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)
There’s a new final destination.
After decades of ending the season in Cheney at Eastern Washington University, the 1B/2B/1A state track and field championships are moving to Yakima.
The decision was approved by the executive board of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association at its meeting Sunday, Nov. 13 and announced publicly Wednesday.
The state meet will now be held at Eisenhower High School’s Zaepfel Stadium, which annually hosts one of the region’s biggest track rumbles, the Holder Relays.
The change was not unexpected, as EWU officials previously informed the WIAA that renovations to the school’s football facility would include removal and relocation of its track oval.
Zaepful Stadium has hosted the state meet before, welcoming Class A and B athletes in 1994 and 1995.
The Yakima facility also hosted the 3A meet in 1981 and the Class A championships between 1976-1979.
Zaepful Stadium, named in honor of Yakima’s John Zaepfel, a longtime coach and athletic director, was renovated to the tune of $4.2 million in 2015.
Coupeville Sports 