Bobcats Head to Big Sky Meet
5/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
THIS WEEK’S ACTION
Montana State reaches the pinnacle of its track and field season this weekend, as the Bobcats travel to Ogden, UT, for the 2004 Big Sky Conference Championships. MSU brings a full contingent of 25 men, and 19 women, to the Big Sky meet. Two former Big Sky champions will compete for the Bobcats at this weekend’s championship meet.
Bobcat Notebook
Big Sky Championships
All eight Big Sky Conference schools will compete at this weekend’s Big Sky Conference Championships, hosted by the favorite to win both the men’s and women’s competitions, Weber State. The Wildcats won both the men’s and women’s titles at this year’s Big Sky Indoor crowns.
Championship Chatter
Weber State is favored to win the men’s and women’s championships at the Big Sky meet this weekend. NAU’s men’s title last spring snapped a string of five straight by Weber State. The women’s title won by the Bobcats snapped a run of two straight championships by Weber State’s women... When last the Big Sky held its track championship meet in Ogden, 1998, narrowly won the women’s title, and won the men’s championship in a walk. The meet was productive for MSU’s men, which a comfortable second, although the women were fifth.
Personnel Palaver
The Bobcatas enter the Big Sky meet in fairly good health. Casey Jermyn, the defending 10,000m champion, won’t compete. His season is most likely ended by extreme fatigue, the source of which has not yet been identified. Hurdler Julie Ho’s season is over as well, but the other nagging injuries that have plagued the Bobcats throughout the season have been cleared up, and only Ho and Jermyn are expected to miss the meet.
Defending Champs
With Casey Jermyn, the league’s defending 10,000m champion, not competing, the Bobcats enter this weekend’s meet with Blake Jackson the only Bobcat defending an outdoor league title. Jackson won last year’s shot and discus titles, and is two-time defending shot put title-holder. Five Bobcat women won championships last year, but none return. Pole vaulter Michelle Hodge was 2002 pole vault championship.
INDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
J8-9 MSU Combined Ev. NTS/NTS
J24 Boise State Inv. NTS/NTS
J30 MSU Invitational NTS/NTS
F6-7 Mountain States NTS/NTS
F13 Montana 70-76/73-73
Idaho State 72-74/82-64
Weber State 62-82/68-78
F27-28 Big Sky Meet 3rd/2nd
M5-6 Intermountain NTS
M12-13 NCAA Meet
DALE KENNEDY QUOTES
“We always look at the Big Sky meet as the most imortant meet of our season. This year we’re not expected to be in the battle to win a team championship, but this is still a team effort in trying to finish as high as we can while hoping that each individual is able to perform at the highest possible level. The coaches picked our women’s team third and our men’s team fourth before teh season, and I think those are realistic objectives. On the men’s side, we had 28 athletes qualify either automatically or by landing inside the top 14 (in their event). It’s disappointing when you can’t take everyone that qualifies, but that’s usually a good indicator that a team is going to compete well. We just couldn’t get to 25 on the women’s side. We’re feeling the effects of some injuries and some decisions we made to redshirt some individuals. We stand to score 83 points on the men’s side and 101 on the women’s, which are both totals that should have us in the middle of the pack. We’ll certainly lean heavily on our throwers, those kids have really starred for us this year. We have a few kids that will battle for Big Sky Championships, and along with being a champion that lands you in the NCAA Regionals.”
OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
M26-27 Stanford Inv. NTS/NTS
M26-27 Montana Open NTS/NTS
A3 -vs ISU 90.5-101.5/91-107
-vs EWU 99.5-90.5/100-93
-at UM 88-106/109-93
A8-10 Weber St Inv NTS/NTS
A16-18 Mt. SAC Relays NTS/NTS
A17 MSU Invitational NTS/NTS
A21-24 Robison Inv at BYU NTS/NTS
A23-24 Oregon Invitational NTS/NTS
M1 Cat-Griz Dual 94-105/105-98
M7 UM Last Chance NTS
M12-15 Big Sky Meet
M28-29 NCAA Midwest Reg.
J9-11 NCAA Championships
BOBCAT COACHING STAFF
DALE KENNEDY, head track/cross country coach
Dale Kennedy is in his 25th year as MSU’s women’s coach, his third as coach of the combined program... was Big Sky Coach of the Year for the 2001 indoor and ‘03 outdoor seasons... has led MSU to two women’s cross country titles this decade, and has led the Lady Cats to three conference track titles and a pair of runnerup finishes... has produced five All-Americas and 17 NCAA qualifiers.
MIKE CARIGNAN, throws
In his 22nd year at MSU... has coached 45 athletes to all-Big Sky honors... MSU’s throwers led the Big Sky in points in 2002 and ‘03... MSU became the first Big Sky school in history to hold the top five spots in one event during the 2004 Big Sky Indoor women’s shot put competition.
TOM EITEL, jumps/multis
In his 10th year at MSU... vaulted for MSU from ‘79-82... won the ‘82 Big Sky pole vault championship... coached Big Sky champs Brian Schweyen and Lacy Hinzpeter.
LACY HINZPETER, sprints
Joins the MSU staff this spring... won six Big Sky titles... set league record for points scored in indoor championship competition.
Heavy Artillery
MSU athletes stand 1-4-5-6-8-9 in the women’s hammer throw standings this week. “That’s really an amazing thing, the level of excellence our throwers have reached” said MSU coach Dale Kennedy. “I think the performance of our throwers in the indoor meet, particularly in the weight throw, really sent a message. I know that (throws coach) Mike Carignan and (javelin coach) Jorah Roylance and their crew is hoping to move even boynd that performance at some point.” Montana State’s women held the first five spots in the Big Sky weight throw competition during the league indoor meet in Bozeman in March, the first time that has ever happened in the Big Sky Conference. MSU throwers are ranked 1-2-3-10-13 in the shot put entering this weekend’s competition. MSU holds down spots 1-2-5 in the women’s javelin.
Heavy Artillery, Redux
Montana State’s men throwers don’t come at opponents in waves that match the women’s team in quantity, but the quality is certainly there. Blake Jackson leads the Big Sky in the shot put and is third in the discus and fourth in the hammer. Tanner Rauk ranks fourth in the shot put and 13th in the discus, while Brad Sherer is seventh in the hammer.
The Allen & Jackson Show
Lost in MSU’s dominance in the throwing events is the fact that the curtain is closing on one of the remarkable episodes in Bobcat track and field history, the epoch MSU coach Dale Kennedy refers to as “The Allen and Jackson Show.” “Blake and Jen have really been part of the foundation of this program for so long, I can’t really think of what it would be like here without them,” Kennedy said. “They have both been captains most of their careers, they have won championships, they have led us in scoring, their names are all over the record books. But what’s amazing about them is their relationship with each other. When they work out together, they are very much competing with each other, and sometimes people will just stop what they’re doing in the Fieldhouse or out at the track and watch them go at it. It’s really something.” Allen holds every MSU throwing record except the javelin, and has won two championships. Jackson has five Big Sky titles, and owns the second-best mark in school history in the shot put.
Fast on Fast
MSU enters this year’s Big Sky meet with perhaps the most talented group of men sprinters in school history. The best comparison is ‘97, when Sam Perry finished second and Freddy Krepps fourth in the 100m, while Josh Sears and Perry finished 3-4 in the 200. Steve Heberly is ranked eighth in this year’s 100 and 200m, while Ty Norris is third and Michael Novotny seventh in the 400.
Rivalry Revisited
Montana has topped the Bobcat women in the Big Sky meet only once in the past 13 years (2002 in Missoula). The two teams tied in Missoula in 1994. Montana’s women haven’t finished ahead of the Bobcat women at a league championship meet outside of Missoula since 1989. MSU has been similarly dominant on the men’s side, finishing ahead of the Grizzlies in 14 of the past 16 Big Sky men’s track meets.
Regional Qualifiers
MEN: Leif Arthun (jav), Kevin Clary (SC), Blake Jackson (SP/HT), Tanner Rauk (SP), Josh Ricardi (SC). WOMEN: Jen Allen (SP/HT/Disc), Kim Berg (jav), Amanda Emslie (jav), Hannah Furlong (SP), Lindsey Gill (Jav), Karen Helvey (HT), Ashley Jones (HT).
BY SCHOOL: Men -- WSU 9 qualifiers in 10 events, MSU 5/6, Sac 5/5, NAU 4/5, UM 4/4, EWU 2/2, ISU 2/2, PSU 1/1; Women -- NAU 8/11, MSU 7/9, WSU 6/6, Sac 2/2, UM 2/2, PSU 2/2, ISU 1/1, EWU 1/1.
Results
Results of this weekend’s meet will be posted as they become available on www.msubobcats.com. Live stats will be available at www.weber.edu, and follow the link to athletics.
Big Sky Championships -- Schedule of Events
Wednesday, May 12
Noon Decathlon: 100m, LJ, SP, HJ, 400m
12:20 pm Heptathlon: 100h, HJ, SP, 200m
Thursday, May 13
9:00 am Men’s Heptathlon: 55, long jump, shot put, high jump
9:30 am Women’s Pentathlon: 55 hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, 800
Friday, May 14
12 noon Women’s Hammer-FINAL
2:00 pm Women’s Long Jump-FINAL
Men’s High Jump-FINAL
Men’s Javelin-FINAL
3:00 pm Men’s Pole Vault-FINAL
3:30 pm Men’s Steeplechase-FINAL
3:45 pm Women’s Steeplechase-FINAL
4:10 pm Men’s 110 hurdles-Trial
4:25 pm Women’s 100 hurdles-Trial
4:40 pm Men’s 400-Trial
4:55 pm Women’s 400-Trial
Women’s Discus-FINAL
5:00 pm Men’s Long Jump-FINAL
5:10 pm Men’s 100-Trial
5:15 pm Men’s Shot Put-FINAL
5:20 pm Women’s 100-Trial
5:30 pm Men’s 800-Trial
5:45 pm Women’s 800-Trial
6:00 pm Men’s 400 hurdles-Trial
6:15 pm Women’s 400 hurdles-Trial
6:30 pm Men’s 200 meters-Trial
6:40 pm Women’s 200 meters-Trial
6:50 pm Men’s 10,000 meters-FINAL
7:30 pm Women’s 10,000-FINAL
Saturday, May 15
10:00 am Men’s Hammer-FINAL
11:00 am Women’s Javelin-FINAL
Women’s High Jump-FINAL
12 noon Women’s Triple Jump-FINAL
12:30 pm Men’s 4 x 100 Relay-FINAL
12:40 pm Women’s 4 x 100 Relay-FINAL
12:50 pm Men’s 1500-FINAL
1:00 pm Women’s 1500-FINAL
Women’s Pole Vault-FINAL
1:10 pm Men’s 110 hurdles-FINAL
1:20 pm Women’s 100 hurdles-FINAL
1:30 pm Men’s 400-FINAL
1:40 pm Women’s 400-FINAL
1:50 pm Men’s 100-FINAL
2:00 pm Women’s 100-FINAL
Men’s Discus-FINAL
2:10 pm Men’s 800-FINAL
2:15 pm Men’s Triple Jump-FINAL
2:20 pm Women’s 800-FINAL
2:30 pm Women’s Shot Put-FINAL
2:40 pm Men’s 400 hurdles-FINAL
2:50 pm Women’s 400 hurdles-FINAL
3:00 pm Men’s 200-FINAL
3:10 pm Women’s 200-FINAL
3:20 pm Men’s 5000-FINAL
3:40 pm Women’s 5000-FINAL
4:05 pm Men’s 4 x 400 Relay-FINAL
4:15 pm Women’s 4 x 400 Relay-FINAL
Montana State reaches the pinnacle of its track and field season this weekend, as the Bobcats travel to Ogden, UT, for the 2004 Big Sky Conference Championships. MSU brings a full contingent of 25 men, and 19 women, to the Big Sky meet. Two former Big Sky champions will compete for the Bobcats at this weekend’s championship meet.
Bobcat Notebook
Big Sky Championships
All eight Big Sky Conference schools will compete at this weekend’s Big Sky Conference Championships, hosted by the favorite to win both the men’s and women’s competitions, Weber State. The Wildcats won both the men’s and women’s titles at this year’s Big Sky Indoor crowns.
Championship Chatter
Weber State is favored to win the men’s and women’s championships at the Big Sky meet this weekend. NAU’s men’s title last spring snapped a string of five straight by Weber State. The women’s title won by the Bobcats snapped a run of two straight championships by Weber State’s women... When last the Big Sky held its track championship meet in Ogden, 1998, narrowly won the women’s title, and won the men’s championship in a walk. The meet was productive for MSU’s men, which a comfortable second, although the women were fifth.
Personnel Palaver
The Bobcatas enter the Big Sky meet in fairly good health. Casey Jermyn, the defending 10,000m champion, won’t compete. His season is most likely ended by extreme fatigue, the source of which has not yet been identified. Hurdler Julie Ho’s season is over as well, but the other nagging injuries that have plagued the Bobcats throughout the season have been cleared up, and only Ho and Jermyn are expected to miss the meet.
Defending Champs
With Casey Jermyn, the league’s defending 10,000m champion, not competing, the Bobcats enter this weekend’s meet with Blake Jackson the only Bobcat defending an outdoor league title. Jackson won last year’s shot and discus titles, and is two-time defending shot put title-holder. Five Bobcat women won championships last year, but none return. Pole vaulter Michelle Hodge was 2002 pole vault championship.
INDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
J8-9 MSU Combined Ev. NTS/NTS
J24 Boise State Inv. NTS/NTS
J30 MSU Invitational NTS/NTS
F6-7 Mountain States NTS/NTS
F13 Montana 70-76/73-73
Idaho State 72-74/82-64
Weber State 62-82/68-78
F27-28 Big Sky Meet 3rd/2nd
M5-6 Intermountain NTS
M12-13 NCAA Meet
DALE KENNEDY QUOTES
“We always look at the Big Sky meet as the most imortant meet of our season. This year we’re not expected to be in the battle to win a team championship, but this is still a team effort in trying to finish as high as we can while hoping that each individual is able to perform at the highest possible level. The coaches picked our women’s team third and our men’s team fourth before teh season, and I think those are realistic objectives. On the men’s side, we had 28 athletes qualify either automatically or by landing inside the top 14 (in their event). It’s disappointing when you can’t take everyone that qualifies, but that’s usually a good indicator that a team is going to compete well. We just couldn’t get to 25 on the women’s side. We’re feeling the effects of some injuries and some decisions we made to redshirt some individuals. We stand to score 83 points on the men’s side and 101 on the women’s, which are both totals that should have us in the middle of the pack. We’ll certainly lean heavily on our throwers, those kids have really starred for us this year. We have a few kids that will battle for Big Sky Championships, and along with being a champion that lands you in the NCAA Regionals.”
OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
M26-27 Stanford Inv. NTS/NTS
M26-27 Montana Open NTS/NTS
A3 -vs ISU 90.5-101.5/91-107
-vs EWU 99.5-90.5/100-93
-at UM 88-106/109-93
A8-10 Weber St Inv NTS/NTS
A16-18 Mt. SAC Relays NTS/NTS
A17 MSU Invitational NTS/NTS
A21-24 Robison Inv at BYU NTS/NTS
A23-24 Oregon Invitational NTS/NTS
M1 Cat-Griz Dual 94-105/105-98
M7 UM Last Chance NTS
M12-15 Big Sky Meet
M28-29 NCAA Midwest Reg.
J9-11 NCAA Championships
BOBCAT COACHING STAFF
DALE KENNEDY, head track/cross country coach
Dale Kennedy is in his 25th year as MSU’s women’s coach, his third as coach of the combined program... was Big Sky Coach of the Year for the 2001 indoor and ‘03 outdoor seasons... has led MSU to two women’s cross country titles this decade, and has led the Lady Cats to three conference track titles and a pair of runnerup finishes... has produced five All-Americas and 17 NCAA qualifiers.
MIKE CARIGNAN, throws
In his 22nd year at MSU... has coached 45 athletes to all-Big Sky honors... MSU’s throwers led the Big Sky in points in 2002 and ‘03... MSU became the first Big Sky school in history to hold the top five spots in one event during the 2004 Big Sky Indoor women’s shot put competition.
TOM EITEL, jumps/multis
In his 10th year at MSU... vaulted for MSU from ‘79-82... won the ‘82 Big Sky pole vault championship... coached Big Sky champs Brian Schweyen and Lacy Hinzpeter.
LACY HINZPETER, sprints
Joins the MSU staff this spring... won six Big Sky titles... set league record for points scored in indoor championship competition.
Heavy Artillery
MSU athletes stand 1-4-5-6-8-9 in the women’s hammer throw standings this week. “That’s really an amazing thing, the level of excellence our throwers have reached” said MSU coach Dale Kennedy. “I think the performance of our throwers in the indoor meet, particularly in the weight throw, really sent a message. I know that (throws coach) Mike Carignan and (javelin coach) Jorah Roylance and their crew is hoping to move even boynd that performance at some point.” Montana State’s women held the first five spots in the Big Sky weight throw competition during the league indoor meet in Bozeman in March, the first time that has ever happened in the Big Sky Conference. MSU throwers are ranked 1-2-3-10-13 in the shot put entering this weekend’s competition. MSU holds down spots 1-2-5 in the women’s javelin.
Heavy Artillery, Redux
Montana State’s men throwers don’t come at opponents in waves that match the women’s team in quantity, but the quality is certainly there. Blake Jackson leads the Big Sky in the shot put and is third in the discus and fourth in the hammer. Tanner Rauk ranks fourth in the shot put and 13th in the discus, while Brad Sherer is seventh in the hammer.
The Allen & Jackson Show
Lost in MSU’s dominance in the throwing events is the fact that the curtain is closing on one of the remarkable episodes in Bobcat track and field history, the epoch MSU coach Dale Kennedy refers to as “The Allen and Jackson Show.” “Blake and Jen have really been part of the foundation of this program for so long, I can’t really think of what it would be like here without them,” Kennedy said. “They have both been captains most of their careers, they have won championships, they have led us in scoring, their names are all over the record books. But what’s amazing about them is their relationship with each other. When they work out together, they are very much competing with each other, and sometimes people will just stop what they’re doing in the Fieldhouse or out at the track and watch them go at it. It’s really something.” Allen holds every MSU throwing record except the javelin, and has won two championships. Jackson has five Big Sky titles, and owns the second-best mark in school history in the shot put.
Fast on Fast
MSU enters this year’s Big Sky meet with perhaps the most talented group of men sprinters in school history. The best comparison is ‘97, when Sam Perry finished second and Freddy Krepps fourth in the 100m, while Josh Sears and Perry finished 3-4 in the 200. Steve Heberly is ranked eighth in this year’s 100 and 200m, while Ty Norris is third and Michael Novotny seventh in the 400.
Rivalry Revisited
Montana has topped the Bobcat women in the Big Sky meet only once in the past 13 years (2002 in Missoula). The two teams tied in Missoula in 1994. Montana’s women haven’t finished ahead of the Bobcat women at a league championship meet outside of Missoula since 1989. MSU has been similarly dominant on the men’s side, finishing ahead of the Grizzlies in 14 of the past 16 Big Sky men’s track meets.
Regional Qualifiers
MEN: Leif Arthun (jav), Kevin Clary (SC), Blake Jackson (SP/HT), Tanner Rauk (SP), Josh Ricardi (SC). WOMEN: Jen Allen (SP/HT/Disc), Kim Berg (jav), Amanda Emslie (jav), Hannah Furlong (SP), Lindsey Gill (Jav), Karen Helvey (HT), Ashley Jones (HT).
BY SCHOOL: Men -- WSU 9 qualifiers in 10 events, MSU 5/6, Sac 5/5, NAU 4/5, UM 4/4, EWU 2/2, ISU 2/2, PSU 1/1; Women -- NAU 8/11, MSU 7/9, WSU 6/6, Sac 2/2, UM 2/2, PSU 2/2, ISU 1/1, EWU 1/1.
Results
Results of this weekend’s meet will be posted as they become available on www.msubobcats.com. Live stats will be available at www.weber.edu, and follow the link to athletics.
Big Sky Championships -- Schedule of Events
Wednesday, May 12
Noon Decathlon: 100m, LJ, SP, HJ, 400m
12:20 pm Heptathlon: 100h, HJ, SP, 200m
Thursday, May 13
9:00 am Men’s Heptathlon: 55, long jump, shot put, high jump
9:30 am Women’s Pentathlon: 55 hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, 800
Friday, May 14
12 noon Women’s Hammer-FINAL
2:00 pm Women’s Long Jump-FINAL
Men’s High Jump-FINAL
Men’s Javelin-FINAL
3:00 pm Men’s Pole Vault-FINAL
3:30 pm Men’s Steeplechase-FINAL
3:45 pm Women’s Steeplechase-FINAL
4:10 pm Men’s 110 hurdles-Trial
4:25 pm Women’s 100 hurdles-Trial
4:40 pm Men’s 400-Trial
4:55 pm Women’s 400-Trial
Women’s Discus-FINAL
5:00 pm Men’s Long Jump-FINAL
5:10 pm Men’s 100-Trial
5:15 pm Men’s Shot Put-FINAL
5:20 pm Women’s 100-Trial
5:30 pm Men’s 800-Trial
5:45 pm Women’s 800-Trial
6:00 pm Men’s 400 hurdles-Trial
6:15 pm Women’s 400 hurdles-Trial
6:30 pm Men’s 200 meters-Trial
6:40 pm Women’s 200 meters-Trial
6:50 pm Men’s 10,000 meters-FINAL
7:30 pm Women’s 10,000-FINAL
Saturday, May 15
10:00 am Men’s Hammer-FINAL
11:00 am Women’s Javelin-FINAL
Women’s High Jump-FINAL
12 noon Women’s Triple Jump-FINAL
12:30 pm Men’s 4 x 100 Relay-FINAL
12:40 pm Women’s 4 x 100 Relay-FINAL
12:50 pm Men’s 1500-FINAL
1:00 pm Women’s 1500-FINAL
Women’s Pole Vault-FINAL
1:10 pm Men’s 110 hurdles-FINAL
1:20 pm Women’s 100 hurdles-FINAL
1:30 pm Men’s 400-FINAL
1:40 pm Women’s 400-FINAL
1:50 pm Men’s 100-FINAL
2:00 pm Women’s 100-FINAL
Men’s Discus-FINAL
2:10 pm Men’s 800-FINAL
2:15 pm Men’s Triple Jump-FINAL
2:20 pm Women’s 800-FINAL
2:30 pm Women’s Shot Put-FINAL
2:40 pm Men’s 400 hurdles-FINAL
2:50 pm Women’s 400 hurdles-FINAL
3:00 pm Men’s 200-FINAL
3:10 pm Women’s 200-FINAL
3:20 pm Men’s 5000-FINAL
3:40 pm Women’s 5000-FINAL
4:05 pm Men’s 4 x 400 Relay-FINAL
4:15 pm Women’s 4 x 400 Relay-FINAL
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
