Bobcat Trio Leads Team Awards List
6/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Montana State's trio of All-Americas earned more hardware on Friday, as Bobcat coach Dale Kennedy announced MSU's 2006 outdoor track and field awards.
Senior All-America heptathlete Erin Jones-Graf (Harlowton, Mont.) headlines the list, earning Women's Top Gun, Co-Outstanding Field Athlete, and Co-Outstanding Track Athlete honors. She set MSU's heptathlon record three times during the outdoor season, earning All-America honors and winning the Big Sky Championship in that event. Her 13.88 in the 100 hurdles was third-best in school history.
Jones-Graf, who narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships previously, also earned Most Improved honors on the women's squad. She improved her heptathlon mark from 5,191 to 5,434, and her 100 hurdles mark from 14.15 to 13.88. She earns the Top Gun Award this year for scoring 92.25 points.
Sophomore pole vaulter Ellie Rudy, also an All-America during the outdoor season, shares the Outstanding Field Event Athlete with Jones-Graf. The Woodland Park, Colo., product won her second Big Sky outdoor title, setting the league's all-time record at 13-7.75, and tied for sixth at the NCAA Championships.
Carrie Gottschalk, a soph. from San Marino, Calif., shares Outstanding Track honors with Jones-Graf. She finished fourth in the 10,000 and second in the 5,000 at the Big Sky meet this spring. Autumn Domitrovich (Anaconda, Mont.) earned Outstanding Freshman honors. She finished fifth in the Top Gun race with 48 points, finishing with best marks of 12.46 in the 100, 25.03 in the 200, and 57.63 in the 400, the eighth-best mark in school history.
Senior Josh Henigman (Bridger, Mont.) leads the list of men's track and field award winners. Henigman set MSU's hammer throw record at 211-3 this spring, finishing second in the Big Sky and NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and eighth at the NCAA Championships. He also earned All-Big Sky honors in the discus, finishing third. He joins Ken Christison (javelin, 1963) and Olympian Lance Deal (discus, 1984) as MSU's throwing All-Americas, and is only the second Big Sky hammer thrower to earn All-America status. His NCAA meet toss is the best ever by a Big Sky thrower in that competition.
Juniors Steve Heberly (Havre, Mont.) and Dan Johnson (Livingston, Mont.) landed Co-Outstanding Track Performer honors. Heberly set school records in the 100 (10.62) and 200 (21.31) this spring, while Johnson set the 400 school mark (47.14), and competed at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. Heberly landed Top Gun honors for scoring 75.5 during the outdoor season.
Thrower Jesse Allen (junior, Lewistown, Mont.) earned Most Improved honors. Allen improved in 25-feet in the hammer throw, finishing with a best mark of 196-1, winning the Big Sky crown in that event. He also finished fourth in the shot put.
Dustin Degen (Missoula, Mont.) earned Outstanding Freshman honors for his mark of 195-7 in the javelin. He won the Cat-Griz Dual, and finished fourth at the Oregon Invitational. He finished fifth on the Bobcat squad in points scored.
Kennedy also indicated that three Bobcats earned All-Midwest Region honors. Hammer thrower Nathan Palmer joined Henigman and Rudy on that list.
MONTANA STATE OUTDOOR TRACK AWARD WINNERS
Men's Top Gun: Steve Heberly (jr., Havre)
Men's Outstanding Track Event Performer: Steve Heberly (jr., Havre) and Dan Johnson (jr., Livingston)
Men's Outstanding Field Event Performer: Josh Henigman (sr., Bridger)
Men's Most Improved: Jesse Allen (jr., Lewistown)
Outstanding Freshman: Dustin Degen (fr., Missoula)
Women's Top Gun: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton)
Women's Outstanding Track Event Performer: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton) and Carrie Gottschalk (so., San Marino, Calif.)
Women's Outstanding Field Event Performer: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton) and Ellie Rudy (so., Woodland Park, Colo.)
Women's Most Improved: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton)
Women's Outstanding Freshman: Autumn Domitrovich (fr., Anaconda)
Senior All-America heptathlete Erin Jones-Graf (Harlowton, Mont.) headlines the list, earning Women's Top Gun, Co-Outstanding Field Athlete, and Co-Outstanding Track Athlete honors. She set MSU's heptathlon record three times during the outdoor season, earning All-America honors and winning the Big Sky Championship in that event. Her 13.88 in the 100 hurdles was third-best in school history.
Jones-Graf, who narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Championships previously, also earned Most Improved honors on the women's squad. She improved her heptathlon mark from 5,191 to 5,434, and her 100 hurdles mark from 14.15 to 13.88. She earns the Top Gun Award this year for scoring 92.25 points.
Sophomore pole vaulter Ellie Rudy, also an All-America during the outdoor season, shares the Outstanding Field Event Athlete with Jones-Graf. The Woodland Park, Colo., product won her second Big Sky outdoor title, setting the league's all-time record at 13-7.75, and tied for sixth at the NCAA Championships.
Carrie Gottschalk, a soph. from San Marino, Calif., shares Outstanding Track honors with Jones-Graf. She finished fourth in the 10,000 and second in the 5,000 at the Big Sky meet this spring. Autumn Domitrovich (Anaconda, Mont.) earned Outstanding Freshman honors. She finished fifth in the Top Gun race with 48 points, finishing with best marks of 12.46 in the 100, 25.03 in the 200, and 57.63 in the 400, the eighth-best mark in school history.
Senior Josh Henigman (Bridger, Mont.) leads the list of men's track and field award winners. Henigman set MSU's hammer throw record at 211-3 this spring, finishing second in the Big Sky and NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and eighth at the NCAA Championships. He also earned All-Big Sky honors in the discus, finishing third. He joins Ken Christison (javelin, 1963) and Olympian Lance Deal (discus, 1984) as MSU's throwing All-Americas, and is only the second Big Sky hammer thrower to earn All-America status. His NCAA meet toss is the best ever by a Big Sky thrower in that competition.
Juniors Steve Heberly (Havre, Mont.) and Dan Johnson (Livingston, Mont.) landed Co-Outstanding Track Performer honors. Heberly set school records in the 100 (10.62) and 200 (21.31) this spring, while Johnson set the 400 school mark (47.14), and competed at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. Heberly landed Top Gun honors for scoring 75.5 during the outdoor season.
Thrower Jesse Allen (junior, Lewistown, Mont.) earned Most Improved honors. Allen improved in 25-feet in the hammer throw, finishing with a best mark of 196-1, winning the Big Sky crown in that event. He also finished fourth in the shot put.
Dustin Degen (Missoula, Mont.) earned Outstanding Freshman honors for his mark of 195-7 in the javelin. He won the Cat-Griz Dual, and finished fourth at the Oregon Invitational. He finished fifth on the Bobcat squad in points scored.
Kennedy also indicated that three Bobcats earned All-Midwest Region honors. Hammer thrower Nathan Palmer joined Henigman and Rudy on that list.
MONTANA STATE OUTDOOR TRACK AWARD WINNERS
Men's Top Gun: Steve Heberly (jr., Havre)
Men's Outstanding Track Event Performer: Steve Heberly (jr., Havre) and Dan Johnson (jr., Livingston)
Men's Outstanding Field Event Performer: Josh Henigman (sr., Bridger)
Men's Most Improved: Jesse Allen (jr., Lewistown)
Outstanding Freshman: Dustin Degen (fr., Missoula)
Women's Top Gun: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton)
Women's Outstanding Track Event Performer: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton) and Carrie Gottschalk (so., San Marino, Calif.)
Women's Outstanding Field Event Performer: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton) and Ellie Rudy (so., Woodland Park, Colo.)
Women's Most Improved: Erin Jones-Graf (sr., Harlowton)
Women's Outstanding Freshman: Autumn Domitrovich (fr., Anaconda)
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