Bobcats Head to Track Regionals
5/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Kim Berg leads Montana State -- literally -- into action Friday at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Berg is the first Bobcat competitor, and the three-time Big Sky women’s javelin champion participates in the meet’s first even at 12 noon Friday. MSU athletes compete this weekend against top-flight competition from conferences such as the Big 12 and Missouri Valley.
Bobcat Notebook
MIDWEST REGIONALS
Montana State competes against schools from top-flight track and field leagues such as the Big 12 and Missouri Valley in this weekend’s NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at Drake University’s Drake Stadium, a tradition-rich venue that hosts the Drake Relays each spring. The event begins with the women’s javelin at 12 noon MDT on Friday, continuing until about 7:30 pm, and begins with the men’s javelin at 12 noon Saturday running through about 6 pm.
Results
Drake University posts results live on www.drakebulldogs.com, and MSU results, notes and quotes will be posted each day at www.msubobcats.com.
Youth is Served
Montana State’s roster of regional qualifiers is quite a tip-of-the-hat to the program’s future. Of the school’s 13 qualifiers, only throwers Ashley Jones, Jesse Allen and Tanner Rauk compete as seniors. Of the remaining 10, half are juniors, three are sophomores, and two are freshmen.
Chuckin’ the Spear
Of Montana State’s 13 regional-bound athletes, five compete in the javelin competition. Four men (Dustin Degen, Taylor Hensen, Big Sky Champion Nick Lam, and Dan van Swearingen) and one woman (three-time Big Sky Champion Kim Berg) carry the spear into the competition for MSU. The Bobcats won both men’s and women’s Big Sky javelin competition at the league meet two weeks ago.
Hammer Time
Montana State also sends five hammer throwers to the NCAA Regionals this weekend, led by three-time Big Sky Champion Ashley Jones, a senior, and her sister Alli, a freshman, on the women's side. Karen Helvey, a junior, joins the Jones sisters on the women's side, while Jesse Allen and Nathan Palmer compete in the men's competition. Ashley Jones appears a solid bet to return to the NCAA Championships by virtue of her 24th-place ranking in the nation if she finishes in the top 10 this weekend.
BIG SKY HONORS
4 Ellie Rudy earned four Big Sky Field Event Athlete of the Week honors outdoors in 2007, and five indoors, raising her career total to 15. in her career. She has nine such awards in 2007. Kim Berg won the 2007 Big Sky Outdoor Field Events Athlete of the Meet award.
INDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
J8-9 MSU Multi-Events Bozeman
J19 MSU Open Bozeman
J26 MSU-UM-ISU Bozeman
F2 ISU Duals Pocatello
F9-10 Mountain St. Gms Pocatello
F17 Bobcat Open Bozeman
F23-24 Big Sky Indoors Bozeman
M9-10 NCAA Indoors Fayetteville
DALE KENNEDY QUOTES
“After so many weeks in a row in a team mode, our mindset really changes to individual mode this week. We’re really excited for the 13 kids advancing to regionals. Those kids had a great year, and it’s all about them competing and continuing to improve. An athlete can advance to the NCAA meet by finishing in the top five, or by being one of the top 27 or 28 kids nationally in the event, so this is an important meet for the kids we have that are borderline top 25 and those that need to improve to get there. This format has generated interest.”
BOBCAT QUALIFIERS
BSC- Region- NCAA
Men 24- 7- 0
Women 22- 6- 0
BOBCAT RANKINGS
Event Region NCAA
Kim Berg Jav 7th 22nd
Karen Helvey HT 16th 73rd
Alli Jones HT 15th 71st
Ashley Jones HT 5th 24th
Ellie Rudy PV 2nd 2nd
Kylee Zent SP 16th 64th
Jesse Allen SP 13th 77th
Jesse Allen HT 29th 143rd
Nathan Palmer HT 14th 67th
Tanner Rauk SP 8th 49th
Dustin Degen Jav 11th 49th
Taylor Henson Jav 12th 54th
Nick Lam Jav 8th 36th
Dan van Swearingen Jav 21st 92nd
OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
M31 Al Manuel Inv. Missoula
A5-7 Weber State Inv. Ogden, UT
A14 MSU Inv. Bozeman
A20-21 Idaho State Inv. Pocatello
A20-21 Oregon Inv. Eugene, OR
A28 Cat-Griz Dual Missoula
M4 Tom Gage Classic Bozeman
M9-12 Big Sky Outdoors Pocatello
M25-26 NCAA Regional Des Moines
J6-9 NCAA Outdoors Sacramento
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 Women’s Big Sky Coach of the Year for the 2001 indoor and ‘03 outdoor seasons, and Men’s OCOY in ‘05... has led MSU to two women’s XC titles this decade, and has led the Lady Cats to three conference track titles and a pair of runnerup finishes... has produced nine All-Americas and 21 NCAA qualifiers... MSU’s men’s Big Sky outdoor title in ‘05 was the program’s first men’s Big Sky crown ever
MIKE CARIGNAN, throws
In his 25th year at MSU... has coached 47 athletes to all-Big Sky honors... MSU’s throwers led the Big Sky in points from 2002-06... 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 13th year at MSU... MSU vaulter from ‘79-82... won the ‘82 Big Sky pole vault title... has coached 47 all-conference athletes and 20 different league champs, including the highest male and female vaulters in Big Sky history and 2007 NCAA Champion Ellie Rudy... coached athletes to Big Sky meet records in 2 men’s and 6 women’s events
JORAH GRIFFITH, sprints/jav
Fourth year in the program, second as full-time assistant... coaches sprints and javelin... former standout thrower at Wyoming... hails from western Montana
Bobcat Notebook
MIDWEST REGIONALS
Montana State competes against schools from top-flight track and field leagues such as the Big 12 and Missouri Valley in this weekend’s NCAA Midwest Regional Championships at Drake University’s Drake Stadium, a tradition-rich venue that hosts the Drake Relays each spring. The event begins with the women’s javelin at 12 noon MDT on Friday, continuing until about 7:30 pm, and begins with the men’s javelin at 12 noon Saturday running through about 6 pm.
Results
Drake University posts results live on www.drakebulldogs.com, and MSU results, notes and quotes will be posted each day at www.msubobcats.com.
Youth is Served
Montana State’s roster of regional qualifiers is quite a tip-of-the-hat to the program’s future. Of the school’s 13 qualifiers, only throwers Ashley Jones, Jesse Allen and Tanner Rauk compete as seniors. Of the remaining 10, half are juniors, three are sophomores, and two are freshmen.
Chuckin’ the Spear
Of Montana State’s 13 regional-bound athletes, five compete in the javelin competition. Four men (Dustin Degen, Taylor Hensen, Big Sky Champion Nick Lam, and Dan van Swearingen) and one woman (three-time Big Sky Champion Kim Berg) carry the spear into the competition for MSU. The Bobcats won both men’s and women’s Big Sky javelin competition at the league meet two weeks ago.
Hammer Time
Montana State also sends five hammer throwers to the NCAA Regionals this weekend, led by three-time Big Sky Champion Ashley Jones, a senior, and her sister Alli, a freshman, on the women's side. Karen Helvey, a junior, joins the Jones sisters on the women's side, while Jesse Allen and Nathan Palmer compete in the men's competition. Ashley Jones appears a solid bet to return to the NCAA Championships by virtue of her 24th-place ranking in the nation if she finishes in the top 10 this weekend.
BIG SKY HONORS
4 Ellie Rudy earned four Big Sky Field Event Athlete of the Week honors outdoors in 2007, and five indoors, raising her career total to 15. in her career. She has nine such awards in 2007. Kim Berg won the 2007 Big Sky Outdoor Field Events Athlete of the Meet award.
INDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
J8-9 MSU Multi-Events Bozeman
J19 MSU Open Bozeman
J26 MSU-UM-ISU Bozeman
F2 ISU Duals Pocatello
F9-10 Mountain St. Gms Pocatello
F17 Bobcat Open Bozeman
F23-24 Big Sky Indoors Bozeman
M9-10 NCAA Indoors Fayetteville
DALE KENNEDY QUOTES
“After so many weeks in a row in a team mode, our mindset really changes to individual mode this week. We’re really excited for the 13 kids advancing to regionals. Those kids had a great year, and it’s all about them competing and continuing to improve. An athlete can advance to the NCAA meet by finishing in the top five, or by being one of the top 27 or 28 kids nationally in the event, so this is an important meet for the kids we have that are borderline top 25 and those that need to improve to get there. This format has generated interest.”
BOBCAT QUALIFIERS
BSC- Region- NCAA
Men 24- 7- 0
Women 22- 6- 0
BOBCAT RANKINGS
Event Region NCAA
Kim Berg Jav 7th 22nd
Karen Helvey HT 16th 73rd
Alli Jones HT 15th 71st
Ashley Jones HT 5th 24th
Ellie Rudy PV 2nd 2nd
Kylee Zent SP 16th 64th
Jesse Allen SP 13th 77th
Jesse Allen HT 29th 143rd
Nathan Palmer HT 14th 67th
Tanner Rauk SP 8th 49th
Dustin Degen Jav 11th 49th
Taylor Henson Jav 12th 54th
Nick Lam Jav 8th 36th
Dan van Swearingen Jav 21st 92nd
OUTDOOR SCHEDULE
Date Competition Men/Women
M31 Al Manuel Inv. Missoula
A5-7 Weber State Inv. Ogden, UT
A14 MSU Inv. Bozeman
A20-21 Idaho State Inv. Pocatello
A20-21 Oregon Inv. Eugene, OR
A28 Cat-Griz Dual Missoula
M4 Tom Gage Classic Bozeman
M9-12 Big Sky Outdoors Pocatello
M25-26 NCAA Regional Des Moines
J6-9 NCAA Outdoors Sacramento
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 Women’s Big Sky Coach of the Year for the 2001 indoor and ‘03 outdoor seasons, and Men’s OCOY in ‘05... has led MSU to two women’s XC titles this decade, and has led the Lady Cats to three conference track titles and a pair of runnerup finishes... has produced nine All-Americas and 21 NCAA qualifiers... MSU’s men’s Big Sky outdoor title in ‘05 was the program’s first men’s Big Sky crown ever
MIKE CARIGNAN, throws
In his 25th year at MSU... has coached 47 athletes to all-Big Sky honors... MSU’s throwers led the Big Sky in points from 2002-06... 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 13th year at MSU... MSU vaulter from ‘79-82... won the ‘82 Big Sky pole vault title... has coached 47 all-conference athletes and 20 different league champs, including the highest male and female vaulters in Big Sky history and 2007 NCAA Champion Ellie Rudy... coached athletes to Big Sky meet records in 2 men’s and 6 women’s events
JORAH GRIFFITH, sprints/jav
Fourth year in the program, second as full-time assistant... coaches sprints and javelin... former standout thrower at Wyoming... hails from western Montana
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