RUDY WINS HISTORICAL SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
2/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Rudy won her fourth consecutive indoor pole vault crown and seventh straight conference championship in the pole vault. The title makes her only the second athlete in the program’s history to win four championships in four seasons in a single event. The winning vault of 13’4.25” is Rudy’s season best.
“It’s really spectacular what she’s done,” head track and field coach Dale Kennedy said. “Besides Ellie, I think Kim Berg who graduated last year as a javelin throw is the only other MSU track and field athlete to win conference championships in all four years of eligibility in the same event.”
And it wasn’t an easy win, according to Kennedy, as the competition was stiff. Eastern Washington’s Chelsi Friese placed second with a vault of 12’11.5”, which is a NCAA provisional mark in the event, just 3.75” behind Rudy.
Three other MSU pole vaulters placed in the top ten: Stacey Irvine (5th), Brittany Speirs (t-7th) and Amy Plummer (10th).
MSU throwers continued their season-long excellence as Allison Jones took all-conference honors in the women’s weight throw, placing third. Teammate Amanda Murphy placed fifth and Kirsten Lee took tenth. On the men’s side, Casey Clausen, who entered the meet with the top conference performance in the shot put, placed third in the event with a toss of 55’6.5”. Morgan Norgaard placed fifth in the shot.
Heptathlete Asa Staven took fourth in the individual high jump competition in addition to completing four legs of the heptathlon on Friday. Staven has three more legs of the multi event tomorrow in addition to three more individual events.
Bozeman native Elisabeth Driscoll placed fourth in the 5000 race and will compete in the 3000 on Saturday. Driscoll was seeded 18th coming into the 5000.
The championships will conclude Saturday in Flagstaff.
“It’s really spectacular what she’s done,” head track and field coach Dale Kennedy said. “Besides Ellie, I think Kim Berg who graduated last year as a javelin throw is the only other MSU track and field athlete to win conference championships in all four years of eligibility in the same event.”
And it wasn’t an easy win, according to Kennedy, as the competition was stiff. Eastern Washington’s Chelsi Friese placed second with a vault of 12’11.5”, which is a NCAA provisional mark in the event, just 3.75” behind Rudy.
Three other MSU pole vaulters placed in the top ten: Stacey Irvine (5th), Brittany Speirs (t-7th) and Amy Plummer (10th).
MSU throwers continued their season-long excellence as Allison Jones took all-conference honors in the women’s weight throw, placing third. Teammate Amanda Murphy placed fifth and Kirsten Lee took tenth. On the men’s side, Casey Clausen, who entered the meet with the top conference performance in the shot put, placed third in the event with a toss of 55’6.5”. Morgan Norgaard placed fifth in the shot.
Heptathlete Asa Staven took fourth in the individual high jump competition in addition to completing four legs of the heptathlon on Friday. Staven has three more legs of the multi event tomorrow in addition to three more individual events.
Bozeman native Elisabeth Driscoll placed fourth in the 5000 race and will compete in the 3000 on Saturday. Driscoll was seeded 18th coming into the 5000.
The championships will conclude Saturday in Flagstaff.
Wednesday, June 10
Friday, March 27
Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
