Montana State University
MSU DUAL MEET INVITE
Season Preview: Back on Track
1/16/2012 3:17:00 PM | Track & Field
2012 indoor season to open Friday, Jan. 20
The 2011 Indoor Track and Field season set a series of new program bests and 2012 should be no different.
The Bobcat Women return a strong corps of veterans, as well as several impressive newcomers. Despite a sixth place preseason ranking from the Big Sky Conference, head coach Dale Kennedy is confident that they'll rise above the critics and place higher come February.
“Based on this year's returnees and their respective performances at the conference meet, on paper this makes sense,” said Kennedy. “However, I am confident with all these student-athletes that between improvement over the off-season and a strong group of freshmen, we'll do very well this winter.”
The sprinters and hurdlers could produce on of their most successful seasons in recent history. Katie Niemeir, who saw incredible drops during the outdoor season, returns and be one of the leaders of the group. Niemeir will compete in the 200, 400 and hurdle events. Also back in Bozeman, is the 2011 Freshman of the Year, Lierin Flanagan whol will compete in the 400. Sarah McGree, who competes in the multis for Montana State will also add depth to the hurdles.
Chantel Jaeger heads up an impressive new class of Bobcats and is expected to make an immediate impact along with Paige Squire and Iris Hardarson. Jaeger hails from Yakima, Wash. and brings several high-quality performances, including two individual state championships.
Squire also possess hardware of her own after finishing first in the 100 meter hurdles for three straight seasons at Corvallis High School. She also won the 200 and 300 hurdles her senior and junior years, as well as the 4x400 relay.
Hardarson was part of a three-time Colorado state championship 4x400 relay at Littleton High School and will add immediate depth to the sprints.
Sonia Antar, who ran cross country this fall, will also add to the sprints roster.
MSU's women's distance team features several new faces in 2012. Joining a small group of returning athletes, are Emily Garneau, Alexandra Greene, Sarah Hanson and Taylor Rather, all of which ran cross country for the Bobcats this fall and expect to see much improvement this winter.
Heather Demorest, ReBecca Sorenson and Lauren Kuennen will provide the upperclassmen leadership of the distance runners. All three saw significant improvements during the cross country season.
The throws will be led by Amanda Murphy-Burgess who had a stellar outdoor season in 2012. After winning the hammer throw at the Big Sky Championships and placing third in the shot put, she finished 22nd in the NCAA West Preliminary. She also won the hammer throw at the prestigious Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational.
Loni Havolovick, the 2011 Freshman of the Year, returns for her sophomore season after appearing at the Big Sky Championships in the shot put and the discus, placing eighth in both.
Kristi VandeBergh comes in as one of the top newcomers to Montana State. As a multiple letterwinner from Forest Grove, Ore., she was a third-place finisher as a senior in the shot put and a two-time district champion. Her previous experience is expected to fit right in with a traditionally strong throws corps at MSU.
There are high expectations, both literally and figuratively, for the jumps this season, as well. Amber Amsbaugh returns as one of the leading veterans after placing fifth in her first indoor conference championship in the high jump. She placed 10th in the outdoor. Amsbaugh will be joined by the indoor pentathletes, Carley McCutchen, Sarah McGree and Sadie McMillan who will give a boost to the Bobcats.
In the pole vault, Rebecca Chambers returns as the backbone of the group and will be joined by newcomer Anna Bales, and Libby Madison, who transferred mid-year in 2010-11 to Montana State. Madison is coming off a strong fall season and Bales enters her collegiate career with an impressive personal best of 12-00.00 from her prep career.
“Our women's roster is very deep,” said Kennedy. “I think we could see some big performances across the board, especially with our sprinters and hurdlers.”
After a third place finish at the 2011 Big Sky Indoor Championships, the Bobcat men return to the track thirsty for success. They enter the 2012 season with a fourth place preseason rank but return a tremendous amount of depth from the previous season's campaign.
The MSU distance runners will again be one of the deepest sections of the program with several veterans at the starting line, ready to go. Dan Jackson returns as one of the Bobcat frontrunners after placing second in the 3000 at the Conference meet. Jackson will be joined by Seth Grossman, who was abroad last season and is coming off a strong cross country season; as well as Jacob Kirk who helped lead MSU cross country with Grossman. Carl Nystuen also comes back to Brick Breeden and will be looked to for leadership. Trevor Polson and Forrest Jarvi will also use the momentum from solid fall seasons.
Newcomers Grant Grosvenor and Jake Turner will be expected to make an immediate impact.
Montana State sprints and hurdles are also expected to produce fast times. Chris Wilson returns as one of the leading sprinters. Wilson, who began his career at MSU as part of the Bobcat Football program, had impressive times in the Blue & Gold meet in December, including some near-program bests.
Nick Melone, Gage Pickering, Slater Powell and Keenen Stangl will also be utilized in both the sprints and the hurdles. Powell returns as the leading hurdler, after placing second in the 60 Hurdles at the indoor championships in 2011.
Newcomer Kevin Close, who will also compete in the Triple Jump, comes into his first season of collegiate competition after winning the 200 at the Montana Class AA Championships and should compete in both the jumps and sprints.
The men's jumps feature a broad range of talent who have already begun to put themselves on the national map. Jeff Mohl and Asa Staven, who are the headliners in the multi events, will also compete separately in the long jump, high jump and pole vault. Mohl begins the indoor season as the new program record holder in the Heptathlon, after breaking Staven's previous record of 5,409 at the MSU Combined Events Invitational on Jan. 10. Mohl's first place finish and record breaking performance currently ranks him second in the nation in the heptathlon headed into the Bobcats' first full meet. Staven sits at third in the country in the event.
Staven, entering his final season as a Bobcat, will continue to provide depth and much success in the jumps, as well. He finished fourth in the outdoor decathlon last spring.
Matt Nicholas, a junior college transfer who competed for MSU in outdoor last spring, was a four-time national qualifier for the National Junior College Athletic Association Championships at Iowa Western. The Essex, Iowa native placed seventh in the long jump at the outdoor conference championships.
After an outstanding 2011 season in the throws, the Bobcats will have a bit of a rebuilding year. Trevor Gilreath returns as the front runner, after his breakout season, qualifying for the NCAA West Preliminary Meet in the shot put and finishing third at the Big Sky Championships. David Phillips, one of the anchors of the throws corps will redshirt the indoor season.
“Our men are returning a good a core of athletes,” said Kennedy. “Their fourth place preseason rank is based on last year's conference performers and those who returned. I have little doubt that off-season training and our new Bobcats will make an impact right away on the success of this program.”
Bobcat Track and Field officially opens the 2011 indoor season on Friday, Jan. 20 at the MSU Dual Meet Invite. Montana State will face Big Sky Conference members, Montana and Idaho State in the triple-dual meet. Field events are slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. and track events will begin at 5:30. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages 3-18). Montana State students will be admitted with their Cat Card. (MSU Dual Meet Invite Schedule of Events)
