Friday, February 24
Flagstaff, AZ
TBA
Montana State University
at
BIG SKY INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Photo by: Northern Arizona Sports Information
The Sky’s the Limit
2/23/2012 4:22:00 PM | Track & Field
Track and Field prepped for Big Sky Championship
The time has finally come. After five weeks of meets, the 2012 Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship weekend has arrived and the Bobcats are ready. (Complete Meet Information | Meet Schedule)
Montana State is taking 43 student-athletes to Flagstaff, Ariz. for the two-day meet, beginning Friday, Feb. 24, hosted by Northern Arizona at the Walkup Skydome.
The Bobcat men have a full squad for the conference meet, with 22 qualified athletes in 15 events.
This year's front runners include Asa Staven and Jeff Mohl who will compete in a slew of events in Arizona. Staven and Mohl will look to keep themselves at the top of the conference in the heptathlon where they are ranked first and second, respectively, headed into Friday. Both Staven and Mohl have broken the MSU program record this season. Mohl went to the top of the leaderboard in the first meet of the season on Jan. 10 at the MSU Combined Events Invitational with a score of 5,521, breaking Staven's record of 5,409 from 2010. Staven then reclaimed his throne at the Mountain States Games on Feb. 5, not only setting a new program record, but also a new conference mark at 5,691 total points.
In addition to the heptathlon, both will also look for all-conference nods in the 60 meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, pole vault and potentially the 4x400 relay.
Chris Wilson gears up for his second Big Sky Championship and has been among the top competitors in the 60 meter dash and the 200 throughout the season. Joining Wilson in both events is Gage Pickering, who will also be at his second indoor conference meet. The 60 is rounded out by Michael Nguyen, making his Big Sky debut. Also new to the scene is freshman Kevin Close, competing in the 200.
In the 800, Grant Grosvenor sits with a second-ranked seed, barely a second behind Northern Arizona's Jordan Chipangama and will seek his first individual conference title in his rookie season.
In addition to the multis, the distance events are packed with the depth of the Bobcats. In the 3,000, taking placing on Saturday, Dan Jackson holds the second-fastest time behind another Lumberjack, Diego Estrada. Freshman Jake Turner, who has seen incredible improvement throughout the season, will also look to make a move. Carly Nystuen, Jacon Kirk and Seth Grossman will look to score points for Montana State, too.
Jackson, Grossman, Nystuen and Turner are slated to compete in the 5,000 on Friday. Jackson is seeded second in that event, as well. Joining the distance corps is Trevor Polson in his first Big Sky appearance.
“The men have a daunting challenge ahead of them,” said head coach Dale Kennedy, who has been at the helm of Bobcat Track and Field since 1980. “Anything can happen at this meet and I have no doubt that everyone will give their best effort and compete with greatness.”
Twenty-one women are slated to make their own run at the Walkup Skydome.
Amanda Murphy leads the charge, riding the momentum of a hugely successful senior indoor bout. Murphy, who has not lost a single event this winter and will look to keep the streak alive and stay at the top of the podium throughout the weekend. She enters the meet seeded second in the weight throw with a distance of 19.34m, which marked a new program record as of Friday, Feb. 17. Murphy holds the top spot in the shot put with hopes of picking up two more all-conference honors to add to her resume.
Coach Kennedy has high expectations in the women's sprints and hurdles, as well. Chantel Jaeger, who was named Big Sky Athlete of the Week on Tuesday, has put together a very strong freshman campaign in the 200 and 400. Jaeger is seeded third in both events.
The 400 is supplemented with more Bobcat power. Sonia Antar, who has been one of MSU's best-kept secrets in the sprints, holds a fourth seed, with veteran Katie Niemeir in fifth.
Niemeir will also compete in the 60 meter hurdles.
“There will be a very close battle in the women's competition,” said Kennedy. “Our women are definitely excited and are as ready as they can be for this weekend.”
Friday's events begin at 9:15 a.m. MST with the first events of the heptathlon. Field events commence at 3:15, while the women's 60 meter hurdles are slated for a 4:30 p.m. start for the track events.
Live results will be available, as well as a webcast on Big Sky TV.
Montana State is taking 43 student-athletes to Flagstaff, Ariz. for the two-day meet, beginning Friday, Feb. 24, hosted by Northern Arizona at the Walkup Skydome.
The Bobcat men have a full squad for the conference meet, with 22 qualified athletes in 15 events.
This year's front runners include Asa Staven and Jeff Mohl who will compete in a slew of events in Arizona. Staven and Mohl will look to keep themselves at the top of the conference in the heptathlon where they are ranked first and second, respectively, headed into Friday. Both Staven and Mohl have broken the MSU program record this season. Mohl went to the top of the leaderboard in the first meet of the season on Jan. 10 at the MSU Combined Events Invitational with a score of 5,521, breaking Staven's record of 5,409 from 2010. Staven then reclaimed his throne at the Mountain States Games on Feb. 5, not only setting a new program record, but also a new conference mark at 5,691 total points.
In addition to the heptathlon, both will also look for all-conference nods in the 60 meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, pole vault and potentially the 4x400 relay.
Chris Wilson gears up for his second Big Sky Championship and has been among the top competitors in the 60 meter dash and the 200 throughout the season. Joining Wilson in both events is Gage Pickering, who will also be at his second indoor conference meet. The 60 is rounded out by Michael Nguyen, making his Big Sky debut. Also new to the scene is freshman Kevin Close, competing in the 200.
In the 800, Grant Grosvenor sits with a second-ranked seed, barely a second behind Northern Arizona's Jordan Chipangama and will seek his first individual conference title in his rookie season.
In addition to the multis, the distance events are packed with the depth of the Bobcats. In the 3,000, taking placing on Saturday, Dan Jackson holds the second-fastest time behind another Lumberjack, Diego Estrada. Freshman Jake Turner, who has seen incredible improvement throughout the season, will also look to make a move. Carly Nystuen, Jacon Kirk and Seth Grossman will look to score points for Montana State, too.
Jackson, Grossman, Nystuen and Turner are slated to compete in the 5,000 on Friday. Jackson is seeded second in that event, as well. Joining the distance corps is Trevor Polson in his first Big Sky appearance.
“The men have a daunting challenge ahead of them,” said head coach Dale Kennedy, who has been at the helm of Bobcat Track and Field since 1980. “Anything can happen at this meet and I have no doubt that everyone will give their best effort and compete with greatness.”
Twenty-one women are slated to make their own run at the Walkup Skydome.
Amanda Murphy leads the charge, riding the momentum of a hugely successful senior indoor bout. Murphy, who has not lost a single event this winter and will look to keep the streak alive and stay at the top of the podium throughout the weekend. She enters the meet seeded second in the weight throw with a distance of 19.34m, which marked a new program record as of Friday, Feb. 17. Murphy holds the top spot in the shot put with hopes of picking up two more all-conference honors to add to her resume.
Coach Kennedy has high expectations in the women's sprints and hurdles, as well. Chantel Jaeger, who was named Big Sky Athlete of the Week on Tuesday, has put together a very strong freshman campaign in the 200 and 400. Jaeger is seeded third in both events.
The 400 is supplemented with more Bobcat power. Sonia Antar, who has been one of MSU's best-kept secrets in the sprints, holds a fourth seed, with veteran Katie Niemeir in fifth.
Niemeir will also compete in the 60 meter hurdles.
“There will be a very close battle in the women's competition,” said Kennedy. “Our women are definitely excited and are as ready as they can be for this weekend.”
Friday's events begin at 9:15 a.m. MST with the first events of the heptathlon. Field events commence at 3:15, while the women's 60 meter hurdles are slated for a 4:30 p.m. start for the track events.
Live results will be available, as well as a webcast on Big Sky TV.
Big Sky Championship Video Recap
Tuesday, May 14
Bobcat Insider | Weese Tabbed Director of Track & Field
Thursday, August 16
Bobcat Insider | Dale Kennedy Interview
Monday, June 18
Big Sky Outdoor Championships Recap
Saturday, May 12
