Montana State University
BIG SKY OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Men Finish Fifth, Women Sixth at Big Sky Meet
5/11/2013 7:13:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field
Thirteen All-Conference performances, two titles highlight conference championships
In the women's title race, Montana State came in sixh place with 72 points. The Bobcat women were voted seventh in the preseason outdoor poll. The Sacramento State women won their sixth straight win with 155.5
On the weekend, MSU finished with two individual conference titles and 13 All-Big Sky performances.
The fourth and final day of the meet kicked off with the women's high jump All-Big Sky finish when Amber Amsbaugh medaled for the third consecutive championship, placing second overall. She launched herself to a height of 1.70m (5-07). Alisa Gilchrist also earned points, placing seventh overall with 1.64m (5-04.50). Gilchrist improved two spots after placing ninth at the indoor championships.
The men's discus proved to be a bit of a challenge for the Bobcat throwers. Calvin Root was MSU's highest finisher coming in eighth place with a throw of 47.53m (155-11). David Phillips, after winning the hammer throw the day before, the senior came in 10th place (47.46m/155-08) followed by Derek Marsh in 11th (46.87m/153-09). Zach Sharp and Sean Ferriter rounded out the Bobcat competitors coming in 18th and 19th, respectively.
In the triple jump, Kevin Close had his best Big Sky finish coming in fifth place. The Bozeman hometown product launched himself to a distance of 13.98m (45-10.50).
Conner Kelly and Tanner Gambill finished among the top-ten in the javelin, placing eighth (56.28m/184-08) and ninth (54.98m/180-04), respectively.
To start of the running events, the women's 4x100 relay clocked in with a season-best time of 46.86. The quartet of Katie Niemeir, Iris Hardarson, Chelsea Bourque and Chantel Jaeger combined for a sixth place finish overall.
In the men's race, the Bobcats won their heat with a time of 41.68 but James Andrews, Kevin Close, Nick Melone and Chris Wilson placed fifth overall.
After her third place finish in the steeplechase on Friday night, Heather Demorest turned right around for her second career best of the weekend. She finished sixth in the 1,500 in 4:29.60, improving on her previous best of 2:34.62 set back in April at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge.
In the first of two individual races on Saturday, Grant Grosvenor earned the bronze medal in the 1,500 after holding a lead in the race headed into the final straightaway. His time of 3:48.77 improved upon his previous best and moves him up to sixth all-time in MSU history.
After slipping into the lost spot for the 100 hurdle finals, Katie Niemeir rallied for a fifth place finish in the event with a time of 14.24.
In the 400, MSU was represented by Sonia Antar and Iris Hardarson. Antar crossed the finish line in fourth place, just missing all-conference honors but did clock in with a lifetime best time of 55.39. Hardarson came in sixth, also with a life best time of 55.87.
Chris Wilson was dethroned in the 100 after an impressive win in 2012. Wilson crossed the line in fourth with a time of 10.59, which was a season-best time for the junior.
Lierin Flanagan placed third in the outdoor 800 for the second consecutive year, earning All-Big Sky honors. She made a big push at the end of the race for a lifetime best time of 2:10.61, less than one second behind first place.
Matt Tex and Grant Grosvenor, again, put on a great show in the 800. After spending most of the race in the middle of the pack, they each made their signature move in the final 200 meters to go 1-2 in the race. Tex earned his first individual all-conference honor, as well as his first Big Sky title. Tex clocked a time of 1:51.28. Grosvenor's second place finish came with a time of 1:51.31, just three-hundredths of a second behind his teammate.
Two more of the Blue and Gold teamed up in the 400 hurdles for two more Big Sky-worthy performances. Katie Niemeir earned the silver medal with a lifetime best 1:00.50. Madeline Fuchs finished in third in 1:01.35. The two combined for 14 points for Montana State.
In the 200, Chantel Jaeger placed sixth in a field of eight separated by just over .40 seconds. Jaeger clocked in with a time of 24.49 in the tight race.
The women's 4x400 had a very strong afternoon, coming in second place. Holding the lead for much of the race, Hardarson, Jaeger, Antar and Niemeir combined for a time of 3:42.09, which now ranks second in the records for Montana State.
While they placed sixth, the men's 4x400 clocked in with a season best time, as well. Nick Melone, Tex, Marcus Swan and Grant Grosvenor clocked a time of 3:16.35.
“David Phillips really set the tone of this meet for us,” said head coach Dale Kennedy. “His win in the hammer really got people moving and even more fired up to get out there and compete, which I think we did a great job this weekend. We came up with points where we may not have expected to and based on the number of season and lifetime bests this weekend, it's safe to say that we have lots of be proud of this spring.”
While the season ended for most of the team in Oregon, a few Bobcats will wait to find out if they'll compete at the NCAA West Region Preliminary, taking place May 23-25, in Austin, Texas.
