Track and Field Announces 2013 Outdoor Team Awards
6/12/2013 4:03:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field
Phillips highlights by earning four of six possible awards
Another season of Bobcat Track and Field comes to a close and the dedication, performance and efforts of the student-athletes did not go unnoticed. Twelve student-athletes were recognized in the 2013 Montana State Outdoor Track and Field team awards.
The six awards, annually doled out at the close of the outdoor season highlight a prolific spring season for MSU. As a team, the men placed fifth at the Big Sky Championships, while the women came in sixth. Overall, MSU produced 15 All-Big Sky performances, including, two individual conference champions.
The 2013 Most Improved awards went to four deserving recipients. Heather Demorest who advanced to her first NCAA West Regional Preliminary meet, closed out an enormous breakout year. The junior distance runner, after dealing with an injury-ridden 2012, Demorest rebounded with a huge year. She earned her first individual all-conference nod, after placing third in the 3,000 steeplechase at this year's Big Sky Meet. Since 2011, she's dropped over one minute off her lifetime best time of 10:26.41. Her previous best was 11:29.40 and she now ranks second in the program in the event.
The men had three who garnered Most Improved accolades. Senior veteran David Phillips, along with junior Matt Tex and sophomore Grant Grosvenor all had huge seasons with even greater improvements to earn the title.
Grosvenor, who just closed out his sophomore season, saw what could be considered unprecedented improvement after an already outstanding first season of competition. After winning both the indoor and outdoor 800 at the Big Sky Championships, the Mill Creek, Wash. native returned for his second season ready to defend his titles. Despite runner-up finishes in both indoor and outdoor, it was his outdoor mid-season competition that catapulted him to the next level. After a freshman best time of 1:50.27, Grosvenor took the next step at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge when he crossed the finish line with a new program record, and first sub-1:50 time with 1:49.28. Grosvenor's time was all he needed to stay within the top-48 in the West, as he earned a berth to his first NCAA West Regional meet. After a 22nd seed headed into the meet, he went on to a ninth place finish to advance to his first NCAA Championship meet.
Tex boasted a similar story in terms of progress and advancement. Prior to the 2013 season, his fastest 800 time was 1:53.71 and this season, he truly pushed himself to the next level. Along with Grosvenor, he clocked his first sub-1:50 800 time at the Mondo Challenge when he also broke the former program record. Tex's time of 1:49.44 marked a new lifetime best. With no individual All-Big Sky honor to his name, he finally broke the spell and not only garnered his first all-conference finish, but the individual title in the 800, as well. The El Cajon, Calif. native also earned a berth to his first NCAA Regional meet, much like Grosvenor, after his performance at Mondo. While he did clock another sub 1:50 at the NCAA West meet and compete again at finals, he ended up in 20th overall.
Phillips was the third winner of the Most Improved award after a nearly-storybook senior season. Capping off his career at the NCAA Championships, his first and only appearance, Phillips took the hammer throw to new distances in just a year. He leaves Montana State as the record holder in the hammer throw, which he set twice in 2013. His gold medal performance of 64.97m (213-02) at the Big Sky Championship is now the existing program record. Earlier in the spring, he threw 64.49m at the Cat-Griz Dual Meet to set it for the first time of the season. His mark also stands as a new meet record.
The Deer Lodge native took his game to the next level after qualifying for his first NCAA Championship meet. He placed 12th in the nation and capped off his career with a second team All-American nod. Not only did he advance his season further than before, in just one year he improved his hammer throw from 205-01 to 213-02, an impressive feat from any angle.
It was no wonder that Phillips also earned the title of Outstanding Field Performer. In addition to his other 2013 successes, he amassed six first-place finishes over the course of the spring, including the Big Sky title in the hammer throw and winning the event at the Mondo Mid Major Challenge.
Amber Amsbaugh was the women's recipient of the Outstanding Field Performer. Riding the momentum of her second individual high jump title, she put up consistent numbers this spring in her signature event. With four finishes among the top-10, including a runner-up appearance at the Big Sky meet in the high jump, Amsbaugh takes the Outstanding Field Performer rightfully so.
The Outstanding Track Performers also come as little to no surprise, as well. Adding to his many accolades this season is Grosvenor whose literal track record was one of the best in recent seasons. He had eight top-three finishes, including his record breaking performance win at the Mondo meet.
Another repeat winner is Heather Demorest who will share the Outstanding Track Performer with teammate Katie Niemeir. With Heather Haug out of the lineup this spring, Demorest certainly stepped up and made her mark as a Bobcat distance runner. Prior to her advancement to the NCAA West Regionals, she earned six top-three finishes, including a bronze medal in the steeplechase at the Big Sky meet to help pick up points for Montana State.
Niemeir put up one of her best seasons to date when she placed second in the 400 hurdles at her final Big Sky Championship meet, as well as a fifth place finish in the 100 hurdles. Het time in the 400 of 1:00.50 also marked a lifetime best. Niemeir earned a second all-conference honor when she helped the 4x400 team to a runner-up position at the Big Sky meet. She finished the spring season with seven top-three individual finishes, as well as a major contributor to the Bobcat relays.
Each season, two freshmen are always recognized for their outstanding debut seasons in Blue and Gold. Alisa Gilchrist, a jumper from Helena, Mont. takes the women's honors this spring. Gilchrist maxed out with a height of 1.65m (5-05) her freshman season, placing as high as seventh at the Big Sky Championships.
Calvin Root was named the men's Outstanding Freshman as he made an immediate impact and saw quick progress as part of the dominant Bobcat throwers. The Gilbert, Ariz. native qualified for three throwing events in his first outdoor conference meet, placing as high as eighth place in the discus. He finished his freshman year with lifetime bests in each of his events including a distance of 53.90m (176-10) marking one of the top freshman marks in program history.
The Top Gun Award is one of the most coveted each year, rewarding the male and female who scored the most number of points over the course of the season. After being named Most Improved, Outstanding Field Performer and taking a look at his 2013 results, David Phillips also garnered 85 total points after his Big Sky hammer throw title and his first place finish and two second places at the Cat-Griz Dual were also major contributors to his award.
Chantel Jaeger, after a tough indoor season, certainly rallied in outdoor to earn her first To Gun title. In addition to her lifetime bests in both the 200 (24.37) and 400 (55.49), she picked up 71.5 total points in her breakout sophomore season. Jaeger chipped in four individual points as well points in both relays at the Big Sky meet and three first places and a silver at the Cat-Griz Dual. Jaeger came in fifth in the 200 at the Big Sky Meet and helped the team to a second place finish in the 4x400.
Last, but certainly not least, MSU announced the 2013 Teammates of the Year, which is given to the male and female that have been the most supportive of Bobcat Track and Field, on and off the track. The coaches and advisory council select a teammate of the week and the team, itself, selects the teammate of the year. Phillips was the men's winner, while Heather Haug took the honors for the women.
Phillips and Grosvenor made the official close of the 2013 season when they competed at the NCAA Championships, with a majority of the team ended 2013 on a high note at the Big Sky Championships. The men placed fifth overall, while the women came in sixth.
