Women Place Second, Men Third at Indoor Track and Field Championships

Saturday, February 28

Flagstaff, AZ

Montana State University

Big Sky Championships

McCutchen Soratos Demorest BSC 2015 Indoor

Women Place Second, Men Third at Indoor Track and Field Championships

2/28/2015 8:03:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field

By: Jordan Simkins

COMPLETE RESULTS

After three days of competition, the Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on the women's side came down to the last event, the 4 x 400 relay. With just under a three point spread between the top three teams (MSU, NAU, Sac State), it was likely whoever won the race would be crowned BSC Champions. Despite a brilliant effort, the 'Cats fell just short of a first place finish, but respectively finished the meet in second place, just 1.5 points behind Sacramento State. The men battled throughout the entire competition, finishing third behind Northern Arizona and Sacramento State.

"I am proud of each and every one of my athletes today," head coach Dale Kennedy said. "They gave everything they could throughout the competition and I couldn't be more proud."

Montana State accumulated 13 podium finishes, highlighted by six gold medals. The following Bobcat student-athletes received All-Conference honors at the championships: Carley McCutchen (pentathlon), Heather Demorest (5k, 3k), Keely West (5k), Trevor Polson (DMR), Aaron Johnston (DRM), Matthew Tex (DMR, 800), Cristian Soratos (DMR, 800, mile), Sean Ferriter (weight throw), Mitchell Horning (60m), Chantel Jaeger (400, 4x400), Kaylee Schmitz (800), Josephine Petruska (4x400), Iris Hardarson (4x400), Paige Squire (4x400).

Three 'Cats received four of the top honors at the meet. Demorest was named Most Valuable Female for scoring more points (20) than any other female athlete, while Soratos and McCutchen earned most outstanding male and female performers at the meet.

Ferriter placed second in the weight throw, throwing a distance of 63-06.00. Zach Sharp earned a personal-best of 58-01.00, placing fifth in the event. Kevin Close added four points to the team total, finishing fifth in the triple jump, marking a distance of 47-08.00.

Two MSU pole vaulters earned points for the team, finishing in the top eight. Casey Teska vaulted 12-02.75, good enough for sixth place, and Ryan Kropp cleared the bar at 16-03.5 to place fourth. To finish out the field events on Saturday, Leah Cook finished eighth (38.01-75), despite only taking first jump, due to an injury.

Soratos kicked off the running events for the evening, running a mile time of 4:07.28 (no conversions), placing first. Christie Schiel scored one point for the women's side in the mile, placing eighth with a time of 5:14.45.

Jaeger made her way to the podium in the 400, running a time of 54.25 to finish second. To add to MSU's top-three finishes, Horning ran a 6.90 60m dash to place third.

The dynamic-duo of Soratos and Tex finished one-two in the 800 with final times of 1:51.33 and 1:52.02. On the women's side, Kaylee Schmitz ran a 2:13.10 race, placing second. Jaeger placed sixth in the 200 (24.36) and Horning finished sixth in the event (21.85).

After winning the 5000 last night, Demorest led the pack for the majority of the race in the 3000, finding her way back to the top of the podium. The senior ran a time of 10:02.31.

The men's 4x400 relay (Eric Zechenelly, Jory Fisher, Cristian Soratos, Rory Bauer) placed fifth (3:15.69). Despite heart breaking finish on the women's side, their time of 3:42.00 was faster than the previous meet record.

"The outcome can either knock us down or pick us up, but as far as I'm concerned we aren't done yet. We need to go back and continue to prepare for the next opportunity that we have."

The Bobcats will begin the outdoor season on March 28^th at Montana in the Al Manuel Invitational.