Bobcats Host Quad Invite on Friday

Friday, February 5

BOZEMAN

Montana State University

MONTANA STATE, MONTANA, SAC STATE, EWU

Kaylee Schmitz leads the conference in the 800m

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

2/4/2016 11:29:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field

By: Jordan Simkins

Montana State track and field will host three Big Sky Conference schools on Friday evening as they head into the second half of the indoor season. Montana, Eastern Washington and Sacramento State will all compete in the Brick beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Meet Info:
Who: Montana State, Montana, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State
When: Friday, February 5 | 3:30 p.m. Field Events | 5:00 p.m. Track Events
Where: Bozeman, MT | Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Watch: msubobcats.com/watch
Live Results: Track Meet Mobile App
Meet Schedule

The men's team has moved their way up to the number eight ranked team in the Mountain Region, with the only one Big Sky school, Northern Arizona, ahead of them. The women are currently ranked 15th, with Weber State (9th), Northern Arizona (10th) and Northern Colorado (11th) receiving higher rankings. Montana's men are ranked 14th in the Mountain Region and Eastern Washington's women are sitting at 11th in the West Region.

While only five women have qualified for the conference championships, 17 currently rank among the top ten in the conference. Kaylee Schmitz remains the fastest 800 runner with a time of 2:12.76 and Taylor Buschy ranks eighth, 2:15.99. Schmitz 4:56.08 mile from last weekend puts her in fifth, with Alyssa Snyder (4:59.55) and Chiara Warner (4:59.81) in seventh and eighth.

Snyder also has the eighth fastest time in the 3000 with a mark of 9:51.08 and Warner's 10:00.02 time puts her in tenth. Sacramento State's Chloe Berlioux has the season's fastest mark of 9:28.27 and Eastern Washington's Sarah Reiter, Katie Mahoney and Paula Gil-Echevarria all rank among the top 10.

Danielle Rider ran a career-best last weekend of 8.99 in the 60H, putting her at eighth overall in the conference. Of the conference's top 10 runners in the event, seven will be competing head-to-head Friday evening, led by Montana's Nicole Stroot.

Jessica Chrisp's high bar clearance of 5-05.75 solidifies a sixth place spot and her best long jump mark of 18-00.5 puts her in fifth. Rider ranks seventh in the long jump with a distance of 18-00.25. Leah Cook is also in seventh place in the triple jump (36-07.75). The top three high jumpers in the BSC come from Sacramento State and Eastern Washington and are within .25 inches of each other.

The pole vault will also be a battle, as Casey Teska sits in the second place with a clearance of 12-09.5 and Sacramento State's Danielle Brandon is above her (1211.5) in first. Three Eastern Washington vaulters are behind Teska with Carter Theade and Montana's Carrie Jacka are tied for ninth (11-11.75).

On the men's side, Mitchell Horning has hit two conference qualifiers in the 60 (6.97) and 200 (21.92), while ranking ninth and fifth in the events. Eastern's Jeremy VanAssche holds the fastest time of 6.84. Jadin Casey is sitting in seventh in the 400 with a time of 49.30 and Samuel Bloom ranks eighth in the 800 (1:54.17).

Matthew Gotta and Diego Leon are leading the Bobcats in the distance races, with Gotta ranking in the top ten of three events. Gotta has the tenth fastest time in the mile (4:15.31), the third best mark in the 3000 (8:20.68) and sits in seventh in the 5000 (14:54.73). Leon holds the number two spot in the 3000 with a season-best time of 8:18.53 and is eighth in the 5000 (15:06.17).

Kyle Douglass, the BSC field athlete of the week, threw a career-high 57-09.5 in the shot put to boost himself to the top of the conference. Calvin Root is also among the top ten, ranking ninth with a 51-02.25 mark. Root is also fourth in the weight throw (59-09.75), behind teammate Zach Sharp who is in third (59-10.25).

Alex Lewis and Mason Storm are five and six in the long jump with distances of 23-00 and 22-11. Kevin Close is sitting in sixth in the triple jump with a season-best 46-01.25 jump.

"I'm excited to get more Big Sky teams up here to compete," head coach Dale Kennedy said. "This meet will help us see where we sit in the conference on both sides. All three teams coming in have strong programs and will really push our teams to compete a high level."