Saturday, April 23
Missoula, MT
11:30 AM
Montana State University
at
Cat-Griz Dual
Danielle Rider
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats, Grizzlies Get Together in Annual Track Dual Saturday at 11
4/22/2016 4:17:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
MSU hosts Cat-Griz Track Meet
Montana State closes the home portion of its 2016 track and field season Saturday, when the Bobcats and Grizzlies renew a rivalry that began 110 years ago.
"When you look at schedules all over the nation, this is rivalry week in track and field," said Bobcat coach Dale Kennedy, part of this rivalry for three-and-a-half decades. "USC-UCLA, Stanford-Cal, Auburn-Alabama, schools all over are competing in duals with their rivals. It's fun to be a part of that."
The Bobcats also celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, and the brevity of that ceremony – MSU's 10 seniors in 2016 is just more than one-third of last year's total of 27 – offers a glimpse into Saturday's dual. The youthful Bobcats face a talented and experienced Montana squad.
"We have always been a developmental program," Kennedy said, "and we're in a cycle of our development where we have a lot of young athletes that are working toward being able to compete at a Big Sky and national level. It's part of how we operate."
Depending on the lens of focus, either team could claim to have history on its side. Montana's men leads the series 55-27, but MSU has won two straight and four of five men's duals. Montana State owns a narrow 17-16 a edge in the series, and while MSU has won two straight Montana owns wins in five of the last nine meetings.
Regardless, Kennedy says, the Cat-Griz dual always offers top-shelf competition. "This dual is a very important element to our program, and to Montana," he said. "It's an incredibly important thing to our kids, and the team component is something I've always felt makes college track and fieldbetter. When you look at our meet records for this dual you see some incredible marks. Kids really raise their performance level in a meet like this that matters so much.
"Our message to the kids this week," Kennedy said, "was to honor the history and tradition of this dual with their preparation and effort. I'm sure they'll do that."
"When you look at schedules all over the nation, this is rivalry week in track and field," said Bobcat coach Dale Kennedy, part of this rivalry for three-and-a-half decades. "USC-UCLA, Stanford-Cal, Auburn-Alabama, schools all over are competing in duals with their rivals. It's fun to be a part of that."
The Bobcats also celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, and the brevity of that ceremony – MSU's 10 seniors in 2016 is just more than one-third of last year's total of 27 – offers a glimpse into Saturday's dual. The youthful Bobcats face a talented and experienced Montana squad.
"We have always been a developmental program," Kennedy said, "and we're in a cycle of our development where we have a lot of young athletes that are working toward being able to compete at a Big Sky and national level. It's part of how we operate."
Depending on the lens of focus, either team could claim to have history on its side. Montana's men leads the series 55-27, but MSU has won two straight and four of five men's duals. Montana State owns a narrow 17-16 a edge in the series, and while MSU has won two straight Montana owns wins in five of the last nine meetings.
Regardless, Kennedy says, the Cat-Griz dual always offers top-shelf competition. "This dual is a very important element to our program, and to Montana," he said. "It's an incredibly important thing to our kids, and the team component is something I've always felt makes college track and fieldbetter. When you look at our meet records for this dual you see some incredible marks. Kids really raise their performance level in a meet like this that matters so much.
"Our message to the kids this week," Kennedy said, "was to honor the history and tradition of this dual with their preparation and effort. I'm sure they'll do that."
Big Sky Preview
Friday, February 11
Track and Field Big Sky Championships
Monday, February 18
Coach Kennedy - Feb. 11, 2013
Tuesday, February 12
Coach Kennedy - Feb. 4, 2013
Tuesday, February 05
