Bobcats Look for Strong Start to Big Sky Track Meet with Multi-Event Crew

Wednesday, May 11

Sacramento, CA

TBA

Montana State University

Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships

Photo by: Kelly Gorham

Bobcats Look for Strong Start to Big Sky Track Meet with Multi-Event Crew

5/11/2016 7:03:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Rider, Chrisp, Storm lead Montana State into league meet

By: Bill Lamberty

Dale Kennedy played plenty of baseball before entering the track and field coaching profession, so he knows the value of a good leadoff hitter. And he thinks he has just that when Montana State heads to the 2016 Big Sky Conference Track and Field Championships in Greeley, Colo., beginning Wednesday.

"One thing that's always been traditional for us is that the multi-event kids really set the tone for the meet," Kennedy said. In heptathletes Danielle Rider and Jessica Chrisp and decathlete Mason Storm the Bobcats' full squad "could get to Nottingham Field on Wednesday to find that all three of those kids are right in there fighting for the lead. That could really give us a boost before the full meet even starts."

When the Big Sky Conference convenes in full starting on Friday – the first time the league has gathered in Colorado for a track championship – more than 500 athletes will compete. Among them, the league limit of 28 Bobcat women and 25 men line up. "We've filled the roster on the women's side and we almost got there on the men's," Kennedy said. "That's a pretty full delegation, and that's exciting."

The youthful Bobcats, with only 10 seniors on the outdoor roster, navigated this spring in development mode. Kennedy said this weekend is likely to reflect that cycle in the program's evolution. "Points will be hard to come by for us this weekend, and that's different than the past few seasons," he said. "Northern Arizona really looks like a juggernaut, they are very strong, but we have kids that will compete for championships and all-conference honors. This is an exciting weekend and it's always fun to watch it play out."

Along with the three multi-event competitors that begin competition Wednesday, Kennedy said his team's points could come in clusters. That list starts with the men's throwers and the women's sprinters/hurdlers. "Between Kyle Douglass and Calvin Root and Zach Sharp and Tanner Gambill, those are all kids that have a shot at being all-conference honorees," Kennedy said of his men's throws crew. "Kevin Close has a shot at all-conference in the triple jump."

Douglas is presently second in the Big Sky in the shot put (56-6.5) and discus (182-6). Sharp is second in the hammer throw (200-7), while Root is fourth (190-7). In the javelin, Ty Bermes is fourth (216-9) and Tanner Gambill fifth (210-11).

A pair of Bobcat women bring championship credentials to the 800 meters on Friday. Christie Schiel is one of nine athletes preparing to defend a 2015 conference championship this weekend, while Kaylee Schmitz won that event during the 2016 indoor season. Schiel currently stands third in the Big Sky (2:10.23), while Schmitz is fifth (2:11.10). In contrast, Amanda Jaynes has exploded onto the scene during her sophomore season. She presently stands third in the league (59.80).

Kennedy said he looks forward to watching his squad compete this weekend. "You always think you know how this meet will unfold but it always goes different than you think," he said. "We'll have kids that jump up with performances that you don't expect. I think our kids in general are continuing to improve, and that's exciting."

The muti-event competition runs Wednesday and Thursday, with the remainder of the events beginning Friday.