MSU Gets Big Individual Performances to Highlight Bobcat Preview

Saturday, December 2

BOZEMAN

11 a.m.

Montana State University

Bobcat Preview

Calvin Root

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

MSU Gets Big Individual Performances to Highlight Bobcat Preview

12/2/2017 6:11:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Final Results

One school record is broken and multiple Bobcats achieve top-10 program marks to highlight MSU's indoor opener

By: Andrew Pedersen

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana State track and field team earned a total of 13 first-place showings to complete a solid opening meet of the indoor season inside Worthington Arena on Saturday, Dec. 2. Notably, the Bobcats had several individual standouts that highlighted the day's action.

One school record was shattered on the women's side by two different Bobcats.

Juniors Caroline Hardin and Kelsi Lasota both topped MSU's previous 5,000-meter run record in the event, although Hardin will hold the honors as record holder with her first-place finish. Hardin's time of 17 minutes, 9.52 seconds – converted to 16:34.95 due to track size and altitude – beat the previous record held by Ariana Lee (16:42.38) which was set in 2004. Lasota finished just six seconds behind Hardin, with her converted mark of 16:40.66 putting her second all-time in program history in the event.

Senior throwers Calvin Root and Kyle Douglass stood out on the men's side.

Root placed first in the weight throw with a personal-best toss of 62-07.75. That throw moved him from fifth to fourth in the program record book. Douglass improved his fifth-best mark in program history in the shot put by taking first with a mark of 59-05.50.

"Usually at this time during the Blue-Gold meet we'd have some performances that we couldn't count and wouldn't get on the performance descending list," Montana State head coach Dale Kennedy said. "This was a meet where we gave some of our kids an opportunity to do that and I think a lot of them took advantage of it."

Both teams had plenty of depth in their lineups which will be a key as the indoor season progresses.

Alex Hellenberg put together two lifetime bests on the women's side. She cleared 12-00 in the pole vault to finish first, leading a Bobcat contingent that took the first five spots in the event and included Amber Prevedello, Isabella Calabrese, Carter Theade and Aubrey Kessel. Hellenberg placed second in the long jump with a leap of 18-03.25. She was followed in order by Truanne Roginske, Megan Ralstin and Rachael McGree.

Roginske led the way in the 60m (7.79) for MSU by taking second as the Bobcats took four of the top six spots in the event, while she also finished first in the triple jump (36-10.25). The Bobcats had five of the top six showings in the 200 and were led by Morgan Evans's first-place finish (26.23). Evans also placed first in the 60 hurdles by crossing the line in 9.08 seconds.

MSU had four of the top slots in the 400 and took first behind Elisabeth Krieger (58.65). Layne Oliver also finished with the top time in the mile with a mark of 5:04.26.

The Bobcat men's squad had three of its best team performances in the long jump, 200 and 5,000.

Caleb Neth led the way in the long jump with a leap of 21-06.25. MSU took four of the top six spots in the event, with Noah Martin, Drake Schneider and Trevor Simanski included. Mitch Horning (22.30), Jadin Casey (22.35) and Parker Walton (22.43) were the top placers in the 200, while Christopher Lange and Tyler McQueen earned fifth and sixth, respectively. Ty Mogan, Anthony Schmalz and Collin Buck finished 2-3-4 in the men's 5,000 run.

Martin placed first in the high jump, Simanski had the best mark in the triple jump and Jadin Casey crossed the line first in the 400 to sit atop their respective events for the Bobcats.

Lange, Bloom, Schneider, Luke Middelstadt and Alec Nehring all earned top-three showings for the MSU men's squad, with Nehring earning a lifetime-best mark of 55-06.50 in the shot put en route to a runner-up finish.

"There were some really good things that happened (today)," Kennedy said. "We got a chance to look at our freshmen and see how they could handle the collegiate moment. This really gave us an opportunity to kind of see where we are. I'm really hoping this is a motivator for our kids to see if they need to step up or if they're in a good spot and just need to keep working."

The Bobcats' next meet isn't until the calendar flips to a New Year. MSU will host a multis dual meet over two days, with the start of combined events beginning on Jan. 8 at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.