Saturday, March 25
BOZEMAN
10 a.m.
Montana State University
vs
Bobcat Invitational
Mitch Horning
Photo by: Trev Mozingo
Track & Field Prepared to Hit Ground Running at Bobcat Invitational
3/22/2017 1:22:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
After a strong ending to its indoor campaign, Montana State returns to action when it begins its outdoor season at the Bobcat Track and Field Complex Saturday
Montana State head coach Dale Kennedy knows there's a lot of time left until the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He also knows though that a lot can be gained from the opening meet of a season.
The MSU track and field team begins its outdoor campaign at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25, by hosting the Bobcat Invitational on campus at the Track and Field Complex. Montana State University Billings will join the Bobcats participating in its opening meet of the year in Bozeman.
The Bobcats return to action following a strong end to their indoor season at the Big Sky Championship in Pocatello from Feb. 23-25. Both MSU teams earned third-place finishes at the conference meet, exceeding expectations set by their peers with the men's team picked to finish fourth and the women's team eighth in the Big Sky preseason poll.
Kennedy's crew will look to do the same thing but with greater expectations heading into the outdoor season. The men's team was voted to finish third at the Big Sky outdoor meet and the women's squad was selected fourth in the preseason poll released Tuesday.
"I reminded the kids that the indoor season was a really great stepping stone into the outdoor season," Kennedy said. "Both the indoor and outdoor seasons are really important to us in terms that there are championships at the end of each season. The Bobcat Invitational really is step number one to the outdoor championships. For us to get ready, it's a non-scored meet. It'll probably be low key which is really good because we've been away from any competition for about a month now. It'll be a rust-buster for us to start with."
The men's squad returns six that scored points at last season's conference meet and the women's team brings back seven. With the addition of the discus, hammer throw and javelin, along with several members of the Bobcat lineup which didn't compete indoors, some storylines stand out.
Throwers Kyle Douglass, Calvin Root, Jacqueline Verlanic and Callen Crawford are featured returners that scored points in last season's Big Sky Championships. Leslie Gappa finished sixth in the javelin on the women's side and Ty Bermes comes back on the men's side after advancing to regionals and taking second in the event at the conference meet in 2015.
Mitch Horning, Josephine Petruska and Casey Teska didn't participate during the indoor campaign and are expected to make valuable contributions during the outdoor slate. Horning has finished seventh in back-to-back years in the 100-meter dash, Petruska has scored points as a member of multiple relay teams and in the 400, while Teska has finished runner-up outdoors in the pole vault twice and was champion in the event indoors in 2016.
Seniors Christie Schiel and Mason Storm also look to defend titles this year. Schiel earned her first 800 indoor crown in February and will try to become MSU's fifth three-time event Big Sky champion after winning gold in the event outdoors two consecutive times. Storm notched 6,555 points at last season's Big Sky meet for his first conference championship and comes off an indoor campaign which he finished first in the men's heptathlon.
"For some kids that didn't compete indoors, it's been a long time (away from competition), so this will be important for some of them just so that they get back into a competitive situation," Kennedy said. "I think that the kids are looking forward to it. They've had a month break, they're coming off a week of spring break so training was hit and miss, so it's always interesting this first meet.
"There will be a little anxiety out there because they haven't competed in awhile. They'll be less than ready, but it's designed that way in an open environment. It gives people a chance to see where they are and go from there."
Montana State has seen success on both sides in recent years. The men's team has finished in the top five at the conference meet in each of the last six years, with runner-up finishes in both 2012 and 2014. The women's team finished as runner-up at the Big Sky Championships in 2012 and 2015. Last season, the men's and women's squads took fifth and eighth, respectively.
The opening meet of the year won't be a make or break situation for the Bobcats. But, it will give them an opportunity to participate in the elements and get accustomed to competition outdoors.
"The weather will probably test everybody in their ability to adapt and adjust to the environment and make the best of it," Kennedy said. "I think a first meet like this gives kids an indication of where they are and it can be kind of a wake up and it can be a positive one. It gives them a benchmark of where they are, then it lets us coaches fine tune our training with each of the kids we're working with and have an accurate assessment of where they are."
Field events are set to start at 10 a.m. at the Bobcat Track and Field complex with the women's pole vault kicking things off. The women's 4x100 relay will be the first track event of the day and that will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m.
The MSU track and field team begins its outdoor campaign at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25, by hosting the Bobcat Invitational on campus at the Track and Field Complex. Montana State University Billings will join the Bobcats participating in its opening meet of the year in Bozeman.
The Bobcats return to action following a strong end to their indoor season at the Big Sky Championship in Pocatello from Feb. 23-25. Both MSU teams earned third-place finishes at the conference meet, exceeding expectations set by their peers with the men's team picked to finish fourth and the women's team eighth in the Big Sky preseason poll.
Kennedy's crew will look to do the same thing but with greater expectations heading into the outdoor season. The men's team was voted to finish third at the Big Sky outdoor meet and the women's squad was selected fourth in the preseason poll released Tuesday.
"I reminded the kids that the indoor season was a really great stepping stone into the outdoor season," Kennedy said. "Both the indoor and outdoor seasons are really important to us in terms that there are championships at the end of each season. The Bobcat Invitational really is step number one to the outdoor championships. For us to get ready, it's a non-scored meet. It'll probably be low key which is really good because we've been away from any competition for about a month now. It'll be a rust-buster for us to start with."
The men's squad returns six that scored points at last season's conference meet and the women's team brings back seven. With the addition of the discus, hammer throw and javelin, along with several members of the Bobcat lineup which didn't compete indoors, some storylines stand out.
Throwers Kyle Douglass, Calvin Root, Jacqueline Verlanic and Callen Crawford are featured returners that scored points in last season's Big Sky Championships. Leslie Gappa finished sixth in the javelin on the women's side and Ty Bermes comes back on the men's side after advancing to regionals and taking second in the event at the conference meet in 2015.
Mitch Horning, Josephine Petruska and Casey Teska didn't participate during the indoor campaign and are expected to make valuable contributions during the outdoor slate. Horning has finished seventh in back-to-back years in the 100-meter dash, Petruska has scored points as a member of multiple relay teams and in the 400, while Teska has finished runner-up outdoors in the pole vault twice and was champion in the event indoors in 2016.
Seniors Christie Schiel and Mason Storm also look to defend titles this year. Schiel earned her first 800 indoor crown in February and will try to become MSU's fifth three-time event Big Sky champion after winning gold in the event outdoors two consecutive times. Storm notched 6,555 points at last season's Big Sky meet for his first conference championship and comes off an indoor campaign which he finished first in the men's heptathlon.
"For some kids that didn't compete indoors, it's been a long time (away from competition), so this will be important for some of them just so that they get back into a competitive situation," Kennedy said. "I think that the kids are looking forward to it. They've had a month break, they're coming off a week of spring break so training was hit and miss, so it's always interesting this first meet.
"There will be a little anxiety out there because they haven't competed in awhile. They'll be less than ready, but it's designed that way in an open environment. It gives people a chance to see where they are and go from there."
Montana State has seen success on both sides in recent years. The men's team has finished in the top five at the conference meet in each of the last six years, with runner-up finishes in both 2012 and 2014. The women's team finished as runner-up at the Big Sky Championships in 2012 and 2015. Last season, the men's and women's squads took fifth and eighth, respectively.
The opening meet of the year won't be a make or break situation for the Bobcats. But, it will give them an opportunity to participate in the elements and get accustomed to competition outdoors.
"The weather will probably test everybody in their ability to adapt and adjust to the environment and make the best of it," Kennedy said. "I think a first meet like this gives kids an indication of where they are and it can be kind of a wake up and it can be a positive one. It gives them a benchmark of where they are, then it lets us coaches fine tune our training with each of the kids we're working with and have an accurate assessment of where they are."
Field events are set to start at 10 a.m. at the Bobcat Track and Field complex with the women's pole vault kicking things off. The women's 4x100 relay will be the first track event of the day and that will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Track and Field
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/ Women's Track and Field
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/ Men's Track and Field
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/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track and Field
Sprints
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Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Multis
/ Men's Track and Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track and Field
Throws
/ Women's Track and FieldBig Sky Preview
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Track and Field Big Sky Championships
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Coach Kennedy - Feb. 4, 2013
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