Bobcats Have Eyes Set on 2017 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Wednesday, May 10

Sacramento, CA

12 p.m.

Montana State University

Big Sky Outdoor Championship - Day One

Bobcats Have Eyes Set on 2017 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships

5/9/2017 4:52:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Championship Central Live Results Live Stream MSU Championship Rosters

By: Andrew Pedersen

The Montana State track and field teams begin their quests for conference titles on Wednesday, May 10, when the 2017 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships kick off at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium.

The multi-events open the championship meet with the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon taking place on Wednesday and Thursday. Individual events begin at 2 p.m. MDT Friday with the men's hammer throw. The Big Sky Conference Championships end Saturday with the first event scheduled at 11 a.m.

Montana State completed its regular season in Bozeman at the Bobcat Track and Field Complex Friday. The 'Cats hosted Montana in the Tom Gage Classic and had several standout performances.

Included were Mitch Horning's two sprint performances that placed him in MSU's all-time top 10 record chart in two events, Casey Teska's lifetime best pole vault that put her second behind former Bobcat All-American Ellie Rudy and the women's 4x100 relay of Truanne Roginske, McKenna Ramsay, Daryan Box and Amanda Jaynes that finished in a converted time of 46.38 seconds, good for fifth best in program history.

Alex Lewis also moved up to second all time in the school's record book in the long jump which earned him Big Sky Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Their success, along with numerous others that achieved season and personal bests in the tune up, has MSU on the right track heading into the postseason.

"The Tom Gage Classic was a nice stepping stone into the conference championships," Montana State head coach Dale Kennedy said. "We have been somewhere around fifth on both the men's and women's power scores over the past two weeks. We will need to improve as the conference meet unfolds in order to finish above fifth on either side."

The Bobcats head into the Big Sky meet holding the third most combined top 10 marks among conference members. The men's team has the most top 10 times and marks with 26 and the women's squad is tied for the third most with 20, trailing Montana (30) and Sacramento State (28).

Both MSU teams are coming off indoor third-place finishes at the Big Sky meet, but still will try to improve off last season's fifth- and eighth-place showings at the outdoor conference championship. Plenty of events will be up for grabs as well as positioning for the NCAA Preliminary Round. Nine Bobcats are currently in position to participate in the West Regional from May 25-27 in Austin, Texas, for an opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The 2017 Big Sky Conference Championships will have live results available during each day of the meet. A live stream will be provided for the final two days of competition on WatchBigSky.com. Both links are available on the Montana State track and field schedule pages on msubobcats.com.

In the Polls/Rankings
The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced the sixth edition of the Mountain Regional rankings on Monday and both Montana State teams had upward movement. The MSU men's team came in at 12th with an index score of 232.91. The Bobcat women jumped four spots up in the Mountain Region Rankings to 11th following the third edition and is currently ninth with an index score of 273.27.

Multiple Bobcats also have times that rank among the best to be in contention for the NCAA Division I West Preliminary Rounds.

Division I West Region Rankings
Kyle Douglass – 14th, Discus (186-00) | 26th, Shot Put (59-08.25)
Amanda Jaynes – 22nd, 400 Hurdles (59.14)
Jacqueline Verlanic – 38th, Hammer Throw (191-08)
Alyssa Snyder – 10th, 10,000m (33:45.87)
Carley VonHeeder – T39th, Javelin (150-05)
Calvin Root – 41st, Hammer Throw (199-08)
Christie Schiel – 31st, 800m (2:06.87)
Leslie Gappa – 50th, Javelin (146-11)
Alex Lewis – 48th, Long Jump (24-05.50)
Casey Teska – 24th, Pole Vault (13-05.75)

MSU Record Book Update
A total of 21 Bobcats have forced updates to the Montana State track and field all-time top-10 list during the 2017 outdoor season. At six heading into the four-day California swing, 10 new Bobcats found their way on to the program history charts with their performances among the best in the nation from April 12-15.

Men's Top 10 Updates (During 2017 Season)
Samuel Bloom: 800m, 1:52.04, 9th (Set April 14)
Cameron Carroll: 800m, 1:52.06, 10th (Set April 15)
Diego Leon: 1500m, 14:13.20, 9th (Set April 13)
Noah Martin: High Jump, 6-10.75, 5th (Set April 1)
Alex Lewis: Long Jump, 25-05.50, 2nd (Set May 5)
Kyle Douglass: Shot Put, 59-08.25, 4th (Set April 22) | Discus, 186-00, 2nd (Set April 22)
Calvin Root: Hammer, 199-09, 9th (Set April 29)
Mitch Horning: 100m, 10.69, T3rd (Set May 5) | 200m, 21.53, 7th (Set May 5)

Women's Top 10 Updates (During 2017 Season, *School Record*)
McKenna Ramsay: 400m, 55:19, 8th (Set April 15)
Christie Schiel: *800m, 2:06.87, 1st (Set April 29)* | 1500m, 4:30.89, 8th (Set April 1)
Kendra Larson: 800m, 2:11.21, 7th (Set April 29)
Alyssa Snyder: 5000m, 16:45.46, 6th (Set April 7) | *10000m, 33:45.87, 1st (Set April 13)*
Amanda Jaynes: 400m Hurdles, 59.14, 3rd (Set May 4)
Truanne Roginske: Triple Jump, 38-05.50, 6th (Set April 22)
Jacqueline Verlanic: Hammer, 191-08, 4th (Set May 5)
Callen Crawford: Hammer, 180-07, 8th (Set April 13)
Carley VonHeeder: Javelin, 150-05, 7th (Set April 14)
Jessica Chrisp: Heptathlon, 4942 points, 8th (Set April 13)
Leslie Gappa: Javelin, 146-11, 8th (Set April 22)
Madison Liechty: 3,000 Steeplechase, 9th (Set April 22)
Casey Teska: Pole Vault, 13-05.75, 2nd (Set May 5)

Big Sky Athlete of the Week Tally
Junior Kyle Douglass earned Montana State's first athlete of the week honor from the Big Sky Conference during the outdoor season on Monday, April 17.

He was named the Big Sky Men's Field Athlete of the Week for his solid showing across four separate meets in three days for the Bobcats in California from April 13-15. He jumped to the top of the Big Sky performance list in the discus with his throw of 184-04 during the trip. His throw also put him 13th in the West Region and 28th nationally in the event.

Alex Lewis joined Douglass on the Bobcats' honorees during this outdoor season to be recognized as Big Sky Field Athlete of the Week Monday. Lewis moved to second on the program's all-time top 10 list in the long jump with his leap of 25-05.50. It put him in contention to qualify for the West Regional and also placed him fifth on the Big Sky performance list ahead of the conference meet.

Big Sky Performance List Update
Men's Rankings
100m – Mitch Horning 12th (10.69)
200m – Mitch Horning 10th (21.53)
400m – Samuel Bloom 9th (48.56), Jadin Casey 10th (48.60), Tyler McQueen 17th (49.27)
800m – Samuel Bloom 7th (1:52.04), Cameron Carroll 8th (1:52.06), Frankie Hoerner 13th (1:52.93), John Purlee 15th (1:53.33)
1,500m – Diego Leon 9th (3:49.44), Cameron Carroll 14th (3:51.92), Shawn Peden 16th (3:52.43), Anthony Schmalz 19th (3:52.74)
3,000m Steeplechase – Zach Kughn 9th (9:21.95), Anthony Schmalz 12th (9:24.01)
5,000m – Diego Leon 9th (14:13.20)
10,000m – Ty Mogan 4th (30:31.79), Adam Wollant 5th (30:41.42)
110m Hurdles – Mason Storm 12th (15.11), Christopher Lange 16th (15.36)
400m Hurdles – Christopher Lange 9th (54.14), Caleb Neth 15th (55.91), Jared Schwend 16th (55.94)
4x100m Relay – 42.48 (10th)
4x400m Relay – 3:16.14 (8th)
High Jump – Noah Martin 2nd (6-10.75), Aidan Pedersen T6th (6-08.25)
Pole Vault – Graham Reid T1st (15-07), Knox Semenza T1st (15-07), Austin Decker T7th (15-01), Jake Bradford T7th (15-01), Branygen Andersen T15th (14-07.25), Noah Martin T15th (14-07.25)
Long Jump – Alex Lewis 5th (24-05.50), Trevor Simanski 12th (23-02.50), Caleb Neth 18th (22-11.75)
Triple Jump – Trevor Simanski 14th (46-00), Alex Lewis 15th (45-08)
Shot Put – Kyle Douglass 3rd (59-08.25), Alec Nehring T9th (53-06.50), Calvin Root 14th (50-00.50), Mason Storm 19th (45-08)
Discus – Kyle Douglass 2nd (186-00), Alec Nehring 9th (162-00), Calvin Root 14th (154-04)
Hammer Throw – Calvin Root 2nd (199-08), Alec Nehring 17th (158-07)
Javelin – Ty Bermes 4th (201-04)
Decathlon – Mason Storm 6th (6,327), Dalen Hargett 9th (6,202)

Women's Rankings
100m – Daryan Box T9th (12.05), Truanne Roginske 12th (12.08)
200m – McKenna Ramsay 10th (24.96), Daryan Box 12th (25.01)
400m – McKenna Ramsay 3rd (55.19), Taylor Buschy 13th (56.49)
800m – Christie Schiel 2nd (2:06.87), Kendra Larson 9th (2:11.21), McKenna Ramsay 17th (2:13.00)
1,500m – Christie Schiel 8th (4:30.89), Alyssa Snyder 10th (4:32.63)
3,000m Steeplechase – Madison Liechty 13th (11:10.14), Kendra Larson 15th (11:37.03), Sierra Tucker 19th (11:51.88)
5,000m – Alyssa Snyder 4th (16:45.46)
10,000m – Alyssa Snyder 1st (33:45.87)
100 Hurdles – Amanda Jaynes T5th (14.23)
400 Hurdles - Amanda Jaynes 1st (59.14), Hailey Phillips 15th (1:03.36)
4x100m Relay – 46.38 (3rd)
4x400m Relay – 3:46.68 (3rd)
High Jump – Jessica Chrisp T11th (5-05.25), Shey Hannum T20th (5-03.25)
Pole Vault – Casey Teska 1st (13-05.75), Isabella Calabrese T8th (12-00), Tiffani Finley 17th (11-06.25), Carter Theade (11-06.25)
Triple Jump – Truanne Roginske 7th (38-05.50), Alex Hellenberg 13th (37-04.50), Megan Ralstin 16th (36-10.50)
Shot Put – Lindsay Benson 16th (43-08.50)
Discus – Lindsay Benson 13th (144-05)
Hammer Throw – Jacqueline Verlanic 4th (191-08), Callen Crawford 9th (180-07), Cailyn Schroeder 19th (164-06)
Javelin – Carley VonHeeder 3rd (150-05), Leslie Gappa 6th (146-11), Tiffany Shearman 12th (137-02)
Heptathlon – Jessica Chrisp 5th (4,942)

Bobcat Teams Selected Among Contenders Big Sky Coaches' Preseason Poll
Both the men's and women's teams were listed among the top contenders in the 2017 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track and Field coaches' preseason poll, which was announced by the league on March 21.

The Montana State men's team was selected third by the Big Sky coaches with 113 points. Northern Arizona was a unanimous choice to win its sixth straight title outdoors with the maximum 144 points, while Southern Utah was the runner-up with 129 points. Those three schools separated themselves from the remaining nine in the preseason poll, with Sacramento State (99) and Montana (97) also high on the list.

The MSU women's squad topped expectations during the indoor slate and will again look to do so heading into the outdoor season. The Bobcats were picked fourth by their peers in the preseason poll and accumulated 100 points. The Lumberjacks are predicted to finish in first by their peers and earned 140 points behind eight first-place votes. Montana was picked by four to finish first but was runner-up on the list with 129. Sacramento State follows the Griz on the list with 118 points.

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 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.