Hellenberg Sees Work Paying off in Sophomore Campaign
2/23/2018 8:24:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Alex Hellenberg was eager to rebound as a sophomore when the 2017-18 season came around. She's certainly made her mark this year.
The sophomore season is known as the "make it or break it" year in the Bobcat track and field program. After a freshman year that didn't meet her expectations, Alex Hellenberg was eager to rebound as a sophomore when the 2017-18 season came around.
She's certainly made her mark this year.
Hellenberg heads into the Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships today as one of Montana State's most versatile athletes. Not only will she be competing in her first conference indoor meet of her collegiate career, she'll also be representing the Bobcats in three events.
"I want to definitely place in at least one event," Hellenberg said. "I'd really like to jump 12-6 in the (pole) vault, really like to hit a 38 in the triple (jump) and stay consistent in the 18's in the long (jump)."
Getting to this spot took extra work for the native from Longmont, Colo.
Hellenberg competed in seven indoor meets for the Bobcats as a freshman, then capped her first year at MSU by finishing 15th at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in the triple jump. Despite appearing in six outdoor meets for the Bobcats, Hellenberg was determined to continue to develop on the track.
"I definitely think my outdoor season was lackluster last year," Hellenberg said. "I no heighted in the vault and jumped 35 feet in the triple jump (at the conference championships). That was such a huge motivator for my summer to just come back and know that I wanted to prove that I deserved to be on the team.
"I was going to work my butt off to keep those marks high and get back to where I was in high school."
Her extra work between her freshman and sophomore seasons has paid dividends. Hellenberg leaped her way into the Montana State record book throughout the course of the season.
Hellenberg joined the program's all-time top 10 list in both the triple jump and long jump during the Bobcats' Powder River Dual victory over Wyoming on Jan. 27. She currently stands fifth in MSU history in the triple jump (37-10.25) and eighth in the long jump (18-07.25). Hellenberg added almost a foot to her lifetime best in the pole vault this season by clearing 12-00 on two occasions.
"I think it has to do with what she did over the summer," assistant coach Tom Eitel said of Hellenberg's improvement. "Sophomore year is make it or break it and if they don't go home and train, they're usually not going to have a very good year. But, she went home and trained hard. She was part of a (pole) vault club so she got to jump more and in more meets. She put the time in and got more reps."
Hellenberg putting in extra work is what eventually led her to track and field in the first place.
Both of her parents, Martin and Jayne Hellenberg, were divers for the University of Wyoming swimming and diving program. Because of her family's background, Alex was a swimmer for nine years and also worked on some diving on the side. Her training in that sport played a role in finding the events she'd compete in at the Division I level.
"In training for swimming we would do dryland workouts," Hellenberg said. "I worked with a coach outside my high school, in circuit training, who told me I should try pole vault. That's how I really jumped into track was by doing vault and then got into triple and long jump as well.
"Going into it I was definitely (interested in it) because it's exciting. Pole vault is pretty dangerous, you just get to be so high in the air all the time. As I've grown in the sport, it came to be about this group of people I get to be with all the time."
Hellenberg will play a big role for the Bobcats if she's able to produce points. She goes into the triple jump at seventh on the event's performance list among Big Sky competitors. Hellenberg is just shy of being a projected point scorer for MSU in the long jump and pole vault, going into the two events in the 11th spot.
Despite that, Eitel said he thinks Hellenberg's makeup will help her whether she reaches her high goals or not.
"She brings a lot of things to the table," Eitel said. "She's almost like an upperclassman with how mature she is. When she competes, she doesn't crack very often, she's steady that way. She gets it."
Hellenberg and a majority of the Bobcat contingent get their starts at the Big Sky Conference Championships today. Hellenberg participates in the long jump, then will appear in the triple jump and pole vault Saturday.
She's certainly made her mark this year.
Hellenberg heads into the Big Sky Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships today as one of Montana State's most versatile athletes. Not only will she be competing in her first conference indoor meet of her collegiate career, she'll also be representing the Bobcats in three events.
"I want to definitely place in at least one event," Hellenberg said. "I'd really like to jump 12-6 in the (pole) vault, really like to hit a 38 in the triple (jump) and stay consistent in the 18's in the long (jump)."
Getting to this spot took extra work for the native from Longmont, Colo.
Hellenberg competed in seven indoor meets for the Bobcats as a freshman, then capped her first year at MSU by finishing 15th at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships in the triple jump. Despite appearing in six outdoor meets for the Bobcats, Hellenberg was determined to continue to develop on the track.
"I definitely think my outdoor season was lackluster last year," Hellenberg said. "I no heighted in the vault and jumped 35 feet in the triple jump (at the conference championships). That was such a huge motivator for my summer to just come back and know that I wanted to prove that I deserved to be on the team.
"I was going to work my butt off to keep those marks high and get back to where I was in high school."
Her extra work between her freshman and sophomore seasons has paid dividends. Hellenberg leaped her way into the Montana State record book throughout the course of the season.
Hellenberg joined the program's all-time top 10 list in both the triple jump and long jump during the Bobcats' Powder River Dual victory over Wyoming on Jan. 27. She currently stands fifth in MSU history in the triple jump (37-10.25) and eighth in the long jump (18-07.25). Hellenberg added almost a foot to her lifetime best in the pole vault this season by clearing 12-00 on two occasions.
"I think it has to do with what she did over the summer," assistant coach Tom Eitel said of Hellenberg's improvement. "Sophomore year is make it or break it and if they don't go home and train, they're usually not going to have a very good year. But, she went home and trained hard. She was part of a (pole) vault club so she got to jump more and in more meets. She put the time in and got more reps."
Hellenberg putting in extra work is what eventually led her to track and field in the first place.
Both of her parents, Martin and Jayne Hellenberg, were divers for the University of Wyoming swimming and diving program. Because of her family's background, Alex was a swimmer for nine years and also worked on some diving on the side. Her training in that sport played a role in finding the events she'd compete in at the Division I level.
"In training for swimming we would do dryland workouts," Hellenberg said. "I worked with a coach outside my high school, in circuit training, who told me I should try pole vault. That's how I really jumped into track was by doing vault and then got into triple and long jump as well.
"Going into it I was definitely (interested in it) because it's exciting. Pole vault is pretty dangerous, you just get to be so high in the air all the time. As I've grown in the sport, it came to be about this group of people I get to be with all the time."
Hellenberg will play a big role for the Bobcats if she's able to produce points. She goes into the triple jump at seventh on the event's performance list among Big Sky competitors. Hellenberg is just shy of being a projected point scorer for MSU in the long jump and pole vault, going into the two events in the 11th spot.
Despite that, Eitel said he thinks Hellenberg's makeup will help her whether she reaches her high goals or not.
"She brings a lot of things to the table," Eitel said. "She's almost like an upperclassman with how mature she is. When she competes, she doesn't crack very often, she's steady that way. She gets it."
Hellenberg and a majority of the Bobcat contingent get their starts at the Big Sky Conference Championships today. Hellenberg participates in the long jump, then will appear in the triple jump and pole vault Saturday.
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Women's Track and Field2022 Big Sky Outdoor Championships
Monday, May 16
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
