Montana State Captures Multiple Podium Finishes at Big Sky Meet on Day Two

Friday, February 28

Pocatello, ID

1:30 p.m.

Montana State University

Big Sky Conference Indoor Championships - Day Two

Photo by: Sam Bloom

Montana State Captures Multiple Podium Finishes at Big Sky Meet on Day Two

2/28/2020 8:58:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Big Sky Results

Derrick Olsen set a new program record while four others claimed all-conference honors on the second day of competition in Pocatello

By: Andrew Pedersen

POCATELLO, Idaho – Montana State had several individuals claim all-conference accolades while others had standout performances to guide the track and field program through the second day of the Big Sky Conference Indoor Championships on Friday, Feb. 28, in Holt Arena.

Two of MSU's four all-conference showings on Friday came in the men's heptathlon.

Wyatt Thompson-Siporen earned a silver medal in the event for the second consecutive year to pace the 'Cats. He totaled 5,111 points behind lifetime bests in the 60 hurdles (9.11 seconds) and the 1,000 (2 minutes, 58.73 seconds). Caleb Neth earned his second bronze medal during his collegiate career, and first indoors, with his third-place showing in the event. Neth earned a career-high 5,054 points thanks to a lifetime-best 2:43.28 in the 1,000 to close out the heptathlon.

The Bobcat women's team had two earn spots on the Big Sky podium.

Lucy Corbett claimed back-to-back Big Sky titles in the high jump with her clearance of 5 feet, 07.50 inches (1.72m). Corbett along with three others topped the height, but the MSU sophomore did it without a miss to earn gold in the event. Leah Klein picked up her first all-conference showing as a Bobcat by finishing second in the shot put. Klein's throw of 48-04.50 (14.74m) was a personal best and moved her from ninth to seventh in program history.

Montana State had five other individual efforts that scored points on Friday, while both of the Bobcats' distance medley relays placed sixth to pick up three points for each squad.

Thompson-Siporen added to his resume by taking fourth in the pole vault. Freshman Ben Perrin made his debut at a Big Sky meet by earning a lifetime-best mark of 14:36.31 in the men's 5,000. That time propelled him to a fourth-place showing as well as the eighth best time in the event in school history.

Twila Reovan and Elena Carter each scored points for the first time in their college careers in the women's long jump. Reovan placed sixth in the event with a leap of 18-00.25 (5.49m). Carter, who came into the meet 24th on the Big Sky performance list, finished with a season-best jump of 17-10.75 (5.45m) to take eighth.

Nine Bobcats advanced to finals races on Saturday.

Derrick Olsen and Drake Schneider each advanced to finals appearances in two events.

Olsen had the fourth fastest time in the men's 60 hurdles, but his mark of 8.02 – converted to 8.04 due to altitude – still broke a 29-year-old school record. The previous record time of 8.07 was held by both Jamison Banna (1991) and Glenn Test (1983). Olsen also ran a lifetime best of 21.87 in the 200 to take eighth, with the time the eighth fastest in program history.

Schneider ran the fastest time in the 400 with his mark of 48.26. He also tied his personal best in the 200 and took fourth in the prelims with his time of 21.73.

The Bobcat men will also be represented in finals races Saturday by Jared Schwend, Cameron Carroll and Riley Collins. Schwend recorded a lifetime-best mark in the 400 and took fifth overall in 49.03. Carroll took second overall in the 800 with his time of 1:52.96 and Collins recorded a personal-best time of 1:54.37 in the event to take the eighth and final spot.

MSU's women's team will have two runners apiece in the 60 hurdle and 800 finals.

Morgan Evans had the fourth overall best time of 8.74 in the 60 hurdles. Evans along with Carter (8.88) will represent the Bobcats Saturday. McKenna Ramsay narrowly set a new personal best in the 800 and took fourth overall behind a time of 2:13.62. Trisha Carlson joins her in the finals with her season best of 2:13.82 as she took seventh in the event.

A variety of Bobcat athletes competed on Friday with several nearly earning points towards the team totals.

Noah Majerus (800) and Hunter Nicholson (heptathlon) each took ninth in their respective events for the men's squad. Thompson-Siporen added to his busy day with a 10th-place showing in the long jump. Will Prettyman tied for 11th in the 60 by crossing in at 6.95. Bradley Graves finished in the same spot as Prettyman in the 60 hurdles by completing a time of 8.22. Casey Gunlikson (200) completed a lifetime best and Lucas Jepsen (49.92) clocked his best this season in the 400 for the Bobcats. Josh Mertz had the men's throws team's best showing by taking 13th in the weight throw with a mark of 52-00 (15.85m).

MSU nearly had four runners in the women's 60 hurdles as Evelyn Adams (8.95) and Delaney Smith (8.96) took 10th and 11th in the prelims, respectively. Lexi Kyro (2:15.97) finished 11th in the 800 and Alex Hellenberg (17-06.75) took 12th in the long jump. Maddie Brockel (7.76) tied her lifetime best in the 60 and Adams added a personal best of 17-06.25 in the long jump. Madi Arneson nearly contributed to MSU's throws with her 13th-place finish in the shot put.

The Bobcat men's team sits in fourth place with 26.5 points and the women's squad is sixth with 27 following the second day of the Big Sky Championships. Northern Arizona leads the men's competition with 53 points and host Idaho State paces the women's competition with 41.

The meet picks back up for its final day of events on Saturday, Feb. 29, with action starting at 10 a.m. in Holt Arena.