Seven Individual Bobcats Compete for National Championships at CNFR Finale on Saturday
6/17/2023 3:02:00 AM | Men's Rodeo, Women's Rodeo
Tayla Moeykens and Paige Rasmussen pace the Cats heading into Championship Round
Tayla Moeykens and Paige Rasmussen remain in contention for individual national championships, four Bobcat men advanced to the short go in steer wrestling, and seven Montana State student-athletes in total compete for national titles in eight events during Saturday's Championship Round at the 2023 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
College rodeo's national championship concludes Saturday beginning at 7 pm in the Ford Wyoming Center. The event streams live on ESPN3.
Moeykens' barrel racing aggregate of 42.01, posted Thursday, held up through Friday's performance as the MSU junior set up a showdown with West Alabama sisters Taycie Matthews (41.59) and Jaylie Matthews (14.14) in Saturday's championship go. Moeykens' 13.91 captured top honors in the third round.
Rasmussen's consistency put her in position to contend for a second national title on Saturday, as she posted her third straight top 10 round. She recorded a 6.1 in as the third and final long go-round concluded, bookending her first round 6.2 and second round time of 6.0. Rasmussen won top all-around honors at the 2021 CNFR.
Montana State entered the CNFR with experience and depth in the steer wrestling, and that shows up in the lineup for Saturday's championship round. Four of the 12 competitors wear Blue and Gold Saturday, making MSU the only school with more than one finalist. West Alabama's Joshua Ellison stands first with a 19.3 aggregate, with three Bobcats in striking distance. Jaden Whitman is third (22.9), Traver Johnson fifth (23.9), Mike Nannini eighth (26.0), and Bode Spring ninth (27.3).
Spring also competes in the tie-down roping on Saturday. He stands seventh, 29.7 on the average. Cate Hepper enters Saturday' night's round ninth in the breakaway roping (17.4) after Friday's 12.2.
The Bobcat women's team stand in second place entering Saturday's championship round, with 288.3 points. West Alabama's 473.3 points leads the competition, with both Matthews sisters eligible to score team points in the barrel racing. Rasmussen (goat tying) and Moeykens (barrel racing) can score team points for the Cats.
MSU's men begin Saturday in ninth place in the team standings with 255.0 points, off the pace set by leader Clarendon College (495.0). Spring and all three other steer wrestlers remain eligible to score team points for the Bobcats.
SADDLE BRONC:
15. Caleb Meeks, 207.5 (62.0-77.0-68.5)
TIE-DOWN ROPING:
7. Bode Spring, 29.7 (9.3-10.7-9.7)
STEER WRESTLING:
3. Jaden Whitman 22.9 (9.1-8.9-4.9)
5. Trav Johnson, 23.9 (12.3-5.6-6.0)
8. Mike Nannini, 26.0 (17.7-3.5-4.8)
9. Bode Spring, 27.3 (11.4-9.0-6.9)
TEAM ROPING:
26. Hayden Taylor, heeler (NS-5.9-5.9)
BARREL RACING:
2. Tayla Moeykens, 42.01 (13.85-14.25-13.91)
27. Paige Rasmussen, 44.20 (14.92-14.97-14.31)
32. Alexis McDonald, 48.55 (14.60-19.54-14.41)
BREAKAWA2Y ROPING:
9. Cate Hepper (2.7-2.5-12.2)
17. Meghan McGinley (NS-2.3-3.0)
49. Jacee Currin (NS-NS-NS)
29. Molly Salmond (NS-NS-2.3)
GOAT TYING:
3. Paige Rasmussen (6.2-6.0-6.1)
21. Jessica Stevens (5.9-7.0-8.1)
42. Jacee Currin (7.1-7.1-NS)
College rodeo's national championship concludes Saturday beginning at 7 pm in the Ford Wyoming Center. The event streams live on ESPN3.
Moeykens' barrel racing aggregate of 42.01, posted Thursday, held up through Friday's performance as the MSU junior set up a showdown with West Alabama sisters Taycie Matthews (41.59) and Jaylie Matthews (14.14) in Saturday's championship go. Moeykens' 13.91 captured top honors in the third round.
Rasmussen's consistency put her in position to contend for a second national title on Saturday, as she posted her third straight top 10 round. She recorded a 6.1 in as the third and final long go-round concluded, bookending her first round 6.2 and second round time of 6.0. Rasmussen won top all-around honors at the 2021 CNFR.
Montana State entered the CNFR with experience and depth in the steer wrestling, and that shows up in the lineup for Saturday's championship round. Four of the 12 competitors wear Blue and Gold Saturday, making MSU the only school with more than one finalist. West Alabama's Joshua Ellison stands first with a 19.3 aggregate, with three Bobcats in striking distance. Jaden Whitman is third (22.9), Traver Johnson fifth (23.9), Mike Nannini eighth (26.0), and Bode Spring ninth (27.3).
Spring also competes in the tie-down roping on Saturday. He stands seventh, 29.7 on the average. Cate Hepper enters Saturday' night's round ninth in the breakaway roping (17.4) after Friday's 12.2.
The Bobcat women's team stand in second place entering Saturday's championship round, with 288.3 points. West Alabama's 473.3 points leads the competition, with both Matthews sisters eligible to score team points in the barrel racing. Rasmussen (goat tying) and Moeykens (barrel racing) can score team points for the Cats.
MSU's men begin Saturday in ninth place in the team standings with 255.0 points, off the pace set by leader Clarendon College (495.0). Spring and all three other steer wrestlers remain eligible to score team points for the Bobcats.
SADDLE BRONC:
15. Caleb Meeks, 207.5 (62.0-77.0-68.5)
TIE-DOWN ROPING:
7. Bode Spring, 29.7 (9.3-10.7-9.7)
STEER WRESTLING:
3. Jaden Whitman 22.9 (9.1-8.9-4.9)
5. Trav Johnson, 23.9 (12.3-5.6-6.0)
8. Mike Nannini, 26.0 (17.7-3.5-4.8)
9. Bode Spring, 27.3 (11.4-9.0-6.9)
TEAM ROPING:
26. Hayden Taylor, heeler (NS-5.9-5.9)
BARREL RACING:
2. Tayla Moeykens, 42.01 (13.85-14.25-13.91)
27. Paige Rasmussen, 44.20 (14.92-14.97-14.31)
32. Alexis McDonald, 48.55 (14.60-19.54-14.41)
BREAKAWA2Y ROPING:
9. Cate Hepper (2.7-2.5-12.2)
17. Meghan McGinley (NS-2.3-3.0)
49. Jacee Currin (NS-NS-NS)
29. Molly Salmond (NS-NS-2.3)
GOAT TYING:
3. Paige Rasmussen (6.2-6.0-6.1)
21. Jessica Stevens (5.9-7.0-8.1)
42. Jacee Currin (7.1-7.1-NS)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
/ Women's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
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