Montana State University
Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships
Bobcats Prep for Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Championships
2/26/2025 2:14:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
Action in Flagstaff at the Walkup Skydome begins Thursday morning and continues through Saturday
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A showdown in the Arizona mountains awaits the Montana State track and field team this weekend when they head to Flagstaff for the 2025 Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The conference meet hosted by Northern Arizona inside the Walkup Skydome begins Thursday and continues through Saturday.
Lina Hommel and reigning Big Sky champion Shelby Schweyen kick off the women's pentathlon on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. with the 60 meter hurdles, while Matthias Mees and reigning Big Sky champion Nicola Paletti start the men's heptathlon on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. with the 60 meter dash.
Last year the Cats swept the multi's for the first time in program history, with Schweyen and Paletti both bringing home the gold.
The entire Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Championships will be streamed on ESPN+, with live results carried on Athletic.live.
A full meet schedule can be viewed here, with the championship central webpage accessed here.
The Cats have enjoyed what has unquestionably been the most successful indoor season in school history, setting three Big Sky Conference records and nine school records—including seven on the women's side alone.
Now they carry that momentum into enemy territory, facing Northern Arizona and the rest of the Big Sky in the Lumberjacks' home building.
Northern Arizona's men's indoor track and field team has won every title available in the Big Sky Conference since 2012, claiming 12 consecutive trophies, while Northern Arizona's women have claimed four consecutive titles
The Lumberjack women will enter the meet as the No. 19 team in the entire nation.
Yet, Montana State's women might have their best chance in decades to win their first indoor conference title since 2001 after finishing runner-up to the 'Jacks at five consecutive conference championships (2022 outdoor, 2023 indoor, 2023 outdoor, 2024 indoor, 2024 outdoor).
The Bobcat women are currently ranked No. 4 in the Mountain Region, one spot behind No. 3 Northern Arizona.
Seven school records have been toppled this winter by the women in the 200 meters (Peyton Garrison), mile (Kyla Christopher-Moody), long jump (Hailey Coey), triple jump (Hailey Coey), shot put (Sydney Brewster), pentathlon (Shelby Schweyen), and 4x400 meter relay.
Coey's best mark of 20-10.75 in the long jump also set the Big Sky record and ranks 18th in the country this year, with Schweyen's pentathlon score of 4,183 also a Big Sky record and currently the 12th-best total in the country this year.
Montana State's men will be bolstered by confidence after knocking off No. 11 Northern Arizona last spring at the 2024 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Bozeman, securing their first title since 2005 with a 186-185 victory.
An unforgettable 4x400 meter relay closed the deal, with indoor and outdoor Big Sky Freshman of the Year Jett Grundy running the final leg of a three-second school record to bring home gold and the team title—beating a Northern Arizona squad that had won nine of the previous 11 team outdoor championships.
Grundy is one of a few Montana State men's athletes who will be making a return from injury this weekend. The sophomore from North Queensland, Australia, won both the indoor and outdoor 400 meter titles last year but has only competed in one meet this winter dealing with injury. Entering Friday's prelims, the Aussie is good to go.
So too is 2024 indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon champion Nicola Paletti. The senior from Bolzano, Italy, missed the entire regular season with an injury but makes a return to the track to defend his title beginning on Thursday.
Three-time Big Sky champion Colby Wilson will look to add to his gold medal collection in the pole vault. The current Big Sky record-holder cleared 6.40 meters two weeks ago to break his own conference record and climb to No. 8 in NCAA Division I this year.
Stryder Todd-Fields broke the school record in the 60 meters earlier this season, running a converted 6.78 to headline an incredible group of sprinters. The four-fastest men in school history in the event all compete for the 2025 Bobcat squad, with Todd-Fields followed closely by Drake Wilkes, Noah Barbery, and Xavier Simpson.
In the throws, Elijah Jackman, Easton Hatleberg, and Talon Holmquist lead the men, while Sydney Brewster, Jenavieve Lynch, and Emma Brensdal lead the women.
On the distance side, the Cats will look to hold their own against an NAU group that has consistently been among the best in the country.
Rob McManus, Harvey Cramb, and Sam Ells ran three of the five fastest indoor miles in school history last week, with McManus and Cramb entering the weekend ranking 14th and 15th in the country respectively in the event.
Kyla Christopher-Moody achieved one of her biggest personal goals last week at the Big Sky Tuner, shattering the school record in the mile after a handful of close calls. The graduate student in her final ride as a Bobcat leads a group that includes standouts like Lindsey Paulson.
The Bobcat men have never won an indoor Big Sky title, finishing runner-up on six occasions.
The Bobcat women won their only indoor Big Sky title in 2001, finishing runner-up nine times.
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