Bobcats Start Strong in Albuquerque, Seattle

Friday, February 13

Albuquerque, N.M.

TBA

Montana State University

Don Kirby Elite Invitational - Day 1

Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services

2/13/2026 9:34:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Don Kirby Elite Invitational - Day 1 Results

Montana State wins four events, betters 10 top-10 marks to open split weekend

By: Pershelle Rohrer

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- The Montana State track & field team opened its split weekend with impressive marks on Friday, compiling four event wins and 10 improvements to the program's all-time top-10 list between the Don Kirby Elite Invitational, hosted by New Mexico, and the Husky Classic, hosted by Washington.

Hailey Coey (long jump), Tilde Bjerager (unseeded 400-meter dash), and Chase McGee (pole vault) all impressed with event victories in Albuquerque while Jenavieve Lynch picked up a weight throw victory in Seattle. The pole vaulters bettered three top-10 marks while the sprinters improved five to highlight a strong first day of competition for the Bobcats.

Coey came within one centimeter of tying her school and conference record in the long jump, posting a winning mark of 6.46 meters/21 feet, 2.50 inches in Albuquerque. She recorded the mark on her third attempt. Tamia Ramos moved into sixth in program history in the event with a jump of 5.86m/19-2.75 on her third attempt, finishing 17^th overall.

Drake Wilkes moved from eighth to third on the MSU all-time top-10 list with a converted time of 21.44 in the unseeded 200-meter dash at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational. He finished 11^th overall in the event.

Caroline Hawkes posted a 10^th-place finish in the unseeded women's 200m in the following event, clocking a converted 23.89 to move into a tie for third on the MSU all-time top-10 list. She later posted an impressive time of 53.19 in the 400m invitational to finish seventh, just .08 seconds short of her own school record. Jaeden Wolff finished close behind Hawkes in the 200m with an 11^th-place time of 24.01.

In the unseeded 400m in Albuquerque, Bjerager and Giulia Gandolfi secured a 1-2 finish for the Bobcats with converted times of 53.88 and 54.41. The two Bobcats moved into fourth and sixth in program history, respectively, in the event.

McGee and Jordan Lasher finished first and second in section B of the pole vault to open the Don Kirby Elite Invitational, recording respective marks of 5.27m/17-3.50 and 5.12m/16-9.50. McGee moved into the No. 4 spot in program history in the event indoors while Lasher took over the No. 6 spot.

On the women's side, Libby Hansen finished runner-up in the B section of the pole vault with a clearance of 4.10m/13-5.25. She moved from sixth to fourth in program history with the mark, clearing the bar on her first attempt.

Nash Coley broke into the program top 10 with his 48.15 in the unseeded 400m in Albuquerque, finishing 13^thin the event to move into a tie for the No. 8 spot.

In Seattle, Hannah Perrin cracked the Montana State all-time top-10 list with a time of 9:33.73 to finish 43^rd. Her time ranks ninth in program history in the event. Three other Bobcats competed in the event. Eva Koos clocked a 9:40.25, Claire Rutherford crossed the line in 9:45.12, and Madi Siana posted a time of 9:47.69.

Lynch earned the win in the weight throw at the Husky Classic, reaching a mark of 18.39m/60-4 on her opening throw. Fellow Bobcats Sydney Brewster (4^th) and Sydney Mattfeldt (5^th) joined her in the top five with respective marks of 17.31m/56-9.50 and 16.94m/55-7. On the men's side, Matt Furdyk finished second with a mark of 19.07m/62-6.75 on his fourth attempt.

Full results from the Don Kirby Elite Invitational are available here. Results from the Husky Classic are available here.

The Bobcats will continue competition in New Mexico and Washington on Saturday. Ethan Anderson will kick off the track action for the Bobcats in Albuquerque in the men's 60m hurdles prelims at 10 a.m. MT, and the men's and women's triple jumpers will begin competition at the same time. Coey and Ramos are set to compete on the women's side, and Trystin Chapel and Destiny Nkeonye will jump for the men.

In Seattle, Sydney Brewster, Emma Brensal, and Maggie Hillis will open competition for the Cats in the women's shot put at 11 a.m. MT. A slew of distance runners will kick off the running events for the Bobcats in the women's mile. Rutherford, Kaitlyn Skinner, Samantha Geraets, Perrin, Siana, Niamh Motley, and Koos are all set to run for Montana State in its opening track event of the day.

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For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State track & field program, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsTFXC. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.