BOZEMAN — The Montana State track and field team concluded the indoor regular season in impressive fashion on Thursday night, breaking three school records and one conference record at the Big Sky Tuner.
Sydney Brewster (shot put), Jenavieve Lynch (weight throw) and Kalei Moravitz (800-meter run) all climbed to the top of the program’s all-time top-10 list in their respective events in a meet that primarily showcased the throwers and distance runners. Brewster’s shot put mark vaulted her to 11th in the NCAA this season with a new Big Sky Conference record.
“For a low-key last-chance meet, we certainly had some incredible performances,” coach Lyle Weese said. “Three school records and a Big Sky Conference record is certainly a big day. Sydney Brewster has set such a high standard that a school and Big Sky Conference record seems like a standard performance for her. She is such a great teammate and an elite performer. We are so lucky to have her on our team.
"Jenavieve Lynch has had her eye on the school record in the weight throw for a while now. To see her do it (Thursday) was really special and is certainly a culmination of hard work over so many years. Kalei Moravitz continued her amazing indoor season and cut a good amount of time off the school record in the women's 800 set by Bobcat legend Christie Schiel.”
Brewster shattered the Montana State and Big Sky shot put records with a winning mark of 17.25 meters (56 feet, 7.25 inches) to win the event. The mark came on her opening throw and helped her surpass the previous conference record by nearly nine inches. Brewster now ranks 11th in the nation in the shot put this year as she seeks to punch her ticket to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships as a top-16 performer this season. Emma Brensdal posted a mark of 15.14m (49-8.25) for second place.
Lynch recorded a winning throw of 19.63m (64-5) on her third attempt to shatter the school weight throw record indoors by nearly a foot. The mark helped her surpass her previous facility record in the event with the No. 1 throw in the Big Sky this season. Sydney Mattfeldt finished second in the event with a mark of 17.34m (56-10.75) on her sixth and final throw.
Moravitz crossed the finish line in a school-record and Big Sky-leading converted time of 2:06.94 to win the 800m as Sophia Miller (2:09.22) took second and Iris Rogel (2:09.79) finished third. Moravitz shattered her own facility record with her performance while surpassing the previous school record by 1.64 seconds. Miller’s time is good for seventh in program history while Rogel’s places her at No. 10 in Montana State history.
Easton Hatleberg won the men’s shot put with a throw of 18.34m (60-2) on his fourth attempt, coming within a half-inch of his own No. 4 mark in program history. Talon Holmquist finished second with a mark of 16.25m (53-3.75), and Matt Furdyk recorded a throw of 15.78m (51-9.25) to place third.
Tamia Ramos leaped to a triple jump mark of 12.47m (40-11) as the lone competitor in Bozeman, finishing just 0.75 inch short of her own No. 2 mark in program history. She reached the mark on her fourth attempt.
Hannah Perrin built on her own No. 10 mile time in program history with a converted 4:48.19 to win in Bozeman. Madi Siana followed close behind in second with a 4:55.61, Claire Rutherford clocked a 4:56.40 for third, Eva Koos posted a 4:57.67 to finish fourth, and Stella Diaz rounded out the top five finishers with a time of 5:05.63.
Matt Furdyk recorded the top collegiate mark in the men’s weight throw, posting a mark of 19.34m (63-5.50) on his second attempt to finish third overall. Ben Parks took fifth with a mark of 16.93m (55-6.50) on his second try.
Hailey Coey leaped 6.18m (20-3.50) in the women’s long jump to win the event as Hailey Ells (5.50m (18-0.50)) and Sabine Brueck (5.48m (17-11.75)) finished second and third, respectively. Destiny Nkeonye and Billy Cunningham competed in the men’s long jump, recording respective marks of 6.98m (22-10.75) and 6.95m (22-9.75) to finish first and second.
Ryan Harrington won the men’s mile with a converted time of 4:09.25 while Quinn Newman finished second with a 4:11.00. AJ Ringert (4:11.36) and Eli Boppart (4:11.60) also finished in the top five with respective finishes of fourth and fifth.
Hailey Ells posted a winning converted time of 9.13 in the women’s 60-meter hurdles while Ethan Anderson won on the men’s side with a converted time of 8.42.
Coey clocked a converted 7.59 in the 60m while Olivia Lewis posted a 9.01 to finish first and second. In the men’s event, Malikye Simpson won with a converted 6.92, finishing just 0.01 seconds away from cracking the Montana State all-time top-10 list. Billy Cunningham clocked a 6.99 to finish second.
In the men’s 800m, Will Giesen clocked a winning time of 1:57.66 while Nicola Paletti posted a 2:03.27 for second place.
Olivia Lewis clocked a 25.88 as the lone runner in the women’s 200-meter dash. On the men’s side, Michael Swan earned the victory with a time of 22.28.
Full results from the Big Sky Tuner are available here.
Montana State will open postseason competition at the Big Sky Indoor Track and Field Championships in Pocatello, Idaho, on Feb. 26-28. Those who finish the championship weekend in the top 16 nationally in individual events and the top 12 in relays will advance to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 13-14.
