FARMINGTON, Utah — The Montana State track and field program earned three Big Sky Athlete of the Week awards following a record-breaking weekend at the Bobcat Challenge, as announced by the conference office on Monday.
Hailey Coey was named women’s field athlete of the week for the second time this season after breaking her own school and conference long jump record for the second-consecutive meet.
The women’s 4x400-meter relay team consisting of Tilde Bjerager, Caroline Hawkes, Peyton Garrison and Giulia Gandolfi earned women’s track athlete of the week honors thanks to their school record-breaking performance to wrap up the final day of competition on Saturday.
Sam Ells took home men’s track athlete of the week after winning the men’s mile on Friday.
The Bobcats have won four Big Sky weekly awards this season. Three of those came from this week’s awards cycle, with the fourth going to Coey following another school and Big Sky record-setting long jump performance the Bobcat PReview on Dec. 4.
Coey set a new school and conference record in the long jump for the second time in as many meets at the Bobcat Challenge, leaping 6.47 meters/21 feet, 2.75 inches on her final attempt to earn the event victory. The senior improved to No. 5 in the NCAA in event this season with her record-breaking performance while also setting a new school record in the triple jump with a winning mark of 12.75m/41-10.00.
The women's 4x400m relay team of Bjerager, Hawkes, Garrison, and Gandolfi clocked a converted time of 3:36.91 to earn the event win in Bozeman. The time shattered the previous Montana State indoor school record by nearly 1.5 seconds. The quartet is ranked 16th in the NCAA this season thanks to their performance, which marked their season debut in the event.
Ells won the men's mile at the Bobcat Challenge with a converted time of 3:58.01, leading a Montana State 1-2 sweep in the event as three Bobcats finished in the top five. The time came in Ells' first race of the indoor season following his All-Big Sky cross country season in the fall.
The Bobcats continue their indoor season at the Stacy Dragila Invite on Friday, Jan. 30, at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, Idaho. Montana State will then return home to host the Carignan Classic on Feb. 6.
