Montana State's Hailey Coey, 4x400-meter relay team compete at NCAA Championships

EUGENE, Ore. — Montana State long jumper Hailey Coey and the Bobcats' women's 4x400-meter relay team concluded their stellar seasons Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.

Coey, a junior from Billings making her first appearance at the NCAA Championships, placed 20th in the long jump with a mark of 6.00 meters (19 feet, 8¼ inches). Synclair Savage of Louisville won the event with a personal-best jump of 6.72 meters (22-0¾).

Earlier this season, Coey set MSU's school long jump record at 21-3½, which would've tied her for sixth place had she replicated that effort on Thursday. She was the first Bobcat on either the men's or women's side to ever qualify for the NCAA Championships in the event.

Montana State's relay team of Olivia Lewis, Peyton Garrison, Giulia Gandolfi and Caroline Hawkes, which qualified for the NCAA Championships in the final spot from the West regional, finished seventh in its heat Thursday. The Bobcats crossed the finish line in 3:36.70, just shy of one second faster than eight-place Arizona.

Arkansas, which set the collegiate record in the event last year, won the heat in 3:26.08 and Duke was second in 3:28.98 to qualify both teams for the finals. The top two finishers in each of the three heats, plus the next three fastest times, advanced.

Montana State's contingent continues competition Friday at the NCAA outdoor meet with Rob McManus running in the finals of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. McManus placed fourth in his semifinal heat on Wednesday. Friday's final is scheduled to start at 6:24 p.m. Mountain time.