(MSUB Athletics release)
CHADRON, Neb. – Isaiah Girard set a school record in long jump and the track and field teams of Montana State University Billings enjoyed another successful meet at the Chadron State College Open on Sunday at Nelson Physical Activity Center. Girard surpassed Taylor Firestone’s 2012 long jump mark of 6.88 meters with a jump of 6.99 meters Sunday afternoon. The Yellowjackets were competing against athletes from Chadron State, South Dakota School of Mines, Colorado School of Mines, Black Hills State, and Metro State Denver in their third indoor track meet of the spring.
Other top performers included Brady Ostermiller, Beau Peaslee, Kaelen Shay, Ivan Colmenero, Nikki Aiken, Sierra Durbin, and Hailey Steinbeisser. The Yellowjackets have just four days off before they travel to Air Force Academy for the Air Force Invitational on January 25-26.
“Overall, it was a good meet for us,” commented head coach Jon Woehl. I’m glad we were able to go down to Chadron State and compete. Everyone has been working really hard the last couple months and it has been showing in our results. Hopefully we can continue to keep getting better as the season goes on.”
Ostermiller grabbed a second place finish in men’s shot put for MSUB with a throw of 15.70 meters to set a new personal record. Forrest Cross threw 14.78 meters in the same event to take fifth. Steinbesser set a personal best in women’s weight throw and has improved in the event in each of the first three indoor meets this season. Steinbesser’s 13.71 throw was good for ninth place among 16 competitors. In men’s weight throw Peaslee posted a mark of 15.13 meters and got fourth place. Cross was seventh in the event at 14.33 meters.
The Yellowjackets exceeded expectations in both men’s and women’s distance running at Chadron State. Nikki Aiken finished a season best 5:40.12 in the mile run. Kailee Stoppel came across the line in 5:47.83 in the same event. For the men, Hovland finished third in the mile and posted his best indoor time to date at 4:26.82. Colmenero was two positions behind and crossed the line in 4:29.15 in his best indoor time.
In sprints, Anne Lore Chevalier was MSUB’s top finisher in the women’s 60 meter finals with a third place time of 8.16 seconds. Michaela Johnson was fourth in 8.27 seconds and Brooke Johnson showed considerable improvement from the MSU Open meet. She dropped from 8.49 seconds in Bozeman to 8.35, good for seventh position.
Josey Smiedala was MSUB’s top finisher in the women’s 200 meter dash. She came in eighth place with a time of 27.68. Chadron State took the top two spots in the women’s 400 meter dash but Breanna Beckett was seventh in 1:02.85. Sierra Durbin set a season best 2:32.39 time in the women’s 800 meter run to finish ninth.
MSU Billings had three participants in the men’s 60 meter dash. Kaelen Shay (7.02 seconds), Mason Schram (7.05 seconds), and Sam Zook (7.05 seconds) took third, fourth, and fifth respectively in the event. Hovland took sixth in the 800 meter run (2:00.65) and Carson Jessop came across 14th in the men’s 3000 meter run with a time of 9:31.63.
Aside from a record setting performance in long jump, Girard also finished second in an 11 athlete field for men’s high jump. Girard jumped 2.00 meters for second place behind Black Hills State’s Tristan Hepp (2.06 meters). Girard was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the meet for MSUB.
