OGDEN, UT — (EDITOR'S NOTE: MONTANA STATE ATHLETICS PRESS RELEASE)
The Montana State track and field program combined to set two new school records while the Bobcats had five individuals complete all-conference performances on Friday, May 14, at the 2021 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships.
Lucy Corbett got the day started for the Bobcats at Weber State's Stewart Stadium by winning her third gold medal overall – and first outdoors – of her college career in the women's high jump. Corbett topped both her indoor and outdoor bests on back-to-back attempts. She cleared 5 feet, 10.75 inches then followed that by setting a new record mark of 6 feet (1.83m). That clearance broke a 36-year-old MSU record previously held by Alira Johnson (5-10) and was a top 10 jump ever in Big Sky history.
Duncan Hamilton had two strong showings for Montana State on Friday. He opened his Big Sky slate by earning his second consecutive title in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. His time of 8 minutes, 53.91 seconds broke the stadium record. Hamilton's converted mark of approximately 8:37, due to altitude, is the second fastest clip by a Bobcat only behind Lyle Weese.
The Bozeman native put together another strong effort less than an hour later as he placed fifth in the 1,500 preliminaries to advance to the finals on Saturday. His time of 3:47.41 was a personal best.
Derrick Olsen set his second school-record mark and first outdoors. The Bobcat sprinter finished second overall in the 110 hurdle prelims by crossing the line in 13.94 seconds. His mark broke a 28-year-old program record previously held by Jamison Banna that was 14.01.
The Bobcat throwers had their first podium finish of the championship when Cantor Coverdell completed a throw of 221-04 (67.46m) in the men's javelin on his second attempt. That mark would be enough to earn Coverdell a gold medal in his first Big Sky meet appearance as well as the fourth slot on MSU's all-time top 10 list. Coverdell became just the third Bobcat male athlete to win a javelin title in the previous 35 years.
Montana State had several other performances in finals events that highlighted the day in Ogden.
Collin Buck and Camila Noe each earned their best finishes of their career during their eligibility outdoors. Buck turned in a silver medal performance in the men's 10,000 by coming in at a time of 29:59.71. He became the first Bobcat male to earn all-Big Sky honors in the event in nine years. Noe completed a time of 35:01.43 to place second, which converted due to altitude, is the third fastest in program history.
The Bobcats had three runners score points in the men's steeplechase. Levi Taylor placed fourth with a time of 9:19.60 and Cooper West fiinished eighth crossing in at 9:31.33. Two others scored in the women's steeplechase as Gillian Maness came in at a time of 11:00.94 and Trish Carlson followed in eighth at 11:02.97.
Evelyn Adams led the way for the Bobcats in the women's long jump. She completed a leap of 19-00.50 (5.80m), which was a personal best, and moved her into a tie for fifth all-time among Bobcats in the event. She finished just shy of a podium by taking fourth overall.
Scorers in the field events for the Bobcat men were Alec Nehring, Noah Martin and Henry Adams. Nehring placed seventh in the shot put with a toss of 57-05 (17.50m). Winegar completed a lifetime best in the javelin and took seventh behind a throw of 201-03 (61.34m). Adams and Martin each tied for seventh in the pole vault by clearing 14-07.50 (4.46m).
MSU's women' squad had multiple competitors nearly score for the team total. Alex Hellenberg and Brookelyn Palin each placed ninth in the long jump and discus, respectively. Elena Carter took 10th in the long jump, while Madi Arneson and Zoe Waddell finished 12th and 13th in the discus, to nearly earn spots to complete a final three throws in the event. Zoe Johnson placed 10th in the women's high jump. Lauren Stanford and Alex Moore placed 13th and 14th in the 10,000. A'lena Chaney completed a lifetime-best mark of 18-04.25 (5.59) in the long jump while Kylie Christiansen took 21st to lead the Bobcat women in the hammer throw.
Carter Slade (shot put) and Hunter Nicholson pole vault) each took ninth in their respective events for the Bobcat men. Cooper Hoffman had a 10th-place throw in the javelin while Caleb Neth placed 14th in the long jump.
The Bobcats had performances on Friday that advanced competitors to Saturday finals races.
MSU's men's team will be represented in finals opportunities by Olsen, Hamilton, Adams, Will Anderson, Drake Schneider, Jared Schwend and Damien Nelson. Adams will join Olsen in the 110 hurdle finals after he took sixth overall in the prelims with a time of 14.49. Anderson will be a scorer for the Bobcats in his first Big Sky appearance as he placed seventh in the 400 prelims crossing in at 48.67. Drake Schneider, the two-time conference champion in the 400 hurdles, placed first in the prelims and will be joined by Schwend whose lifetime-best mark of 53.20 he set was sixth among runners in the prelims.
Nelson, in his first Big Sky meet showing, advanced to two finals races. The Great Falls native tied his lifetime best in the 100 of 10.64 and took third overall in the prelims. He came across the line first in the third heat of the 200 prelims to automatically advance to Saturday doing so behind the 10th fastest time by a Bobcat of 21.51.
Representing the Bobcat women's squad in finals races Saturday will be Elena Carter , Morgan Evans [msubobcats.com], Macy White and Trisha Carlson. Carter clocked the second-fastest time by a Bobcat ever in the 100 hurdles with her mark of 13.78. She placed first in the second heat ahead of Evans, who also advanced with the fourth fastest time overall of 14.10. Carlson placed second in the second heat, and seventh overall, in the 800 with a time of 2:13.00. White completed the second fastest 100 time of her career of 11.80 and advanced to a finals race with the fourth best time of the prelims.
Evelyn Adams nearly made the final in the 100 hurdles as she placed ninth overall crossing in at 14.34. White almost added a 200 finals appearance by taking 10th in the 200 prelims running against a headwind and finished with a time of 24.96.
Montana State's men's squad is in second place with seven of 21 events scored with their 51 points. Weber State is in the lead with 77 while Northern Arizona sits in third with 40. The MSU women's team sits in sixth place at 26 points. NAU holds a slight 47-46 edge over Weber State in the team standings.
The Bobcats return to action Saturday in Ogden for the final day of the Big Sky Outdoor Championships which are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
