FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu December 2, 2016 Preview: MSUB men’s indoor track and field MSUB Track and Field on Facebook | MSUB Track and Field on ISSUU | MSUB Men’s Indoor Records 2016-17 MSUB Men’s Track and Field Schedule | 2016-17 MSUB Men’s Track and Field Roster
Landon Polkow hands the baton to Liam McKay during last year’s GNAC Indoor Championships.
The 2016-17 MSUB men’s track and field team opens competition at the Yellow Jacket Holiday Classic on Saturday in Spearfish, S.D. BILLINGS, Mont. – The 2016-17 MSUB men’s track and field team is set to begin competition on Saturday, Dec. 3, in Spearfish, S.D., at the Yellow Jacket Holiday Classic. The Montana State University Billings squad has 29 student-athletes on the roster with several record-holders returning to the team. The Yellowjackets placed eighth last year at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Championships with 30 points. With the loss of All-American and GNAC champion Robert Peterson, the Yellowjackets will need to make up the team’s points in other events. Peterson, a multi-champion for MSUB, was a two-time indoor champion in the mile and last year anchored the Yellowjackets to a win in the Distance Medley Relay.
“Robert was a great champion for our program,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. “With his loss, we will need to find our points elsewhere. I haven’t seen anyone emerge yet in a single event as the high level Robert was at. But, we have potential on our team for several athletes to step-up.” Three of the four members of the MSUB DMR team are returning this year. Seniors Josh Panasuk, Liam McKay, and Landon Polkow, were all members of the team that finished with the upset victory at last year’s conference championship. “It looks like we have a pretty well-balanced team coming into the season,” Coppock said. “Our distance runners had a good cross country season this fall and should continue to perform well during the indoor season. We’re a lot stronger in the short sprints this year with Sam and Kaelen leading the way. Our long sprints look good too, with Landon and Nate in the 400 meters. Austin could potentially be one of the top hurdlers in the conference and his brother Marcus along with Chuck should be able to step up immediately in the GNAC.” After a standout season on the cross country team, junior Jorey Egeland looks poised to make an impact for the team. The product of Billings Senior High School was a top finisher for the ‘Jackets and while will be focusing on the 3,000 meters, could earn a spot on the relay teams as well. In the sprints, Sam Zook holds the MSUB record in the 60 meters at 7.05 and Nate Vanderby in the 400 meters at 50.84. Sophomore Kaelen Shay had a good year in his first season competing in the GNAC. Senior Austin Lindquist is a joint record holder in the 60 meter hurdles for MSUB. He is joined this season by his brother Marcus who will be competing in the jumps. From Bozeman, Mont., Chuck Carr will also be competing in the jumps for MSUB. The 6-foot-4 freshman is joining the ‘Jackets with a personal-best 6’5” mark in the high jump, just one inch short of the long-time record held by Mark Halland from 1972. “Our throws look strong as well, with Brady in the shot and Nels in the weight throw,” Coppock said. “Beau is back this year after an injury last year and should be a big help in the shot and weight. We will miss Robert Peterson this year, especially when you look at how many points he accounted for at conference, but I think we can step-up to the challenge and balance our scoring across a wider range of events.” Nels Flanagan and Brady Ostermiller will lead the Yellowjackets in the throws. Flanagan is the MSUB record-holder in the 35-LB weight throw (52’2.75”). Ostermiller placed fifth last season at the GNAC indoor championships in the shot put, earning four points for MSUB with a mark of 47’-5.25”. Beau Peaslee is joining the team as a freshman after redshirting last season with an injury. MSU Billings has five meets on the schedule before the conference championships. The team begins the indoor season at Black Hills State with the Holiday Open. The team then has over a month off from competition before the Montana State Open in Bozeman, Mont., on Jan. 13. The ‘Jackets return to Spearfish, S.D., for the Dave Little Alumni Mile on Jan. 21, followed by a meet in Gillette, Wyo., Feb. 3-4, and the Mountain State Games in Idaho, Feb. 10-11. The GNAC Indoor Championships hosted by Northwest Nazarene are Feb. 17-18 in Nampa, Idaho. Yellow Jacket Holiday Classic Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 Young Center Fieldhouse Field Events:
12:30pm 1:30pm
Weight throw (W, M); Shot Put to follow (W, M) Long Jump (M, W); Triple Jump to follow (M, W) High Jump (W, M) Pole Vault (W, M)
Running Events: (rolling schedule, men followed by women) 2:00pm
Mile 60m Hurdle Prelim (if more than 8) 60m Dash Prelim (if more than 8) 400m Dash 60m Hurdle Final 60m Dash Final 800m Run 200m Dash 3000m Run 4x00m Relay --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--