MSUB men's DMR team earns GNAC title

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu February 19, 2016 MSUB men’s DMR team earns GNAC title MSUB Track and Field on Facebook GNAC Championships GNAC Indoor Championship Results GNAC Men’s DMR Race on Periscope

Josh Panasuk, Landon Peterson, Liam McKay, and Robert Peterson earned the GNAC title in the men’s DMR.

Senior Robert Peterson makes up a 60 meter deficit on the final lap as the MSUB men’s DMR team earns a conference title at the GNAC Indoor Championships in Nampa, Idaho.

NAMPA, Idaho. – The MSUB men’s DMR team stole the show Friday night during the first day of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Track and Field Indoor Championships in Nampa, Idaho.

Senior Robert Peterson picked up the baton on the final lap for the Yellowjackets in fifth place, but surged to the front on the final lap, coming from 60 meters back to overtake the leader, earning the conference title and an MSUB school record.

Josh Panasuk led off the race for MSUB, running the 1200 meters, Landon Polkow followed running the 400 meters, Liam McKay ran the 800 meters, and Peterson anchored the race with the mile.

“It was a very exciting race,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. “Josh started off and he has been sick, but did the best he could, and then Landon and Liam kept us in the race, and then when Robert was handed the baton we thought he wouldn’t be able to catch the leaders. But, after the first lap the leaders had dropped back, and Robert thought he should go for it, so he surged ahead and caught the leaders on the final lap.”

Peterson ran his leg in 4:07 – the fastest time in the mile he has run this season. Tomorrow the Skyview High School graduate will run the open mile as well as the 3,000 meters with another chance for a title or a spot at the NCAA nationals.

“If Robert runs that time tomorrow he will qualify for the national race,” Coppock continued. “We are hoping he can duplicate his time today, but we will just have to see.”

The MSU Billings distance medley relay team entered the GNAC championships with the fourth fastest time this season running a 10:10.07 two weeks ago at the Mountain State Games in Pocatello, Idaho. Today the team finished in a MSUB school record time of 10:06.41 to earn 10 points.

Panasuk has the same schedule tomorrow as Peterson. The mile will be run at 11 a.m. and the men’s 3,000 meters will be contested at 3 p.m.

Earning points for the MSUB women’s track and field team during the first day of competition for the Yellowjackets were Della Lyle (5 points), Amanda Nichols (3 points), and the women’s DMR team of Brielle Davis, Janessa Williams, Lyle, and Rio Frame (2 points).

Lyle shattered the MSUB school record in the women’s 5,000 meter race with a fourth place finish of 17:41.12. She had set the record earlier in the season at the Montana State Open in Bozeman, Mont., and today lowered it from her previous time of 18:35.39.

Nichols placed sixth in the pole vault at a height of 10-2.50. The sophomore entered the championships with the fifthbest mark in the conference this season and lived up to her ranking with the result today.

The MSUB women’s distance medley relay team placed seventh in 12:46.88. After running her record-breaking time in the 5,000 meters, Lyle had to turn around 15 minutes later to run the 800 meter leg for the Yellowjackets.

“Della, Amanda, and our women’s DMR team all had great results today,” Coppock said. “Della had to make such a fast turnaround in her events, Amanda had a good day in the pole vault, and our relay team did a really good job in that last event.”

Tomorrow Lyle will continue her first GNAC championships with the 3,000 meters. Williams will compete in the triple jump for the Yellowjackets. The freshman has the ninth-best mark in the conference this season and has a chance to add to the MSUB point total.

“The first day went as well as we could expect,” Coppock commented. “Most everyone on the team did their season’s best today. They have worked hard to get here and are coming through at the best time. Everyone’s personal and season best is the most you can ask for and they are all doing that.”

Tomorrow the GNAC championships continue at 10 a.m. with the men’s shot put final. To follow the results please visit the GNAC results page here. Select events will be broadcast throughout the day on the GNAC Periscope page here.

To watch the MSU Billings men’s distance medley relay team win the conference title you can watch the video here.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Championships Day 1: Men’s Team Scores: Alaska Anchorage 39, Western Washington 31, Simon Fraser 21, Concordia 18, Central Washington 14, Montana State Billings 10, Seattle Pacific 9, Northwest Nazarene 7, Western Oregon 4, Saint Martin’s 3.

Women’s Team Scores: Alaska Anchorage 64, Seattle Pacific 50, Western Washington 39.5, Concordia 29, Central Washington 25, Simon Fraser 18.5, Saint Martin’s 17, Northwest Nazarene 15, Montana State Billings 10, Western Oregon 8.

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--