FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu February 11, 2017 Trio of records fall at Mountain State Games MSUB Track and Field on Facebook | MSUB Track and Field on ISSUU | Mountain State Games Results
Collins, Smiedala, Williams, and Beckett after the MSUB record in the women’s 4x4 relay.
A trio of records falls for the MSUB track and field teams at the Mountain State Games hosted by Idaho State Friday and Saturday. POCATELLO, Idaho. – The records continue to fall for the MSUB track and field teams as three more were broken during the two-day Mountain State Games hosted by Idaho State Friday and Saturday at Holt Arena. Junior Sam Zook blasted out to a 6.85 (6.87 converted) to win the 60 meters against competition from multiple divisions, lowering his MSUB record from 6.90. Zook’s time is a NCAA provisional qualifying mark and the second fastest time in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season. For the third time this season, junior Nels Flanagan bested his own MSUB record in the men’s weight throw. The junior earned a toss of 54-05.25 placing him at third in the GNAC. The women’s 4x400 meter relay team of Jewlz Collins, Josey Smiedala, Janessa Williams, and Brenna Beckett broke through with a school record of 4:03.25, bettering a 2011 time of 4:04.44 (Berry, Jackson, Simons, Halle). The four
women have been improving each meet in the event and with the time today have moved up to sixth in the conference this season. “I thought today’s meet went really well,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. “We had some of our best performances of the season. Sam with his NCAA provisional qualifying mark ran a really good middle race after a tough start so we are really excited to see him at conference next week. Nels breaking his own record again is progressing really well and is peaking at the right time. The women in the 4x4 have set themselves up extremely well for the championships next week. They are really excited to have broken that record and I know they are eager to have a chance to do it again next week.” “We had some really great performances and I think this meet went a long ways to help us gain momentum heading into next week’s championships. Our teams are doing really well and I am excited about our prospects at conference.” Sam Zook ran 6.85 in the 60 meters at the Mountain State Games.
With the Mountain State Games being the last event before the GNAC Indoor Championships next week hosted by Northwest Nazarene, MSUB was looking to move up in several categories. Landon Polkow improved his time in the 200 to 23:21 while Nate Vanderby improved to 52:21 in the 400 meters. Smiedala dropped her times in the 200 meters to 26:36 and 2:21.04 in the 800 meters. In the women’s 3,000 meters, Nikki Aiken ran 11:14.29 just in front of Rio Frame at 11:15.25. The men’s DMR team of Josh Panasuk, Polkow, Mark Hovland, and Jorey Egeland ran 10:29.24 moving MSUB up to fourth in the GNAC this season. In the field events, freshman Marcus Lindquist completed a mark of 42-08.75 in the triple jump for the seventh best mark in the GNAC this year. In the shot put, Brady Ostermiller moved into the GNAC top-10 with a heave of 46-11. In the women’s shot put, freshman Kassadee Kuoha completed her season’s best mark of 44-04.75 for 13th in the conference. Next week is the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 17 and 18 at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho. Advanced tickets are available online now at Eventbrite.
Events on Fri., Feb. 17, begin at 9 a.m. with the combined events. The running events begin at 2:15 p.m., with the women’s pentathlon 800 meters. Field events commence at 3:30 p.m. with the women’s weight throw. Finals will be held in the men’s and women’s weight throw, men’s and women’s high jump, women’s pole vault, women’s high jump, men’s and women’s 5,000 meters and the men’s and women’s distance medley relay. Saturday’s session begins with the men’s heptathlon at 9:30 a.m. Field events begin at 10 a.m., with the women’s shot put and high jump. Running events commence at 11:25 a.m., with the women’s mile. All events on Saturday are finals. For more information on the 2017 GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, please visit the Championship Information Page. THE BUZZ: The women’s 4x400 meter relay team named St. Vincent Healthcare Athletes of the Day. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--