FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, April 1, 2017 Track & field resumes schedule in Colorado Sunday
Set to participate in the Tom Benich Invite on Sunday, MSUB’s men’s and women’s track & field teams continue their outdoor season on the road. BILLINGS, Mont. – After a successful opening outdoor meet last weekend, the Montana State University Billings men’s and women’s track and field teams will be back in action on Sunday at the Tom Benich Invitational in Greeley, Colo. The meet will be hosted by the University of Northern Colorado, with a mix of NCAA Division I & II competition on tap for the Yellowjackets. “We got a lot accomplished (last week), and we took some good wins out there,” MSUB head coach Dave Coppock commented on the Yellowjackets’ meet at Montana State University last Saturday. “This week we want to get going on our short relays, and I’m anxious to see how our sprinters do. I think this will be a really good, competitive meet.” Reigning GNAC Player of the Week Sam Zook, who picked up his third honor of the year after two more broken records last week, will attack both the 100-meters and 200-meters again this week. “It was really exciting coming off indoor, and
I was hoping to open up strong in the 100 and 200,” said Zook. “I exceeded my expectations, and I think it was a good start to the season.” The squad of Santiago de la Rosa Mora, Kyle McLaughlin, Mark Hovland, and Landon Polkow will line up in the 4x400 relay with an entry time of 3:30. Freshman Braden Rykal is also entered in the 100meters and 200-meters, and brothers Austin Lindquist and Marcus Lindquist will each represent the ‘Jackets in the 200-meters. Men’s distance runners will spread their talent across the 1,500meters, 5,000-meters, and 3,000-meter steeple chase on Sunday. Seniors Garrett Love and Jacob Marshall will each run the 5k, along with Jacob Gibbs and Ivan Colmenero. Junior Jorey Egeland, who won his heat in the 5k last week in Bozeman, is entered in the 800-meters with a time of 1:59, and in the 3,000-meter steeple with a mark of 9:39.72. Tyus Mendoza will run alongside Egeland in the steeple chase, starting the meet with a time of 9:59.82. Forrest Cross will hold down all four throwing events, while Brady Ostermiller will throw the shot and discus and Beau Peaslee is entered in the shot and hammer. Hailey Steinbeisser is set to compete in the shot, discus, and
Leading the women into the meet will be sophomore Josey Smiedala, hammer on Sunday in Colorado. who enters the 400-meters with a time of 59.15. She will also anchor the women’s relay team in the 4x400, and will be joined by Brenna Beckett, Catrina Schuchard, and Janessa Williams. The relay is one of three events Williams will be competing in, as she will bounce around the track in the 400-meter hurdles as well as the long jump. Sarah Beatty and Nikki Aiken will try their hand at the 3,000-meter steeple chase, covering a minimal group of distance runners on the women’s side. MSUB’s women’s throwers will look to build off their strong meet in Bozeman, with Kassadee Kuoha entering with marks of 9.67 meters in the shot put, 35.30 meters in the discus, and 33.56 meters in the hammer. Hailey Steinbeisser and Taylor Stringari will also each throw the shot, discus, and hammer on Sunday. Sophomore Shaniah Schwend will join the sprinters in the 100-meters, after working to better her entering marks of 4.7 meters in the long jump and 10.25 meters in the triple jump. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--