Yellowjackets’ all-region Zook headed to NCAA Track Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Yellowjackets’ all-region Zook headed to NCAA Track Championships

Posting qualifying marks in both the 100-meters and 200-meters, junior sprinter Sam Zook, who is named USTFCCCA allregion on Tuesday, qualifies for the 2017 NCAA Track & Field Championships.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – A record-setting season for Montana State University Billings track and field junior Sam Zook will culminate at the 2017 NCAA Track & Field Championships, as the sprinter officially qualified for the upcoming national meet announced the organization on Tuesday.

Zook won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship titles in both the 100-meters and 200-meters last weekend in Monmouth, Ore., and will compete in both events at this year’s national meet. He also earned United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association all-region honors in both races, after finishing within the top-5 in the west region. “Once Sam got healthy, he went on a record-breaking tear this season, but it wasn’t without a lot of really hard work,” said MSUB head coach Dave Coppock. “He spent the summer working very hard on his conditioning, and he can still improve even more. This is a great accomplishment for him, and he’s got a lot of potential for future trips to nationals.”

The event will take place in Bradenton, Florida, and will be hosted by the University of Tampa and IMG Academy at the IMG Academy on May 25-27. The preliminary heat of the 100-meter race will take place at 7:10 p.m. Eastern on May 25, and the preliminary heat of the 200-meter distance will be run at 5:50 p.m. Eastern on May 26. The 100-meter finals are scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on May 27, and the 200-meter finals will follow at 7:55 p.m. later that evening.

In the latest TFRRS NCAA Division II qualifying list, Zook is ranked No. 21 in the country with a season-best time of 10.45 seconds in the 100-meters. The Gillette, Wyo., native’s record-breaking run came at the Yellowjacket-Battlin’ Bear Open in Laurel, Mont., on April 13.

NCAA Division II Track & Field 100-Meter Qualifiers Rk. Name School 1. Kenneth Turner Angelo State 2. Lester Miller Shorter 3. Mobolade Ajomale Academy of Art 4. Marcus Parker Eastern New Mexico 5. Kwantreyl McConico Alabama-Huntsville 6. Marquett Simmons Jr. Limestone 7. Jared Jordan Albany State 8. Roberto Smith Lincoln 9. Reginald Thomas Tiffin Stephen Rose Lincoln Demontez McCray McKendree Micah Ballantyne Adams State 13. Jullane Walker Saginaw Valley Todd Handley West Texas A&M 15. Christopher Jackson Albany State 16. Jakiel David Lincoln 17. Eric Moate Nova Southeastern 18. Sam Zook MSU Billings Xavier Matthews Columbus State 20. Jullian Coronado-Clark Eastern New Mexico

Time 10.25 10.28 10.29 10.30 10.31 10.32 10.33 10.35 10.39 10.39 10.39 10.39 10.40 10.40 10.41 10.42 10.44 10.45 10.45 10.46

Among national leaders in the 200-meters, Zook ranks No. 19 with a season-best time of 21.11 seconds. Zook posted the mark at the Jack Christiansen Invitational in Colorado on April 22, 2017.

NCAA Division II Track & Field 200-Meter Qualifiers Rk. Name School 1. Mobolade Ajomale Academy of Art 2. Marcus Parker Eastern New Mexico 3. Jared Jordan Albany State 4. Christopher Burton Anderson 5. Faedian Royes Lincoln Kwantreyl McConico Alabama-Huntsville Lester Miller Shorter 8. Miguel Barton Lincoln

Time 20.67 20.77 20.79 20.84 20.85 20.85 20.85 20.91

Zook is one of 13 individuals to qualify for the NCAA Championships in both the 100-meters and 200-meters.

10.

11.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

19.

20.

Dillando Allotey Stephen Rose Devon Sanders Demontez McCray Ian Kerr Justin Brooks Roberto Smith Kenneth Turner Omar Johnson Jakiel David Sam Zook Malcolm Woods

Fort Hays State Lincoln Texas A&M Commerce McKendree Adams State Lee Lincoln Angelo State St. Augustine’s Lincoln MSU Billings Texas A&M Commerce

20.91 20.93 20.98 20.98 20.99 21.02 21.07 21.08 21.09 21.09 21.11 21.13

Prior to his unprecedented outdoor success, Zook claimed the GNAC Championships title in the 60-yard dash during the indoor season with a time of 6.85 seconds.

This is the second straight year MSUB has sent at least one athlete to the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships.

Robert Peterson competed in the 3,000-meter steeple chase at the 2016 outdoor championships, and Della Lyle became the first female track and field All-American in school history by taking ninth place in the 3,000-meter steeple chase with a time of 10:33.17 minutes last year.

Overall, Zook is the fifth athlete to reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships, as Lisa Henry represented MSUB at the 2012 event in the shot put and Nick Wilson wore the navy and gold jersey during the 2010 championships while throwing the javelin.

“Having Sam qualify for nationals really says a lot for our program, and shows that we are a legitimate Division II competitor,” said Coppock. “This is our eighth individual to make it to the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships in the last seven years, and the program has really progressed quite far in a short time.”

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--