(Editor’s note: Montana State University athletics release)
LA JOLLA, Calif. – Montana State’s track and field program was boosted by showings from a variety of competitors as the Bobcats completed their appearance at the Triton Invitational on Saturday, April 13, at UC San Diego’s Triton Stadium.
Montana State’s steeplechase group had two of the best performances of the day.
The Bobcat women took the top four spots in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Lexi Kyro, Gillian Maness, Layne Oliver and Madison Liechty finished in order for MSU. Kyro and Maness each crossed the finish line with marks that put them on the Bobcat all-time top 10 list. Kyro earned a time of 10 minutes, 38.20 seconds, that placed her sixth on the MSU list and Maness finished with a time of 10:42.10, good for eighth all-time for the Bobcats.
Cooper West, Justice Lamer, Braden Stremcha took the top three spots, while Teagan Olson finished fifth, to pace the Bobcats in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase. West completed a time of 9:25.06 and was followed by Lamer (9:26.52), Stremcha (9:27.24) and Olson (9:40.19) as all four earned lifetime bests in the event.
The Bobcats had several other events that highlighted the teams’ showing at the Triton Invite.
The women’s javelin throw had two athletes end up in the top 10. Carley VonHeeder placed third overall in the event with a best throw of 151 feet, 7 inches (46.21m). She was followed by Kylie Christiansen who earned a lifetime best with a mark of 132-03 (40.31). MSU had three earn top-15 finishes in the 400. McKenna Ramsay took a team-high third by coming in at 55.33. She was followed by Courtney Stromme (57.54) and Elisabeth Krieger (57.63) who placed 12th and 15th, respectively.
The Bobcats’ Lucy Corbett (high jump), Isabella Calabrese (pole vault) and Trisha Carlson (1,500) earned top-10 individual finishes. MSU’s 4×100 relay of Maddie Brockel, Stromme, Morgan Evans and Ramsay placed third in the women’s competition with a time of 47.43.
Montana State’s men’s squad had multiple events in which the Bobcats had a top 10 finisher. Alex Lewis placed fifth in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump. Wyatt Thompson-Siporen placed sixth in the pole vault by clearing 16-02.75 (4.95m). Drake Schneider (48.53) and Jadin Casey (48.92) finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the men’s 400 to lead MSU in the race.
Gannon Chamberlain earned a lifetime best in the 5,000 with his mark of 14:53.08 and had another in the 1,500 with his time of 3:57.99, earned finishes of 7th and 15th in each. Duncan Hamilton took ninth in the 1,500 (3:56.25) and Henry Adams placed 10th in the 110 hurdles (14.81). The Bobcats’ 4×400 relay of Schneider, Casey, Bill Yeager and Derrick Olsen placed seventh in the event by clocking a time of 3:22.69.
MSU’s sprints group had multiple athletes complete at least one personal-best mark as a Bobcat on Saturday. Morgan Evans, Maddie Brockel, McKenna Ramsay, Haile Norred, Delaney Smith, Jared Schwend, Bill Yeager, Drake Schneider and Derrick Olsen all had at least one personal-best effort.
Twila Reovan had two lifetime bests in both the long jump and triple jump to lead the Bobcat jumps.
Freshman Josh Mertz and Madi Arneson led MSU’s throwers. Mertz was the men’s team’s top finisher in both the hammer throw and shot put. Arneson finished 16th in the women’s shot put and had a personal-best effort of 145-07 (44.38m) in the discus. Ethan Saberhagen completed a personal best in the hammer throw to round out the Bobcat effort.
“It was great to have our team competing in warm weather and up against some high level competition,” said Lyle Weese, Montana State’s director of track and field. “We will build upon our performances so far this season as we move closer to our conference and regional meets.”
The Montana State track and field program will split up its teams in its upcoming weekend of competition. A group of Bobcats will travel back to California to compete in select events in the Long Beach area, while the remainder of the Bobcats make their home debut at the Bobcat Track and Field Complex on Saturday, April 20.
