EUGENE, Ore. — For the fourth straight year, Montana State had a representative in the 3,000-meter steeplechase title race at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Championships.
Redshirt senior Levi Taylor, a Laurel native, finished the event in 12th place with a time of 8:43.47 as the Bobcat claimed second-team All-American honors in the event for the second time after finishing in ninth place in the 3K steeplechase in 2022. Taylor used a last-second burst to take fifth in the semifinals on Wednesday and qualify for the championship.
Georgetown's Parker Stokes pulled to the head of the pack on the final lap and won the championship in 8:24.58. Virginia's Nathan Mountain took second (8:25.71) and Iowa State's Gable Sieperda took third in 8:25.92.
MSU's three steeplechase qualifiers led the nation with Rob McManus finishing in 13th place in the semifinals, one spot removed from advancing to the championship. Owen Smith also made it to the national meet, finishing in 24th place in the other semifinal race.
This was the second straight season that Montana State saw three steeplechase runners qualify for the national meet.
