(Editor's note: MSUB/RMC Athletics releases)
LOCKWOOD - Despite a weather cancellation that cut the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Spring Open short, the Montana State University Billings track and field team set a new school record thanks to Kendall Lynn’s 5.39m (17-8.25) mark while Rocky Mountain College notched four top three finishes.
Clouds rolled in and the wind picked up midway through the 1,500 meter races, then the meet was postponed for an hour before the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Once the storm picked up and lightning strikes were reported in the area, the meet was canceled. No make-up date has been scheduled at this time.
Yet Lynn’s long jump made the most of the short meet. Lynn – who set MSUB’s outdoor triple jump record as a freshman last spring – broke Shaniah Schwend’s record of 5.32m (17-7) by jumping a 5.39m (17-8.25) to win the event.
“Kendall has really embraced the jumps and she’s really starting to hone in on her technique,” MSUB head coach Jonathan Woehl said of Lynn. “She delivered today, and I’m really proud of her. In talking with her today, she said she had a jump or two that were even further that she scratched. The best is yet to come for her.”
Later in the afternoon, Lynn won the triple jump with a mark of 11.24m (36-10.5) – her furthest mark of the season so far.
“Not only is she getting better and better as a jumper, but she is also taking on more of a leadership role on the team, which is awesome,” Woehl added. “She’s a good role model for the underclassmen to look up to, but she’s doing a great job as a team captain.
Lynn’s school record is the first set in outdoor season and the third school record set this year. During indoor season, Benjamin Ralston set the school record in the 400 meters and Kailee Stoppel broke the 800 meter record at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Elsewhere, two more personal bests from Jordan Cookman and Forrest Cross highlighted the day for the throwers. Cookman’s mark of 40.99m (134-6) moved her into sixth all-time at MSUB and 15th in the GNAC this season. Cookman was the only ‘Jacket to make finals, and she placed 8th out of 30 throwers. Meanwhile, Cross’ shot put mark of 14.45m (47-5) was not only good for third place at the meet, but also the third-best mark in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference so far. Cross also placed fifth in the hammer throw with a 43.59m (143-0) mark.
Team scoring-wise, Carroll College’s women’s team had a slim 49-48 lead over Dickinson State through the 15 events scored. For the men, Dickinson State was in first with 70 points, followed by Carroll College with 54 points. MSUB’s women’s team was in third with 44 points and the men’s team was in fifth with 36 points.
Also for MSUB, Ase Ackerman and Logan Straus went 2-3 in the 5,000 meters, running a 15:44.92 and a 15:49.80, respectively. MSUB alum Ivan Colmenero (’19) won with a time of 15:19.00.
The men’s 4x100 relay team of William Ullery, Bradley Graves, Favor Okere and Benjamin Ralston finished in third and ran a season-best 43.02.
Madeline Severson cleared 1.47m (4-9.75) in the high jump – tying an outdoor season-best – and placed third overall. And racing her first 1,500 meters of the year, Kailee Stoppel finished fourth in 5:01.66.
Rocky's Jackson Wilson and Jackson Duffey came in first and second in the 1500 meters, with times of 3:52.67 and 4:02.83. Wilson’s time qualifies him for NAIA Nationals with an “A” standard, and is the fifth fastest time in the NAIA.
Rocky's men’s 4 x 100 meter relay placed fourth. Elijah Barkell threw 42.85 meters in the hammer throw.
Mei-Li Stevens ran to a third place finish in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:51.88, a personal best for the Bears. Breah Mulvehill took sixth in the high jump with a height of 1.47 meters.
The Battlin’ Bears travel to South Dakota, to compete at South Dakota Mines on Saturday.
