MISSOULA — Erin Wilde opened up her outdoor season in impressive fashion at the Al Manuel Invitational/Griz-Cat Dual last weekend, winning the women’s high jump with ease after clearing 5-10.
Her performance has earned her the Big Sky women’s field athlete of the week honor, the league announced Monday.
It’s the second weekly honor of Wilde’s decorated career. The junior from Whitefish has won four straight Big Sky championships dating back to the 2023 outdoor season, claiming two indoor and outdoor titles each. She’s aiming for the first three-peat of the event at the Big Sky championships since 2001.
“Well deserved. She got off to a great start in the first outdoor meet of the year with a really high level performance,” head coach Doug Fraley said. “It was great to see her carry over her momentum from the indoor season, and it’s always great when you can be the league’s athlete of the week.”
Wilde owns both the indoor and outdoor school records at Montana in the women’s high jump, and had a chance to extend her own outdoor mark in the first meet of the season. The junior opened at 5-5¾, and won the event with her first jump of the day.
She cleared three more bars from there, finishing with a best mark of 5-10. Wilde then bumped the bar up to 5-10¾, which would have been a new program record, but narrowly missed on her third attempt.
The jump ranks 10th in the NCAA West Region and should book her ticket to the regional meet in College Station, Texas, in late May.
Wilde began last outdoor season with a mark of 5-3¾ at the season opener. She ended it by setting the school record and winning the Big Sky title. The junior ended indoor season by clearing 6-0 for the first time ever, and has carried that momentum into the outdoor season.
The Grizzlies will be back in action this weekend at the Whitworth Peace Meet in Spokane, Wash., on Friday.
