(Editor's note: Montana State University media release)
BOZEMAN -- A school record fell while several other all-time top 10 marks were set on Friday, Jan. 22, as the Montana State track and field team completed its first competitive action in nearly a year in a dual versus Idaho State in Worthington Arena.
Junior and Bozeman High graduate Lucy Corbett had one of the standout performances of the day. Corbett easily cleared her first two heights in the high jump, then took aim at a school-record mark of 5-feet-10 inches (1.78m). She cleared the bar on her first try to top Janet Claypool's record of 5-09.75 set in 1997. Corbett was previously tied for second in program history with a career best of 5-09.25 entering Friday's meet.
"That was so exciting to see her get the school record," said Lyle Weese, Montana State's director of track and field. "I think with Lucy and so many of our student-athletes today, even though they hadn't had a chance to compete for a year now, you can tell that they've been working hard throughout. They came into this meet ready to compete and ready to do so at a high level which was great to see."
Corbett's first-place finish was one of eight for the Bobcat women. Morgan Evans (60-meter dash and 60 hurdles), Delaney Smith (200m), Lexi Kyro (mile), Elena Carter (long jump), Leah Klein (shot put) and Zoe Waddell (weight throw) all took first place in at least one event. Smith's time of 26.26 seconds in the 200 converted to 25.86 was a personal best.
The 'Cats had a variety of other standouts in events. Corbett also appeared in the long jump and set a new lifetime-best mark of 17-07.50 (5.37m) to finish runner-up. Mya Dube finished second in the mile with a time of 5:09.26. Evelyn Adams had top-three showings in both the 60 hurdles and the long jump. Newcomer Carla Nicosia recorded a triple jump mark of 40-05.50 (12.33m) which would have broken a program record had she been competing attached.
Montana State's men's squad finished with seven first-place showings.
Damien Nelson, in just his second official race as a Bobcat, crossed the line in a converted time of 6.91 seconds in the 60 dash. That mark was the fifth fastest time indoors ever for the Bobcat men. Henry Adams continued a strong debut meet for the Bobcat sprinters. His converted time of 8.15 seconds in the 60 hurdles was the seventh fastest in program history. Freshman Colby Wilson also entered MSU's top 10 in the pole vault by clearing 16-04.75 (5.00m).
Drake Schneider (200), Duncan Hamilton (mile), Ian Fosdick (triple jump) and Josh Mertz (shot put) rounded out the Bobcat event winners.
Will Anderson (200) and Carter Slade (shot put) each had personal bests while taking runner-up in an event, while Slade also registered a lifetime best in the weight throw.
The meet was broken up into different event groups participating over the course of the day in Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. The jumps events got Montana State going to open the meet, while the throws, distance and sprint groups followed. Despite a different layout to their traditional meet schedule, the Bobcats appreciated the opportunity to represent the Blue and Gold in their home confines again.
"It was great to see the first event group of the day going with the jumps," Weese said. "They really got us off to a good start. The sprints and hurdles I thought had a great day. Damien had a really fast time in one of his first performances as a Bobcat which was exciting. For not competing for so long, this being our first meet of the year and it being an unusual meet, I thought our student-athletes performed really well overall."
Montana State is scheduled face Idaho State again this indoor season. The Bobcats and Bengals will match up on Friday, Feb. 5, in Worthington Arena.
