Women's Track & Field | 2/12/2024 6:15:00 AM
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Montana Tech track & field team competed at the Bobcat Performance Meet hosted by Montana State as well as a the Mountain States Games against top NCAA Divions i programs.
Several Oredigger freshmen placed at the meet as the team had a strong showing against Frontier Conference schools, NCAA Division I and II programs, and several NAIA schools.
"It was great seeing the training meet the performances we've known are possible," said interim head coach Jake Sundberg.
Only one Oredigger made a qualifying mark at the meet.
Nicolo Lancini, a freshman performing in his first meet after joining the team this semester, hit the NAIA B standard in the triple jump. Lancini won the event with a jump of 14.21 meters.
"Nicolo qualifying for national in his second time competing for the Orediggers shows a lot of promise for this season and beyond."
In the women's 60m hurdles,
Olleca Severson was the top finisher for NAIA participants taking fourth with a time of 9.22 seconds.
"Olleca has been consistently the best hurdler in the Frontier Conference for the past two years, and she was able to breakthrough just missing the national qualifying mark. I can't wait to see how she continues to progress."
The group of Orediggers went to Pocatello for the Mountain States Games hosted by Idaho State at Holt Arena facing a very large field that included BYU, Utah State,
Jadyn Vermillion placed sixth in the pentathlon against strong NCAA Division I and II competition. Vermillion was the top finisher of NAIA participants.
Tucker Christiansen won the 400m with a time of 52.47 seconds. Just behind Christiansen in second place was freshman
Carter Henke with a time of 52.70 seconds.
Morgan McCleernan won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.63 seconds. Freshman
Wesley Tschacher finished in third with a time of 8.88 seconds.
The Orediggers won both the men's and women's 3000m. Benjamin Zerr won race with a time of 8:55.01 seconds.
Alyssa Jany finished first with a time of 11:16.08 second.
Drake Schlacter won the high jump with a mark of 1.98 meters.
In the 800m, three Orediggers placed in the top five with
Ian Barville winning the race with a time of 1:59.15 seconds.
Konnor Gregerson took third with a time of 2:03.26 seconds and
Jon Hansen took fifth finishing in 2:04.62 seconds.
Lizzy Perry took fifth in the 800m for the women. Perry finished with a time of 2:34.08.
Braden Anderson took fourth in the shot put with a throw of 15.28 meters. Cade VanFleet finished fifth with a mark of 14.54 meters. VanFleet also placed in the weight throw finishing in fifth with a toss of 15.54 meters.
"The men and women are ranked higher in the west region than ever before, second and fourth, and we're working towards building on the foundation our program has developed in such a short time."
