BILLINGS -- Montana Tech's track & field teams opened up the outdoor season Saturday at the Yellowjackets/Battlin' Bears Open at Lockwood High School, and the Orediggers did it with a bang. 

Senior Morgan McClernan swept the 110-meter and 400m hurdles, winning both with personal bests. His 14.29-second 110m time ranks second on the national season leaderboard and reached the NAIA 'B' qualifying standard, making him the first Montana Tech man to qualify for nationals in the event. 

McClernan followed that with a 53.95-second 400m time, just off the program record and putting him ninth in the country. 

He wasn't the only Oredigger with multiple wins Saturday. 

Freshman Alayna Hurd topped the field in the women's 100m (12.56) and 200m (26.02) dashes. Both times put the Billings native fourth on Montana Tech's all-time list in the events. 

Sophomore Matthew Moreni won the men's 100m in 10.92 and led off the Orediggers' winning 4x100m relay, teaming with Gavin Ulland, Jaxon Allery, and Zach Merrifield to round the track in 41.70, the 18th-fastest time in the NAIA so far this season. 

Several other Oredigger men added event wins. Freshman Tyler Crum won the javelin in his collegiate debut, throwing the second-best mark in Tech history at 56.49m. Senior Konnor Gregerson won the 400m dash at 50.52 seconds. And junior Cameron Tobiness topped the triple jump leaderboard at 13.38m. 

Freshman Terryn Chirrick added another gold for the Oredigger women, winning the 400m hurdles in 1:09.93. 

Montana Tech's men won the team title with 159 points at the meet, while the women were third with 85. 

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