Griz open season with strong showing at Al Manuel meet
4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Indoor Track, Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
University of Montana junior Alicia Mills broke her own school record in the javelin, senior Jas Gill qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional in the high jump and the Grizzlies added 11 new names to their Big Sky Conference-qualifying list Saturday at the 12th annual Al Manuel track and field meet at Dornblaser Stadium. The dual-scored meet also involved Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Montana State and Mary.
Due to hail and rain that hit the area late in the afternoon, the men's and women's discus, the women's triple jump, the men's pole vault and the men's and women's 1,600-meter relay were not completed.
The Montana women swept their three duals (Mary was not included in the dual scoring), defeating ISU, 88-75, EWU, 83.5-75.5, and MSU, 83-79. The UM men won two and tied one, defeating EWU, 86-76, and MSU, 87-77, and coming out even with ISU, 84-84.
Mills entered the meet with the school record in the javelin with a throw last spring of 146-1. She smashed that mark Saturday afternoon with a third-place throw of 154-5. The mark improved both her BSC- and NCAA Midwest Region-qualifying standing.
Four new Big Sky qualifiers were added on the women's side.
Sophomore Loni Perkins added the 200 meters to her previous 400-meter qualification with a first-place showing in 25.10, sophomore Megan McKinnie qualified in the 400-meter hurdles by finishing third in 1:05.01, sophomore Nicole Walker qualified in the 800 meters with a third-place time of 2:17.21 and freshman Kari Mowbray qualified in the pole vault by finishing seventh at a height of 11-2.5.
In other women's action, sophomore Rachel Hendricks won the high jump with a height of 5-4.5, which improved upon the BSC-qualifying height of 5-4.25 she posted last weekend in Sacramento, Calif.
Posting other top-three times for the Montana women included Perkins in the 400 meters (first, 55.62), senior Lindsey Crawford in the high jump (tied for second, 5-2.5), freshman Amber Aikins in the long jump (second, 17-9.75), freshman Chelsea Burfeind in the 5,000 meters (second, 18:48.00), freshman Kim Tritz in the steeplechase (second, 11:53.62), junior Shannon Johnson in the 1,500 meters (third, 4:45.72) and sophomore Bailey Cox in the long jump (third, 17-4).
On the men's side, Gill reached the NCAA Midwest Region-qualifying height of 6-10.75 to win the high jump.
The Griz men also had seven Big Sky-qualifying performances, highlighted by sophomore Cody Henning, who qualified in both the 100 meters (fifth, 10.94) and 200 meters (second, 21.88). Other BSC-qualifying performances included Gill in the triple jump (first, 48-6), senior Jefferson Heidelberger in the 200 meters (third, 21.96), junior Chris Mosbacher in the triple jump (fifth, 44-4.75), sophomore Dan Bingham in the steeplechase (first, 9:29.33) and freshman Ryan Grinnell in the high jump (fourth, 6-4.25).
Grinnell also improved upon his BSC-qualifying triple jump distance with a second-place showing of 46-3.5.
Also posting top-three performances were senior Drew Babcock in the 400-meter hurdles (third, 55.57), Mosbacher in the 110-meter hurdles (third, 15.39) and sophomore Eli Hermann in the steeplechase (third, 9:56.48).
Montana continues its outdoor season next week at the Eastern Washington Multi-Events next Thursday and Friday and the EWU Invitational on Friday.
Due to hail and rain that hit the area late in the afternoon, the men's and women's discus, the women's triple jump, the men's pole vault and the men's and women's 1,600-meter relay were not completed.
The Montana women swept their three duals (Mary was not included in the dual scoring), defeating ISU, 88-75, EWU, 83.5-75.5, and MSU, 83-79. The UM men won two and tied one, defeating EWU, 86-76, and MSU, 87-77, and coming out even with ISU, 84-84.
Mills entered the meet with the school record in the javelin with a throw last spring of 146-1. She smashed that mark Saturday afternoon with a third-place throw of 154-5. The mark improved both her BSC- and NCAA Midwest Region-qualifying standing.
Four new Big Sky qualifiers were added on the women's side.
Sophomore Loni Perkins added the 200 meters to her previous 400-meter qualification with a first-place showing in 25.10, sophomore Megan McKinnie qualified in the 400-meter hurdles by finishing third in 1:05.01, sophomore Nicole Walker qualified in the 800 meters with a third-place time of 2:17.21 and freshman Kari Mowbray qualified in the pole vault by finishing seventh at a height of 11-2.5.
In other women's action, sophomore Rachel Hendricks won the high jump with a height of 5-4.5, which improved upon the BSC-qualifying height of 5-4.25 she posted last weekend in Sacramento, Calif.
Posting other top-three times for the Montana women included Perkins in the 400 meters (first, 55.62), senior Lindsey Crawford in the high jump (tied for second, 5-2.5), freshman Amber Aikins in the long jump (second, 17-9.75), freshman Chelsea Burfeind in the 5,000 meters (second, 18:48.00), freshman Kim Tritz in the steeplechase (second, 11:53.62), junior Shannon Johnson in the 1,500 meters (third, 4:45.72) and sophomore Bailey Cox in the long jump (third, 17-4).
On the men's side, Gill reached the NCAA Midwest Region-qualifying height of 6-10.75 to win the high jump.
The Griz men also had seven Big Sky-qualifying performances, highlighted by sophomore Cody Henning, who qualified in both the 100 meters (fifth, 10.94) and 200 meters (second, 21.88). Other BSC-qualifying performances included Gill in the triple jump (first, 48-6), senior Jefferson Heidelberger in the 200 meters (third, 21.96), junior Chris Mosbacher in the triple jump (fifth, 44-4.75), sophomore Dan Bingham in the steeplechase (first, 9:29.33) and freshman Ryan Grinnell in the high jump (fourth, 6-4.25).
Grinnell also improved upon his BSC-qualifying triple jump distance with a second-place showing of 46-3.5.
Also posting top-three performances were senior Drew Babcock in the 400-meter hurdles (third, 55.57), Mosbacher in the 110-meter hurdles (third, 15.39) and sophomore Eli Hermann in the steeplechase (third, 9:56.48).
Montana continues its outdoor season next week at the Eastern Washington Multi-Events next Thursday and Friday and the EWU Invitational on Friday.
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