Hall named region athlete of the year
3/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Indoor Track, Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
March 10, 2014
Isn't that just like Lindsey Hall? On a day when the All-Big Sky Conference men's and women's basketball teams were announced, Hall, like she's been doing to track and field rivals for nearly five years, comes in and tops them all.
Hall, a redshirt senior, was named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's Mountain Region Field Athlete of the Year for the 2014 NCAA Division I indoor season. The awards, which span the organization's nine regions, were voted upon by the USTFCCCA's member coaches.
"This is such a blessing," Hall said. "To be recognized by the coaches who vote means a lot.
"With some of the progress I made, especially on the mental side, I think this was my best season. I'm still not the athlete I want to be, but I'm getting there."
The award puts her in exclusive company:
*The region winner for men's track was UTEP's Anthony Rotich, the nation's No. 2-ranked miler.
*The region winner for women's track was Texas Tech's Le'Tristan Pledger, the nation's No. 6-ranked hurdler who will be competing later this week at nationals in both the 60-meter hurdles and long jump.
*The region winner for men's field was UTEP's Mark Jackson, the nation's No. 5-ranked triple jumper and No. 24-ranked long jumper who recently won Conference USA titles in the 60 meters, long jump and triple jump.
Hall did not make the cut to nationals, but the coaches who voted were likely swayed by 1) her fantastic three-day performance at the recent Big Sky Conference indoor championships at Pocatello, Idaho, and 2) how that capped a record-setting indoor career.
Hall was named the Outstanding Performer at the Big Sky championships for the record-breaking score of 3,969 she set while winning her third career pentathlon title. The score set a new Big Sky record and had Hall sitting No. 25 in the nation in the multi-events at season's end.
But those were only 10 of the 30 points she scored at Pocatello, as she became the Big Sky Conference's all-time leading women's indoor scorer. She also finished second in the triple jump, third in the high jump, fourth in the long jump and eighth in the 60-meter hurdles.
Hall finished her indoor championships career with 105.5 points, four Big Sky titles and 10 top-three finishes. She totaled 27.5 more points than any other women's athlete and ranks second only to Wiley King in Big Sky history. King scored 115 career points while competing for Weber State from 2003-06.
"This is great for Lindsey, it's great for the program, and it's great for her coaches and everybody involved," said UM coach Brian Schweyen. "I've said from day one that Lindsey is a special athlete and special competitor."
Hall still has one final outdoor season of eligibility remaining. She is the Montana record-holder in the heptathlon and javelin, has three times gone to outdoor regionals and in 2011 competed at nationals in the heptathlon.
Montana will open its outdoor season later this month at the Al Manuel Invitational at Dornblaser Field.
