Griz track and field program is rolling

Back when he was first starting out as an assistant coach, in the mid-90s, Brian Schweyen's concerns did not need to extend beyond the handful of athletes he was charged with coaching. The big-picture responsibilities fell on someone else's shoulders.

But over the years that started to change, as he began taking a more holistic view of the Montana track and field program, then under the direction of Tom Raunig.

"Early on I didn't have a vision, didn't need to have a vision, of where I thought the program could be," Schweyen says. "After I put in a few years, that started to change."

Schweyen was an assistant from 1994 to 2007 before taking a year off from coaching. In 2008, after Raunig stepped down, Schweyen was convinced to return as head coach.

While his program may still be seeking that elusive championship, there is no denying Schweyen has his programs rolling, both athletically and academically.

His men's team came through with a second-place finish at the 2016 Big Sky Conference outdoor championships. His women's team had narrow runner-up finishes at both the Big Sky indoor and outdoor championships this past season.

And now further validation: Montana's men's and women's programs have both earned All-Academic Team honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. It is the third year in a row both programs have been recognized by the USTFCCCA.

"My goal is to win championships and put out great people. As a whole, our staff and athletes are doing a great job of pursuing that," Schweyen says.

"Athletically we're certainly on the right track, and I couldn't be happier than where we are with our academics."

Earning USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors requires a cumulative GPA of 3.0, which the women's program hasn't come close to failing to reach in years. Montana checked in at 3.31 through the spring semester.

The men's team hadn't had a 3.0 in its history when Schweyen took over. It took time, but the Grizzlies have now posted five straight semesters with a cumulative GPA above 3.0, a little-noted success story.

Eight Grizzlies also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual honors, which require both a trip to NCAA regionals, of which there were 11 qualifying Grizzlies this spring, and a 3.25 cumulative GPA, a demanding double.

Those eight winners -- Jessica Bailey, Jane Booth, Emily Cheroske, Brady Coffman, Hana Feilzer, Darby Henthorn, Daniel Jones and Carly Smiedala -- give Montana a new program record, which surpassed last year's record of five, which surpassed the previous record of four set in 2013.

Trajectory: upward bound.

"That speaks to those eight individuals as far as what kind of people they are and how much time they're putting into their academics and athletics," said Schweyen. "And it starts with the coaching staff we have. Everyone is doing a great job of recruiting those types of individuals."

Feilzer (sociology), who has qualified for regionals the last two years in the hammer, becomes a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual honoree.

Bailey (health and human performance), Booth (health and human performance), Cheroske (computer science), Coffman (history), Henthorn (health and human performance), Jones (accounting/finance) and Smiedala (undeclared) were all recognized for the first time.

Montana matched Montana State and Sacramento State for the Big Sky lead in individual USTFCCCA selections with eight.

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Jessica Bailey

Jane Booth

Emily Cheroske

Brady Coffman

Hana Feilzer

Darby Henthorn

Daniel Jones

Carly Smiedala

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