A decade in the making, Montana is ready for the big stage in front of its home fans

Wednesday, May 8

Missoula, Mont.

Montana

Big Sky Outdoor Championships

A decade in the making, Montana is ready for the big stage in front of its home fans

5/6/2019 6:44:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

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By: Montana Sports Information

It's been a long time coming, but the moment is finally here. It's Championship Week in Missoula, with the University of Montana hosting the 2019 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Dornblaser Field (Wednesday-Saturday).

How rare is it, that Montana gets to host the Big Sky Championships on its own turf? It's happened eight previous times in the 50-plus-year history of the Big Sky Conference, including four times since Montana's men and women were both Division-I programs and members of the conference. The last time it happened was in 2009.

The event was supposed to happen a year earlier, in 2018, but when Idaho rejoined the league it shifted everything back a year, which in turn shifted Brian Schweyen's thinking.

A coach's brain isn't simply focused on the present. While that's where the immediate results will be seen, for big-picture things, like recruiting and program development, it's important to not only be focused on the task at hand but to also be one step ahead.

Schweyen knew early on that the 2018 graduating class would be a strong one. He saw it from the high school stars he brought in, and the results they put up early in their careers. There was Erika McLeod, who won an individual title in the heptathlon as a sophomore. A year later, McLeod set an indoor school record in the 4x400-meter relay – with two current teammates – and Hana Feilzer broke a school record in the hammer throw, winning an individual title at the Big Sky Championships.

Both stars could have helped Montana a year ago, when the Grizzly women finished 10^th; the men placed ninth. It was an unfamiliar position for a program used to being at the other end of the standings. The men hadn't finished that low in 30 years, spending most seasons in the upper-third and finishing as high as second as recently as 2016. The women were coming off of a second-place finish in 2017, their third top-two finish in the past seven years.

As for results, the 2018 season wasn't a fun one. But it was all part of the process.

At the 2018 Championships, Montana's women were without previous champions Feilzer and McLeod – nearly-guaranteed point-scorers. Jessica Bailey, who had reached the podium in 2017 in the steeplechase, was also redshirting. So was Olivia Ellis, who scored in three events at the 2017 Championships. Same for point-scorers Carrie Jacka (pole vault), Morgan Sulser (100-meter hurdles) and Jansen Ziola (2018 indoor champion in the pentathlon).

On the men's side, local sprinter Alex Mustard was redshirting. In three previous outdoor championships, Mustard had scored seven times for the Grizzlies, reaching the podium on four occasions. Same thing for Bigfork native Matt Quist, who finished runner-up in the high jump in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017, but did not compete in 2018. Sterling Reneau, who holds a school record in the 4x400 and has qualified for regionals in the 400 meters, injured himself during the indoor season, making him an obvious choice to hold out for the outdoor season.

Nearly a dozen top athletes who would have graduated a year ago elected to redshirt in order to be around for this week, not to mention even more non-seniors who redshirted, allowing for an extra year of work on the track and in the weight room.

"Any time you can get your leaders and seniors to compete at a home conference meet, you want to give them that chance," Schweyen said. "We wanted to give them the opportunity for them to go out at home."

It's not always easy to tell a 21-year-old to put their life on hold. To delay graduation and their future plans for a year, and even worse, not compete for an entire season. Each athlete, though, bought in, seeing the long-term investment, both in the classroom and on the track.

Now, the year that they put on hold is here, and they're looking to go out with a bang. And they get to do it at home, in front of their own fans.

"We've wanted this conference meet, and now it's here and the opportunity to compete at our absolute best is in front of us," Schweyen said. "We don't want to go into this week with excuses or thoughts other than: 'This is what we've trained for all year.'"

2019 Big Sky Outdoor Track & Field Championships Guide

The 5 W's

Who: Nearly 600 athletes from across the Big Sky Conference
What: The 2019 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Where: Dornblaser Field in Missoula, Mont. Admission is free on Wednesday and Thursday. The cost is $5 per day on Friday and Saturday.
Where, Part 2: Fans unable to attend can catch all of the action online. All four days will be streamed live on WatchBigSky.com and Pluto TV (channel 230 or 231). Fans can access Pluto TV online, by downloading the app, or through an over-the-top device such as Apple TV or Roku. Additionally, live results can be accessed online or through the FinishedResults app.
When: Wednesday-Saturday. The first two days will feature the multi-events – the heptathlon for the women and decathlon for the men. Friday will feature 14 preliminary running events and 12 finals in the field. A total of 28 individual champions will be crowned on Saturday, as well as the men's and women's team champions. A complete schedule can be found online.
Why: It's pretty simple. A once-in-a-decade event is coming to Missoula, featuring some of the top athletes in the region. Plus, it's a good excuse to get out and enjoy some sunshine in Missoula!

"It's always nice for our athletes to be competing in Missoula, on their home track and sleeping in their own beds," Brian Schweyen said. "It's a huge advantage, and it's exciting. It's a daunting task, but fortunately, we've had some great help from our facilities crew and a lot of people who are excited to help put this meet on."

Expect to see Montana on the podium several times, especially in the field events: When it comes to the sport of track & field, rankings don't mean a ton. They're a good starting point, but unlike most sports, in track & field, something as small as a split-second can make the difference – either positively or negatively.

With that said, Montana has several athletes who are expected – based off of pre-meet top performances – to finish in the top three and reach the podium.

It looks as if no one can compete with Hana Feilzer, and the redshirt senior will aim to keep it that way. Feilzer, a Missoula native, has the league's best mark in the hammer throw, more than 10 feet better than second place. She not only will look to win the event for the second time, but see if she can break her own school record. Feilzer has reached at least 200 feet in four consecutive meets, including a season-best 205-7. Her record is 206-3.

In addition to Feilzer, Montana has three male field athletes who rank second in the Big Sky. Jensen Lillquist (213-5) is a two-time champion in the javelin and will look to become Montana's first male to three-peat in an event since Jas Gill did so from 2003-05 in the high jump. Matt Quist ranks second in the high jump (6-8.75), a familiar spot. The redshirt senior placed second in the event in both 2016 and 2017, before redshirting last spring. Sophomore Brent Yeakey is also in position to earn a medal, ranking second in the shot put (58-6.5). As a freshman in 2018, he narrowly missed the podium, placing fourth.

Carla Nicosia (39-10.5) ranks second in the triple jump and Olivia Ellis (1:01.27) is third in the 400-meter hurdles. Additionally, Montana's men's 4x-400-meter relay team made up of Paul Johnstone, Callum Macnab, Sterling Reneau and Xavier Melice is seeded second (3:13.38).

Others in line to score (top eight) include:

Holly Houston (seeded fourth in the discus)
Jansen Ziola (fourth in the heptathlon)
Jane Booth (fifth in the high jump)
Hana Feilzer (fifth in the discus)
Madeline Hamilton (fifth in the 800 meters)
Maryn Lowry (fifth in the 1,500 meters)
Xavier Melice (seeded fifth in the 200 meters)
Shawn Humphries (sixth in the hammer throw)
Carly Smiedala (sixth in the 800 meters)
Kip Krebsbach (sixth in the 100 meters)
Darby Henthorn (seventh in the javelin)
Dylan Kipp (seventh in the javelin)
Brent Yeakey (seventh in the discus)
Rachel Lewis (eighth in the triple jump)
Callum Macnab (eighth in the 400-meter hurdles)
Zena Smith (eighth in the javelin)

There will be surprises, as well: A year ago, while competing as a freshman, Brent Yeakey entered his first Championships outside of the top eight in both of his events – the shot put and discus. Yeakey quickly made a name for himself, however, placing fourth in the shot put and nearly scoring in the discus, as well. Performances like this happen each year at every school, and Montana is no different, with many athletes ready to break through into scoring position.

Montana doesn't have a single athlete in the top eight for the high hurdles (100 meters for women, 110 for men), but has a combined seven in the top 16, waiting to steal some points. On the men's side, Aidan Diggs (10^th), Chase Armstrong (13^th), Jaydon Green (14^th) and Callum Macnab (15^th) are in position to move up, while for the women it's Jansen Ziola (10^th), Morgan Sulser (12^th) and Olivia Ellis (14^th).

The men also have a trio of potential scorers in the long jump – Jethro Thorne (12^th), Paul Johnstone (14^th) and Jordan Stow (16^th) – while the women have three javelin throwers seeded seventh through ninth – Darby Henthorn (seventh), Zena Smith (eighth) and Kimberly Earhart (ninth).

Montana has three runners in the women's 800 meters, and all three have the ability to score. Madeline Hamilton is seeded the highest (fifth), while Carly Smiedala is right behind her (sixth) and Megan Franz is seeded 14^th. Smiedala has a strong chance to move up. She won the event at last year's Championships and her PR would currently rank second in the Big Sky.

Perhaps the biggest threat to steal points, however, is an athlete who probably has never been under the radar. Battling back from injuries that robbed her of a chance to compete at the NCAA indoor championships in March, Erika McLeod is currently not in the top eight in any single event.

All three of the events she will compete in this week, however, she has scored in throughout her career, reaching the podium in both of her individual events (long jump and heptathlon). McLeod has participated in the long jump just once this season, but showed she is capable of doing damage by winning the event at the Griz-Cat Dual. She hasn't finished a heptathlon this season, but that's her best event, winning a championship in 2016, in addition to three titles in the pentathlon – the indoor version.

Additional Montana athletes seeded in the ninth through 16^th range:

Charlie Bush (ninth in the pole vault)
Samantha Engebretsen (ninth in the 10,000 meters)
Mariah Harvey (ninth in the hammer throw)
Noah Ramirez (ninth in the shot put)
Shawn Humphries (10^th in the shot put)
Cade Johnstone and Paul Johnstone – freshman twins – ironically have the same top time in the 200 meters (tied for 10^th). Cade is also seeded ninth in the 400 meters.
Carrie Jacka and Chloe Seferos (tied for 10^th in the pole vault)
Erika McLeod (10^th in the long jump)
Abby Dodge (11^th in the high jump)
Nathan Graves (11^th in the javelin)
Holly Houston (11^th in the shot put)
Josh Riley (11^th in the high jump)
Kayla Holmes (12^th in both the discus and shot put)
Alex Mustard (12^th in the 100 meters)
Jansen Ziola (12^th in the long jump)
Sterling Reneau (14^th in the 400 meters)
Noah Adams (15^th in the 800 meters)
Mariah Harvey (15^th in the shot put)
Paul Johnstone (16^th in the triple jump)

The roster is full of veterans who have been here before: Among the 56 athletes who will be competing for the Grizzlies this week, 13 are seniors, who have been through the drill of a conference championship more than a handful of times. A large number of the veterans have not only competed in a conference championship meet, but have scored, including 11 at last year's outdoor championships alone.

But don't forget about the underclassmen – the ones who will be the future of this program: While on one hand the Grizzlies are a veteran team with many talented athletes who have been competing for the program for several years, the vast majority will be back next year.

The largest class competing this week will be the juniors. Additionally, Montana has 12 freshmen registered for the meet. Don't search for the deer-in-the-headlights look, though. The majority of them competed during the indoor championships in February. Of the 12, only three will be making their conference championship debuts this week – in addition to three sophomores.

The mindset of 'no meet bigger than another' has prepared the Griz for this week: The mindset that Brian Schweyen has preached all season will come in handy this week. Regardless if Montana was competing in a meet featuring non-Division-I athletes or a big-time meet against Pac-12 stars and future Olympians, Schweyen has had the same message.

"Throughout the season, we've really tried to make it clear that there are no important meets or important practices, but every day you wake up is an opportunity to do something spectacular. Every day, if you take that initiative and have that mindset, is as important as any day you've ever had."

That will again be the message this week.

The Grizzlies have been near the top, and have done so recently: Montana's men have finished in the top seven 10 times in Brian Schweyen's 11 seasons, led by a runner-up finish as recently as 2016, when 10 current Grizzlies were on roster. The women have finished in the upper-half in all but three seasons under Schweyen, including three runner-ups (as recently as 2017).

Locals will be seen: Nearly half of Montana's Championships roster (25 of 56 athletes) hail from the Treasure State, including a half-dozen Missoula natives.

Competing in their home state will be Kahsiah Benson (Helena), Abby Dodge (Butte), Kimberly Earhart (Plains), Mariah Harvey (Manhattan), Kayla Holmes (Plains), Cade Johnstone (Forsyth), Paul Johnstone (Forsyth), Kip Krebsbach (Miles City), Jaree Mane (Lewistown), Erika McLeod (Butte), Xavier Melice (Helena), Carla Nicosia (Columbia Falls), Jacob Price (Frenchtown), Matt Quist (Bigfork), Grace Slevin (Bozeman), Carly Smiedala (Helena), Zena Smith (Corvallis), Morgan Sulser (Billings) and Jethro Thorne (Florence).

Missoula natives include Hana Feilzer (Big Sky H.S.), Madeline Hamilton (Sentinel H.S.), Darby Henthorn (Hellgate H.S.), Hannah Kearns (Big Sky H.S.), Alex Mustard (Big Sky H.S.) and Sterling Reneau (Sentinel H.S.).

"Some of our better performers, and some of the conference's better performers, are kids who grew up in Missoula and went to high school in Missoula or nearby cities," Brian Schweyen said. "I think that's exciting for fans and it's exciting for the athletes."

The Grizzlies will be busy: Among the 56 Grizzlies competing this week, nearly half (26) will compete in at least two events. No one, though, will be busier than Jansen Ziola, who is competing in five events – including the heptathlon, which, technically, counts as just one event despite being made up of seven different events across two days. In two indoor championships, Ziola has finished in the top two in the pentathlon twice – winning it all in 2018. She is making her outdoor championships debut after redshirting last spring.

Freshman Paul Johnstone will also compete in five events. Olivia Ellis, Callum Macnab and Xavier Melice will compete in four apiece.

It looks as if Mother Nature will oblige: Missoula had its fourth-wettest April on record, with precipitation accumulation doubling the April average and temperatures also falling below the norm, which set the team back a bit in their ability to train. But the old adage of April showers bringing May flowers appears to be true. Aside from potential rain on Wednesday, the meet should see pristine conditions, with sun and daily highs in the 70s.

Northern Arizona is the favorite: The Northern Arizona men are the defending champions and have won six times in the past seven years. The women have won three years in a row. Both Lumberjack teams were picked to defend their titles in the annual preseason poll, which came out in March based off of votes from the league's head coaches. Montana's women were picked to finish seventh, the men eighth. However, both teams believe they are better than the credit given to them.

This won't be the end for everyone: While this week marks the end of the 2019 track & field season for the Grizzlies as a team, it won't be the end for everybody. A handful of athletes will qualify for NCAA Regionals, which will be announced next week and take place the following week in Sacramento, California. A year ago the Grizzlies sent four athletes to regionals, with all four still on roster. A year prior, at full strength, the Grizzlies sent a school-record-tying 11.

The NCAA West Region consists of the western half of the country, and will take the top 48 athletes from each event. Currently, Hana Feilzer is a shoo-in, ranked 14^th in the hammer throw. Jensen Lillquist, a three-time qualifier, ranks 23^rd in the javelin. Brent Yeakey is currently 39^th in the shot put, while Jane Booth, who has qualified in both of her previous two seasons, sits at 47^th in the high jump.

Montana has 18 additional athletes who rank in the top 100 in their respective events.

What to watch for, according to Coach Schweyen: "This conference has a lot of real solid, high-level performers spread out across all events. That makes it fun, because there's always something to watch. People who are fans of track and field, this will be a great meet. People who aren't real familiar with it, I think they can come out and really enjoy themselves as well."

Current athletes won't be the only ones in attendance: In addition to the action on the track and field, past Grizzlies are using the opportunity to reconnect with former teammates. Led by Mark Latrielle and Bob Bronson, UM athletes from the class of 1976, the weekend will feature an alumni reunion, including a dinner and social on Friday night.

Competing for the Grizzlies:
Women's 800 meters – Megan Franz, Madeline Hamilton, Carly Smiedala
Women's 1,500 meters – Maryn Lowry
Women's 5,000 meters – Samantha Engebretsen
Women's 10,000 meters – Samantha Engebretsen
Women's 100-meter hurdles – Olivia Ellis, Morgan Sulser, Jansen Ziola
Women's 400-meter hurdles – Olivia Ellis
Women's 3,000-meter steeplechase: Jessica Bailey
Women's 4x100-meter relay: Olivia Ellis, Hannah Kearns, Jansen Ziola, Morgan Sulser
Women's 4x400-meter relay: Olivia Ellis, Jansen Ziola, Carly Smiedala, Erika McLeod
Women's high jump: Jane Booth, Abby Dodge
Women's pole vault: Kahsiah Benson, Carrie Jacka, Chloe Seferos, Grace Slevin
Women's long jump: Hanna Kearns, Erika McLeod, Jansen Ziola
Women's triple jump: Abby Dodge, Rachel Lewis, Carla Nicosia
Women's shot put: Mariah Harvey, Kayla Holmes, Holly Houston
Women's discus: Hana Feilzer, Kayla Holmes, Holly Houston
Women's hammer throw: Hana Feilzer, Mariah Harvey, Kayla Holmes
Women's javelin: Kimberly Earhart, Darby Henthorn, Zena Smith
Women's heptathlon: Jaree Mane, Erika McLeod, Jansen Ziola

Men's 100 meters: Kip Krebsbach, Alex Mustard
Men's 200 meters: Cade Johnstone, Paul Johnstone, Xavier Melice
Men's 400 meters: Cade Johnstone, Paul Johnstone, Xavier Melice, Sterling Reneau, Josh Riley
Men's 800 meters: Noah Adams, Noah Kells, Karsten Pease
Men's 1,500 meters: Andrea Baratte
Men's 110-meter hurdles: Chase Armstrong, Aidan Diggs, Jaydon Green, Callum Macnab
Men's 400-meter hurdles: Chase Armstrong, Colton Hess, Callum Macnab
Men's 4x100-meter relay: Kip Krebsbach, Sterling Reneau, Callum Macnab, Paul Johnstone
Men's 4x400 meter relay: Paul Johnstone, Callum Macnab, Sterling Reneau, Xavier Melice
Men's high jump: Matt Quist
Men's pole vault: Charlie Bush
Men's long jump: Paul Johnstone, Jordan Stow, Jethro Thorne
Men's triple jump: Jacob Price
Men's shot put: Shawn Humphries, Noah Ramirez, Brent Yeakey
Men's discus: Brent Yeakey
Men's hammer throw: Shawn Humphries
Men's javelin: Nathan Graves, Dylan Kipp, Jensen Lillquist
Men's decathlon: Aidan Diggs, Josh Riley, Brendan Thurber-Blaser