Mendez runs nation’s 10th-best time in steeplechase

Wednesday, April 13

Azusa, Calif.

Montana

Bryan Clay Invitational

AJ Eckmann, Joel Mendez at 2021 Big Sky Championships

Mendez runs nation’s 10th-best time in steeplechase

4/14/2022 10:48:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

By: Montana Sports Information

After beginning his collegiate career at Paradise Valley Junior College in Arizona, Montana distance runner Joel Mendez transferred to Montana, and now in his second season running for the Griz, is making a big name for himself.

During the indoor season, Mendez became the first Grizzly to run a sub-4:15 mile and the 3,000 meters in under 8:30 in the same day. A week later, he set a facility record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:30.36 – the best by a Griz athlete in at least two decades.

Now, focusing on the 3,000-meter steeplechase this spring, Mendez continues to impress.

On Wednesday, competing against 69 other athletes at the prestigious Bryan Clay Invitational, Mendez won the race with a time of 8:42.22. The victory is impressive in its own right, but the time makes the feat even more impressive.

Mendez's time of 8:42.22 is less than 2 seconds off from Dean Erhard's school record that has stood since 1977 (8:40.64).
His time ranks first in the Big Sky Conference this season, even ahead of 2021 first-team All-American Duncan Hamilton of Montana State.
Mendez currently ranks 10^th in the entire nation so far this season.

Mendez's improvement has been impressive to see. A year ago, in his first race as a Griz, he ran a 9:25.01. By the end of the season, his time had improved to 9:17.00 Fast forward to this season and Mendez had improved his time to 9:10.64 on March 26, 8:51.02 a week later and 8:42.22 just five days after that.

Three additional Griz athletes competed at the Bryan Clay Invitational, including sophomore Quincy Fast, who ran a personal best 1:49.86 in the men's 800 meters. He placed fifth in his heat and 33^rd overall out of 232 runners (top 15 percent). The time ranks second in the Big Sky this season.

On the women's side, Jaree Mane finished in the upper-half of her field in the heptathlon, placing 13^th with a score of 4,903 (33^rd out of 80 heptathletes overall). Her performance was within 100 points of a personal best, and the seven-event heptathlon produced four career bests (14.75 in the 100-meter hurdles; 40-7.75 in the shot put; 25.49 in the 200 meters and 2:24.20 in the 800 meters.

Her shot put mark was the third-best in the field of 28 while her 800 meters time was fourth.

Morgan Radtke had a strong start to her competition, setting a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles (16.35) and placing first in her field in the high jump (5-7). However, she was unable to finish the final four events, resulting in a no score.

Whitworth Twilight Meet
While a handful of athletes were in California, the majority of Montana's team bussed to Spokane, Washington for the Whitworth Twilight Meet. Competing against athletes from Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Idaho, Montana Tech, Whitworth and others, Montana had a ton of success. In fact, a Grizzly finished atop 17 of the 28 events they competed in on Thursday.

Below are several standouts from the meet:

The Grizzlies won 17 events, including three of four relay races and double wins by sprinters Cooper Hewett (100 meters, 200 meters) and Catie Buck (100, 200).
Following Hewett's win in the 200 meters (21.67), the Grizzlies also took second through fifth, with all four sprinters recording personal bests.
Paul Johnstone ran four races, recording personal bests in all four, including running the anchor legs of both of Montana's relay teams.
In addition to Buck, who won the 100 (12.12) and 200 meters (25.03), Camryn Dezember (12.54 and 26.05) and Audrey Smith (12.87 and 26.54) placed third and fourth, respectively, both recording lifetime bests.
While Mendez was making history in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in California, his teammates showed that the Griz have depth in the event, with Ellis McKean (9:22.39) and AJ Eckmann (9:29.19) recording personal bests and finishing one-two.
All four of Montana's women's 1,500 meters runners recorded lifetime bests, with three of them placing in the top eight out of a field of 30. Bridget Boyle (4:45.03, third) led the group, also placing second in the 800 meters (2:20.15).
Noah Ramirez was Montana's top performer in two of its seven men's field events, winning the shot put 52-10.25) and placing second in the hammer (166-3). In fact, a Grizzly placed first or second in all seven of its men's field events.
Montana swept the pole vault, with Carson Weeden winning on men's side (15-5) and Molly Chambers (11-3.75) winning for the women. Both athletes tied personal bests.

Still Ahead
On Friday at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Jansen Ziola (200 meters, 100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, long jump) and Ailsa Gilbert will have busy days (long jump, triple jump, 100-meter hurdles), while Holly Sudol will compete in the 400 meters.

Meanwhile, 35 miles south, a handful of Griz throwers and several additional athletes will compete at the Beach Invitational on the campus of Long Beach State.

Bryan Clay Invitational Results
Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase – Joel Mendez (8:42.22, 1st/70)
Men's 800 meters – Quincy Fast (1:49.86, 33^rd/232)
Women's heptathlon – Jaree Mane (4,903 points, 33^rd/80); Morgan Radtke (DNF)

Whitworth Twilight Meet Results
Men's 100 meters – Cooper Hewett (10.91, 1^st/10); Teagun Holycross (11.37, 2^nd)
Men's 200 meters – Cooper Hewett (21.67, 1^st/14); Paul Johnstone (21.87, 2^nd); Kip Krebsbach (22.16, 3^rd); Teagun Holycross (22.77, 4^th); Ty Ferguson (22.95, 5^th)
Men's 400 meters – Paul Johnstone (48.24, 1^st/11); Jay Beagle (49.90, 3^rd); Ty Ferguson (50.45, 4^th)
Men's 800 meters – Will Dauenhauer (1:56.90, 3^rd/33); Casey Crouch (1:57.98, 4^th); Hunter May (1:58.85, 6^th); Brady Woods (2:01.16, 10^th); Rogelio Mares (2:02.27, 15^th)
Men's 1,500 meters – Ben Vanderbosch (3:57.45, 3^rd/28); Hunter May (3:58.03, 4^th); Rogelio Mares (4:00.42, 5^th); Simon Hill (4:09.74, 14^th)
Men's 5,000 meters – Nathan Carter (14:51.61, 2^nd/10); Jordan Hansen (14:58.32, 3^rd); Ben Vanderbosch (15:07.85, 4^th)
Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase – Ellis McKean (9:22.39, 1^st/9); AJ Eckmann (9:29.19, 2^nd)
Men's 4x100-meter relay – A: Kip Krebsbach, Cooper Hewett, Teagun Holycross, Paul Johnstone (41.87, 1^st/3)
Men's 4x400-meter relay – Ty Ferguson, Brady Woods, Jay Beagle, Paul Johnstone (3:21.83, 1^st/6)
Men's high jump – Alfred Peterson (6-0.75, 1^st/1)
Men's long jump – Jason Upton (21-7.5, 2^nd/11); Gordon McMillion (21-2.5, 4^th)
Men's triple jump – Zane Johnson (44-2.5, 1^st/3)
Men's pole vault – Carson Weeden (15-5, 1^st/4); Zane Johnson (14-11, 2^nd)
Men's shot put – Noah Ramirez (52-10.25, 1^st/15); Brent Yeakey (52-5.5, 2^nd)
Men's discus – Brent Yeakey (164-7, 1^st/12); Colton Root (125-0, 7^th)
Men's hammer – Noah Ramirez (166-3. 2^nd/11); Colton Root (163-5, 3^rd)

Women's 100 meters – Catie Buck (12.12, 1^st/15); Camryn Dezember (12.54, 3^rd); Audrey Smith (12.87, 4^th)
Women's 200 meters – Catie Buck (25.03, 1^st/17); Camryn Dezember (26.05, 3^rd); Audrey Smith (26.54, 6^th)
Women's 800 meters – Bridget Boyle (2:20.15, 2^nd/20); Katie Whitehurst (2:20.34, 4^th); Mackenzie Morgan (2:21.73, 6^th); Molly Sherman (2:24.14, 8^th); MacKenzie Dean (2:26.55, 11^th); Abby Sherwood (2:32.26, 14^th);
Women's 1,500 meters – Bridget Boyle (4:45.03, 3^rd/30); Molly Sherman (4:50.52, 7^th); Mackenzie Morgan (4:51.50, 8^th); Abby Sherwood (5:11.56, 21^st)
Women's 5,000 meters – Beatrix Frissell (17:38.86, 1^st/20); Olivia Lackland Henry (17:49.41, 4^th); Kayla Ingraham (18:12.08, 8^th); Jocelyn Stansberry (20:12.23, 15^th)
Women's 400-meter hurdles – Abby Harmon (1:06.49, 4^th/7)
Women's 4x100-meter relay – A: Audrey Smith, Abby Harmon, Camryn Dezember, Catie Buck (48.11, 1^st/5)
Women's 4x400-meter relay – A: Camryn Dezember, Bridget Boyle, Katie Whitehurst, Abby Harmon (4:07.41, 2^nd/3)
Women's pole vault – Molly Chambers (11-3.75, 1^st/3); Shealyne McGee (10-10, 2^nd)
Women's discus – Savana Ramirez (116-5, 9^th/12)
Women's hammer – Ariel Clark (172-10, 1^st/17); Kaitlyn Gallo (167-9, 2^nd); Savana Ramirez (148-8, 6^th); Erin Murphy (106-4, 14^th)
Women's javelin – Sierrah Hardy (125-1, 2^nd/15); Autumn Morse (124-10); Tatum McNamara (116-11, 6^th); Cyisa Weidman (115-0, 7^th); Emilie Hinrichs (107-5, 11^th)