Montana reaches Big Sky Championships in track & field, with several athletes in line to reach podium

Wednesday, May 11

Pocatello, Idaho

Montana

Big Sky Outdoor Championships

Jansen Ziola - 2021 Big Sky Championships - 5/13/21

Photo by: Weber State Athletics

Montana reaches Big Sky Championships in track & field, with several athletes in line to reach podium

5/9/2022 12:26:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Meet Schedule Men's Big Sky Performance List Women's Big Sky Performance List ESPN+ Video Stream Live Results

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana has reached the culmination of its track & field season, traveling to Pocatello, Idaho, this week for the 2022 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The meet will run Wednesday through Saturday.

A complete schedule of events can be found online. Fans can also access live video of the meet on ESPN+ and track live results through FinishedResults.

Forty-eight Grizzlies are schedule to compete in Pocatello, with 21 making their outdoor championship debuts. While Montana has plenty of up-and-comers who will be fighting for points in their first outdoor conference meet, the Grizzlies also have experience, with 21 others previously scoring at conference.

That group includes seven athletes who have previously reached the podium: Jaydon Green (third in the 60-meter indoor hurdles in 2022); Zane Johnson (second in the pole vault in 2021); Paul Johnstone (first in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2019 outdoor meet – setting a school record – and first at the 2020 indoor championships in the same event); Tanessa Morris (first in the hammer in 2021); Holly Sudol (third in the 400-meter hurdles in 2021); Brent Yeakey (second in the discus in 2021); and Jansen Ziola (seven top-three finishes throughout her storied career).

Of Montana's registered competitors, more than half (25) will be competing in multiple events this week. That group includes several who are registered for three of more events: Paul Johnstone and Jaree Mane (four apiece), and Catie Buck, Camryn Dezember, Ailsa Gilbert, Abby Harmon, Cooper Hewett, Kip Krebsbach, Emma Normand, Morgan Radtke, Jason Upton, and Jansen Ziola (three).

The Tom Gage Classic was one to remember! Closing out the regular season on a strong note!#GrizTF #BigSkyTF #GoGriz pic.twitter.com/OhAXiqWVc8
— Montana Griz Track & Field (@MontanaGrizTF) May 8, 2022

Below is a look at several events and athletes to watch for:

Tanessa Morris, who won a Big Sky title in the hammer in 2021 and last week set a school record in the event (210-4), is the heavy favorite to repeat as champion. She has reached 200 feet in four separate meets this year while no other Big Sky athlete has eclipsed that mark once. Her top mark on the season ranks 26^th nationally, making her a lock for NCAA Regionals again in 2022. The Grizzlies also have two additional throwers (Ariel Clark and Kaitlyn Gallo) seeded in the top 10.
The throwing events are where Montana's men look to score ample points. The Grizzlies have six athletes in line to score across the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.
- Montana has two of the top-six men's discus throwers and two of the top-eight javelin throwers, including the favorite in Evan Todd (229-2).
- Brent Yeakey and Matt Ward are names to watch for. Yeakey, who holds school records in both the shot put and discus – and has qualified for NCAA Regionals in both events – currently is seeded second in the discus (he finished second in 2021, as well) and eighth in the shot put. Teammate Matt Ward is seeded sixth in the discus and fourth in the hammer, while Matthew Hockett is eight in the javelin after scoring a season ago as a freshman.
Quincy Fast, who as a freshman in 2021 place fifth in the 800 meters, looks to improve his mark in Year 2 at Montana. The Canada native currently has the second-best time in the Big Sky, entering the meet with a seed time of 1:49.86.
Early in her career, Jansen Ziola was known for her ability to score in the multi-events. Across indoor and outdoor, she has competed in the pentathlon or heptathlon four times in her career, scoring all four times and reaching the podium three times, including a title in 2018 as a freshman. She, no doubt, could again compete for the top spot in the heptathlon in 2022, but she has instead shifted her focus to standalone events, knowing she can score even more points that way. The versatile athlete enters the week ranked fourth in the 100-meter hurdles, fourth in the long jump and seventh in the 400-meter hurdles. Impressively, she has scored 12 times during her career, reaching the podium seven separate time.
Including Ziola, Montana has three of the top-10 times in both the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles. The group includes Holly Sudol, who is seeded fourth in the 400-meter hurdles.
Joel Mendez has had an historic season, recording times not seen in two decades in a variety of distance events. His specialty is the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where he will enter seeded fourth.
Morgan Radtke has scored in the high jump in her last three championship meets and is in line to do so again, coming in ranked fourth in the event.
The heptathlon, which opens the meet on Wednesday and Thursday, has become a staple event for the Grizzlies. Montana has won the event in three of the past eight meets, not to mention several additional runner-up and podium finishes. The Grizzlies might not have the winner in 2022, but they should be able to score points in the event. Jaree Mane, who has scored three times in the heptathlon, is seeded fifth. Radtke does not have a point total this season, but could be in the mix after placing sixth a season ago.
Montana has two of the top-10 pole vaulters, with Zane Johnson seeded seventh and Carson Weeden seeded 10^th after a PR weekend.
Jaydon Green set a school record in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season and placed third at the Big Sky Championships in February. He has battled back from injuries and is currently seeded 10^th in the 110-meter hurdles.
Additional Griz athletes in line to score are: Ailsa Gilbert (seventh in the triple jump); Paul Johnstone (seventh in the 400 meters); Emma Normand (eight in the 100 meters); and Jason Upton (eighth in the long jump).

Gallery: (5-8-2022) TF: Tom Gage Classic (5.7.22)

Below is a look at Montana's registered competitors this week:

Men's 100 meters – Kip Krebsbach (10.72, 10^th), Cooper Hewett (10.85, 23^rd)
Men's 200 meters – Cooper Hewett (21.61, 13^th), Paul Johnstone (21.87, 20^th), Kip Krebsbach (22.16, 30^th)
Men's 400 meters – Paul Johnstone (48.11, 7^th), Jay Beagle (49.90, 17^th)
Men's 800 meters – Quincy Fast (1:49.86, 2^nd), Will Dauenhauer (1:53.98, 26^th)
Men's 5,000 meters – Maxwell Scott (14:23.09, 26^th), Joel Mendez (14:25.09, 28^th), Ben Vanderbosch (14:25.53, 29^th), Nathan Carter (14:29.21, 30^th), Jordan Hansen (14:32.78, 34^th), AJ Eckmann (NT, N/A), Ellis McKean (NT, N/A)
Men's 110-meter hurdles – Jaydon Green (14.64, 10^th)
Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase – Joel Mendez (8:42.22, 4^th), Ellis McKean (9:13.83, 14^th), AJ Eckmann (9:21.94, 21^st)
Men's 4x100-meter relay – A: Kip Krebsbach, Jason Upton, Cooper Hewett, Paul Johnstone (41.87, 10^th)
Men's 4x400-meter relay – A: Jay Beagle, Will Dauenhauer, Quincy Fast, Paul Johnstone (3:17.69, 6^th)
Men's high jump – Alfred Peterson (6-4.75, 10^th)
Men's pole vault – Zane Johnson (15-11, 7^th), Carson Weeden (15-6.25, 10^th)
Men's long jump – Jason Upton (23-1.75, 8^th)
Men's triple jump – Zane Johnson (44-2.75, 11^th), Jason Upton (44-1.25, 13^th)
Men's shot put – Brent Yeakey (55-6.25, 8^th), Noah Ramirez (53-11.25, 11^th)
Men's discus – Brent Yeakey (178-1, 2^nd), Matt Ward (171-1, 6^th), Colton Root (133-9, 34^th)
Men's hammer – Matt Ward (206-3, 4^th), Noah Ramirez (171-5, 13^th), Colton Root (163-5, 19^th)
Men's javelin – Evan Todd (229-2, 1^st), Matthew Hockett (205-5, 8^th)

Women's 100 meters – Emma Normand (11.97, 8^th), Catie Buck (12.09, 14^th)
Women's 200 meters – Catie Buck (24.70, 14^th), Emma Normand (24.86, 17^th), Camryn Dezember (25.93, 44^th)
Women's 800 meters – Bridget Boyle (2:15.27, 18^th), Katie Whitehurst (2:17.14, 26^th)
Women's 5,000 meters – Olivia Lackland Henry (17:24.20, 26^th), Beatrix Frissell (17:38.86, 36^th)
Women's 100-meter hurdles – Jansen Ziola (14.02, 4^th), Ailsa Gilbert (14.17, 7^th), Carlee Fryberger (14.36, 10^th), Jaree Mane (14.75, 18^th)
Women's 400-meter hurdles – Holly Sudol (1:01.27, 4^th), Jansen Ziola (1:02.23, 7^th), Abby Harmon (1:03.80, 10^th)
Women's 4x100-meter relay – A: Emma Normand, Abby Harmon, Camryn Dezember, Catie Buck (47.13, 6^th)
Women's 4x400-meter relay – A: Camryn Dezember, Katie Whitehurst, Abby Harmon, Holly Sudol (3:53.82, 7^th)
Women's high jump – Morgan Radtke (5-7.25, 4^th)
Women's pole vault – Shealyne McGee (11-9, 11^th), Molly Chambers (11-4.25, 14^th)
Women's long jump – Jansen Ziola (19-3.25, 4^th), Ailsa Gilbert (18-5, 16^th)
Women's triple jump – Ailsa Gilbert (39-3.75, 7^th), Morgan Radtke (37-3, 20^th)
Women's shot put – Jaree Mane (40-7.75, 19^th)
Women's hammer – Tanessa Morris (210-4, 1^st) Ariel Clark (175-2, 9^th), Kaitlyn Gallo (173-4, 10^th), Savana Ramirez (163-11, 18^th)
Women's javelin – Sierrah Hardy (141-3, 10^th), Autumn Morse (133-9, 14^th), Jaree Mane (127-3, 18^th), Kylie Frohlich (123-7, N/A)
Women's heptathlon – Jaree Mane (4,903, 5^th), Morgan Radtke (NT, N/A)