Griz conclude Riverfront Invite with another school record

Thursday, February 6

Spokane, Wash.

Montana

Riverfront Invite and Multi

Photo by: Torrey Vail

Griz conclude Riverfront Invite with another school record

2/8/2025 10:08:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Results

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana track and field team wrapped up the Riverfront Invite on Saturday in Spokane, following up a record setting day on Friday with another record on Saturday. The Griz again had PRs across all disciplines as they continue to progress toward the Big Sky Championships at the end of February.

The women's 4x400m relay team of Sophia Clark, Whitney Morrison, Claire Hutchison, and Lily Meskers broke an eight-year old school record in the event, running a time of 3:45.05. The quartet improved on the previous best time this season by nearly eight full seconds, and broke the school record by 0.13 seconds.

The time should also guarantee Montana a spot in the final heat of the relay at the Big Sky Championships in Flagstaff at the end of the month.

"I feel pretty good about the meet overall. Any time you get school records it's a great thing, because that is never easy," head coach Doug Fraley said. "It was a big goal for those women coming in this week to be able to challenge that record. It was on the forefront of their minds getting ready for that race, and it's great to see a group of athletes put their minds on something and then be able to go on to the track and be able to achieve it."

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Shealyne McGee had one of the best individual marks of the day, reaching new heights in the women's pole vault. McGee cleared the 13-foot mark for the first time during indoor, placing 4^th in a highly competitive field with a new PR of 13-2.5.

McGee climbed within two inches of the Montana school record in the process.

"Shea's performance was the highest level from anybody on our team today. It moves her into third in the Big Sky rankings and to be able to attempt a school record was really good, and she's had such a steady indoor season," Fraley said. "She had been chasing that bar for the last few meets, so it was great to see her clear that and get some shots at a higher bar."

Braden Ankeny followed up his school record in the 200m on Friday with a solid performance in the men's 400m. Ankeny ran a new personal best time of 47.93 to place 7^th out of the 11 competitors in the Invite competition.

Ankeny anchored the men's relay team, and the Grizzlies made a good improvement in the event. The team of Jay Beagle, Taylor Johnson, Cutter Thatcher, and Ankeny ran a new season best time of 3:14.77.

"The men did a good job this week and shaved a couple of seconds off their season best to move into a better position for potential seeding at the conference meet," Fraley said. "We still have a ways to go, but I thought it was quite a bit better than it has been this indoor season."

The time moves Montana into 3^rd in the Big Sky performance lists, putting them in a good position to also be in the final, faster heat at the Big Sky Championships.

The talent level at the event was the best that Montana will face outside of, and possibly including, the Big Sky Championships. In the difficult field, Montana had a finalist on Saturday as Easton Brotherson narrowly missed out on a PR in the men's 60-meter hurdles.

Brotherson reached the final with the 5^th best time in qualifying at 8.40, and finished in 6^th in the final.

Lane Cole led Montana's distance team with a third place finish in the men's mile. Cole ran a time of 4:13.08 for a podium finish in the 41-man field.

Iris McKean had a nice run for the women's distance group. McKean set a new PR in the women's 3,000m with a time of 10:10.76, placing 11^th in a 40-woman field.

McGee had the top mark in the women's pole vault, but the Grizzlies are deep in the event area and had several other good performances. Samantha Serex cleared 12-8.75 to finish in 6^th place.

"We were pleased for the most part with the way the areas are developing at this point, but we still have quite a bit to do here in the last few weeks to get ready for the Big Sky meet," Fraley said. "Hopefully the team will take advantage of the opportunities they have left and we can continue to improve."

Montana will be back in action in Spokane next weekend, competing in the Whitworth Invite on Feb. 14-15. The Big Sky Championships will be in Flagstaff, Ariz. from Feb. 27 to March 1.

MEN'S RESULTS
60m Collegiate- Karsen Beitz (6.91, 14^th/65), Malaki Simpson (6.95, 18^th), Brody Thornsberry (7.05, 33^rd), Gordon McMillion (7.32, 54^th)
400m Invite- Braden Ankeny (47.93*, 7^th/11), Taylor Johnson (49.11, 10^th), Jay Beagle (49.30, 11^th)
400m Collegiate- Ty Ferguson (49.27, 5^th/37), Garrett Dahlke (50.30, 15^th)
600m- Michael Jump (1:22.97*, 5^th/16)
Mile- Lane Cole (4:13.08, 3^rd/41), Colin Shaules (4:24.12*, 21^st), Morgan Amano (4:33.19, 33^rd)
3,000m- Luke Mest (8:43.94, 16^th)
60mH Collegiate- Easton Brotherson (8.40, 5Q/20), Carter Petersen (8.92, 12^th)
60mH Final- Easton Brotherson (8.45, 6^th)
4x400m Relay- Beagle, Johnson, Thatcher, Ankeny (3:14.77, 2^nd/12), Dahlke, Ferguson, Maxwell, Amano (3:21.94, 4^th)
Triple jump- Caiden Sekuterski (45-5, 4^th/17), Dylan Zink (43-7.25, 10^th)
Pole vault- Carson Hegele (15-6.25, 10^th/12), Carter Petersen (15-6.25, 11^th)
Shot put- Alex Shields (55-7.75, 2^nd/27), Donaven Humphries (51-2.75, 10^th), Wade Rykal (49-1.75, 15^th)

WOMEN'S RESULTS
60m Collegiate- Tara Ohlwiler (7.61, 13^th/73), Brooke Zetooney (7.65, 14^th), Rileigh McGree (7.72, 21^st), Jayel Dovichak (7.99, 38^th), Claire Hutchison (8.09, 49^th), Isabelle Berry (8.18, 56^th)
400m Invite- Sophia Clark (55.89, 7^th/17), Lily Meskers (56.15, 9^th)
400m Collegiate- Cosley Bruno (1:00.62, 24^th/44), Katie Whitehurst (1:02.74, 35^th)
Mile- Libby Hartz (5:15.96, 34^th/72)
3,000m- Iris McKean (10:10.76*, 11^th/40), Shay Pederson (10:32.67, 20^th)
60mH Collegiate- Whitney Morrison (8.81, 10^th/43), Jayel Dovichak (8.82, 11^th), Ainsley Shipman (8.98, 15^th), Isabelle Berry (9.53, 30^th)
4x400m Relay- Clark, Morrison, Hutchison, Meskers (3:45.05^, 3^rd/15)
Pole vault- Shealyne McGee (13-2.5*, 4^th/29), Samantha Serex (12-8.75, 6^th), Emma Weeden (12-2.75, 13^th), Molly Chambers (12-2.5, 14^th), Hannah Moses (11-8.5, 15^th), Chesnee Lawrence (11-2.5, 21^st)
Triple jump- Ainsley Shipman (37-1, 9^th/23)
Shot put- Scout Nadeau (44-11.75*, 5^th/29), Cathlene Van Zyl (42-8.75, 8^th), Morgan Thomas (39-11.25, 15^th)

*Denotes PR
^School record