Track & Field Has Big Weekend in Bozeman as Wilson Earns GNAC POW

Results

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings track and field team had one of its most productive track meets in recent history as they broke numerous school records. Freshman Nick Wilson not only set a new school record in the javelin, he posted an NCAA Division II automatic national qualifying mark at the MSU Open in Bozeman, Mont. Saturday afternoon.

In all, six school records were broken during the meet and 17 Great Northwest Athletic Conference qualifying marks were matched. Four of the qualifying marks were automatic times or distances to guarantee a place at the GNAC Outdoor Championships later this spring.

Wilsons toss of 208’-9” in the javelin added nearly 12 feet to his previous provisional national qualifying mark. His toss was the third longest in GNAC history and the Laurel, MT, native became just the seventh GNAC athlete to better 200 feet in the event.

Other records for MSUB athletes included Nathan Diede’s time in the 200 meter run where he crossed the line in a time of 22.37 for second place in the event. The 400 meter relay team of Diede, Luke Barrett, Deshawn Lewis and Adam Prevost set a new mark with a time of 43.64.

On the women’s side, Erika Halle continued her assault on the MSUB record books with a time of 25.70 in the 200 meter run, which also marked the second fastest time this season in the conference. Halle along with Justine Simons earned automatic qualifying marks for the GNAC meet with their times in the event.

The 4x400 relay team of Halle, Simons, Sarah McGurran and Sarah Jackson also set a school mark with a 4:12.95 on their way to a fourth place finish in the event. Jackson hit a qualifying mark in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:22.65.

Halle and Simons also earned provisional qualifying marks along with Britney Derhak in the 100 meter sprint, while Halle had a best jump of 16’-06.50” in the long jump to make a provisional mark. The distance team had four provisional qualifiers, Whitney Mickelsen and Katie Thiel in the 1500, Mickelsen again in the 5,000 and Mary Owen in the 10,000.

On the men’s side, in addition to Diede’s mark in the 200 and Wilson’s toss in the javelin, pole vaulter Branden Martinez made a provisional mark with his best vault of 13’-06.25”.

The Yellowjacket track and field team now gets set to compete in Missoula, MT, Saturday, April. 17, for the University of Montana Invitational.