Montanans are competing at national meets at all levels of collegiate competition this week. Here's how it shook out Friday.
NCAA West First Round (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Athletes headed to the first round of the NCAA track and field championships by qualifying for two regional meets. The top competitors advance from there to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon to be held June 5-8, 2024.
Montana State continued to prove their 'Steeple U' moniker by qualifying three runners to Eugene by finishing in the top 12. Rob McManus finished second in the first heat in 8 minutes, 40.18 seconds and qualify fourth overall for the national meet for a second time. Levi Taylor (Laurel) won the third heat, but his time of 8:45.89 placed him eighth overall as he will head back to nationals meet for the third year in a row. Owen Smith (Billings Senior) was third in the third heat with Taylor, and with his time of 8:49.21, he earned the twelfth overall and final qualifying position. Oklahoma State's Victor Shitsama earned the top time of 8:37.15.
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In the men's 5,000 meters, Ben Perrin (Kalispell Flathead) and Matthew Richtman doubled back for their second distance race of the meet after running the 10,000 on Wednesday. Perrin finished ninth in the second heat in 14:9.78 to end up 19th overall. Richtman was twelfth in the same heat and 25th overall in 14:21.17. Only 12 runners moved onto the national meet with New Mexico's Habtom Samuel taking the top time.
Montana State junior Janis Pohl ran the next round of the men's 400 hurdles where he finished fourth in his heat and 17th overall to conclude his collegiate season in a time of 51.07 seconds. Texas Tech's Caleb Dean led the competitors advancing with his 48.05.
Montana State sophomore Elijah Jackman finished his third of three events for the weekend in the men's discus where he was unable to record a mark by fouling all three attempts. BYU's Dallin Shurts had the top result of 203 feet, 10 inches.
In the men's triple jump, Ian Fosdick led two Bobcats in competing, but neither will advance. The senior leapt 49-8.25 on his second attempt to finish 28th overall. Destiny Nkeonye fouled all three attempts and was unable to record a mark. Texas Tech's Stacy Brown Jr. earned the top jump of 53-8.5.
NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships (Emporia, Kansas)
UC-Colorado Springs senior Audrey Bloomquist (Helena Capital) finished seventh in the women's triple jump. Bloomquist jumped 41-4.5 on her second attempt. Pittsburg State's Auna Childress won the event at 43-6.
Her current college and former high school teammate, Marisa Moreni (Helena Capital) placed sixth in the preliminaries of the women's 100 hurdles in 13.65 seconds to qualify as one of eight for the finals on Saturday. Moreni ran in lane seven during the second heat as she secured her spot. Minnesota State's Denisha Cartwright had the top qualifying time of 1301.
Black Hills State senior Brett Glaser (Glasgow) moved up from tenth to eighth and finished the decathlon with a personal best of 7,189 points. Like the day before, Glaser finished the final running event with his best finish of the day by completing the 1,500 in 4:41.39 to finish fourth in the race. Pittsburg State's Hunter Jones led throughout and won with 7,898 points.
Minot State freshman Jasiah Hambira (Lustre Christian) finished 14th overall in the men's high jump by clearing 6-8. Grand Valley State's Jaivon Harrison won at 7-3.25.
NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships (Marion, Indiana)
Taylor Laumeyer (Nashua) earned fourth place for Dickinson State in the women's discus. In her third event of the meet, she threw 161-5 on her opening attempt and took the early lead. Providence junior Tatiana Martinez was sixth in 157-0. Her teammate Allyson Conner was 13th at 145-1. Indiana Wesleyan's Princess Kara won the event with 175-9.
In the men's shot put, Montana Tech sophomore Cade VanVleet (Noxon) scored for the Orediggers by placing seventh with his throw of 55-11.75 on his final attempt. Providence sophomore Josh Goleman was 23rd with 51-9.75. VanVleet's Oredigger teammate Jesse Mecham (Frenchtown) was 31st with 48-4.25. Deandre Leith from Columbia International won the event at 59-4.25.
Rocky Mountain College junior Braden Tomlin (Red Lodge) finished just off the podium in the men's pole vault in ninth place. He cleared 15-11. Carroll College's Josh Smalley tied for 16th with his clearance of 15-3.
A day after her third-place finish in the heptathlon, Montana Tech junior Abby Clark (Fort Benton) was back on the track competing in the regular women's high jump. She cleared 5-3 on her first attempt to tie for 20th. Central Methodist's Renee Finke was first at 5-9.75.
Montana Tech freshman Nicolo Lancini was 13th in the men's triple jump by jumping 48-3.25 on his second attempt. Voorhees' Michael Tatnall was the winner after his opening jump of 51-10.75 held up against all competitors' rounds.