SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Diego Estrada set a championship meet record in the 5,000 meters and the 4x400-meter relay closed the meet with a Big Sky title, but it was not enough to overcome host Sacramento State Saturday at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
"It was a good performance," said Director of Track and Field. "We did not come out and have an amazing day. Sacramento State did today. We did not have that big finish to get over the hump."
The Lumberjacks finished second overall with 167 points behind team champion Sacramento State. The Hornets overcame a first-day deficit to win the team title with 204.5 points. The Hornets also won the women's title over Montana by 103 points. NAU finished eighth overall in a women's team race that separated third and eighth by just 16 points.
"All across the board we had some good performances," said Heins. "Having Diego break the 5K record with all the great runners that have come thru the conference says a lot."
Estrada won the 5,000m in a championship meet record with a time of 14:00.35, breaking the mark set by David Morris of Montana in 1993 by 17 seconds. Ahmed Osman, who won the 10,000m Friday, finished second in 14:09.83. Junior Jordan Chipangama was fourth, Tim Freriks was fifth and Matthew Coloe crossed the line seventh. The Lumberjacks totaled 29 points in the event.
The men started the day with four scorers in the 1,500m led by Estrada's third-place finish, followed by John Yatsko in fifth. Chipangama was sixth and Coloe in eighth.
Freshman Adel al Nasser (47.10) and senior DeVaughn Shead (48.35) finished two-three in the 400m dash, earning valuable points in the team race. Al Nasser posted a collegiate-best 47.10 in the race and then returned in the 400m hurdles with a third-place finish in 53.18.
Edgar Panford finished third in the triple jump on Saturday with a mark of 48-6.25.
The men's 4x100 relay was third in 41.03 with the 4.400-meter team closing the meet with a 3:12.60, edging Sacramento State for the win in the final race of the meet.
The women's team had two top-four finishes in the sprints by Morgan Pope. She placed third in the 200m (24.3) and fourth in the 100m in 12.20. Junior Kortnee Burton crossed the line fourth in the 5,000m in 17:09 after finishing second in the 10,000m on Friday night. Senior Amber Anderson finished fourth in the triple jump.
The women's hammer produced sixth and seventh-place finishes by Nicole Elliott (167-3) and Michelle Baltimore (164-3), who also scored in the discus with Kasandra Vegas.
Other scorers for the women included Haley Lawrence (4:33.0, 8th) in the 1,500m and Rashida McKinnon (57.46, 8th) in the 400m.
Heins was disappointed with a second-place finish for the second consecutive year for the men and sees improvement ahead for the women based on recruiting so far this season.
"We have to get back to where we are not just qualifying, but scoring," said Heins. "We have been so close on the men's side. We have to keep doing what we are doing. We can win this championship."
The team will compete at the NCAA Regionals in two weeks with final participants set on Monday for the meet hosted by Oregon in Eugene.
Lumberjacks at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Men's Team Results
1. Sacramento State 204.5; 2. Northern Arizona 167; 3. Montana State 116.5; 4. Eastern Washington 96; 5. Weber State 74; 6. Montana 49.5; 7. Idaho State 44; 8. Northern Colorado 38; 9. Portland State 28.5.
Women's Team Results
1. Sacramento State 236; 2. Montana 133; 3. Eastern Washington 79; 4. Montana State 73; 5. Weber State 66; 6. Idaho State 65.5; 7. Portland State 65; 8. Northern Arizona 63; 9. Northern Colorado 33.5.
FEMALE MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE: Moira Robinson, Sacramento State
FEMALE OUTSTANDING PERFORMER: Lea Wallace, Sacramento State, 800
MALE MOST VALUABLE ATHLETES: Emilio Hernandez & Ronald Brookins, Sacramento State
MALE OUTSTANDING PERFORMER: Brett Hales, Weber State, Steeplechase
Women's 4x100m
Northern Arizona (Anderson, Holder, McKinnon, Pope), DNF
Men's 4x100m
3. Northern Arizona (Bell, DiSabella, Heck, Hughes), 41.03
Women's 1,500m
8. Haley Lawrence, 4:33.0
11. Sarah Raber, 4:43.8
13. Lauren Hill, 4:46.14
15. Alexandra Myers, 4:54.46
Men's 1,500m
3. Diego Estrada, 3:47.32
5. John Yatsko, 3:50.05
6. Jordan Chipangama, 3:50.95
8. Matt Coloe, 3:52.82
11. Kameron Holbrook, 4:01.37
Women's 400m
8. Rashida McKinnon, 57.46
Men's 400m
2. Adel al Nasser, 47.10
3. DeVaughn Shead, 48.35
7. Cody Bell, 48.89
Women's 100m
4. Morgan Pope, 12.20
Men's100m
5. Miles Di Sabella, 10.76
Men's 400m Hurdles
3. Adel al Nasser, 53.18
4. Mark Hughes, 53.62
Women's 200m
3. Morgan Pope, 24.39
Men's 200m
4, Miles Di Sabella, 21.70
Women's 5,000m
4. Kortnee Burton, 17.09.71
7. Rochelle Kanuho, 17:16.71
14. Haley Lawrence, 17:59.26
16.Lisette Michaels, 18:17.06
Men's 5,000m
1. Diego Estrada, 14:00.35 (Championship Meet Record)
2. Ahmed Osman, 14:09.85
4. Jordan Chipangama, 14:17.33
5. Tim Freriks, 14:18.20
7. Matt Coloe, 14:20.89
9. Bahlbi Gegreyohanns, 14:34.36
18. Jason Pedersen, 15:10.03
Men's Javelin
10. Andres Rossini, 188-10
Discus
6. Michelle Baltimore, 142-5
7. Kasandra Vegas, 138-10
Jessica Bush, F
Women's Triple Jump
4. Amber Anderson, 40-5
Men's Triple Jump
3. Edgar Panford, 48-6.25
Women's 4x400m
7. Northern Arizona (Holder, Shea, Pope, McKinnon), 3:51.49
Men's 4x400m
1. Northern Arizona (DiSabella, Bell, Shead, al Nasser), 3:12.60
Women's Hammer
6. Nicole Elliott, 167-3
7. Michelle Baltimore, 164-3
14. Kasandra Vegas, 140-5
Men's Shot Put
9. Paul Osunwa, 47-9.75
15. Jacob Nicol, 51-5.5
