Track and Field Sweeps 2018 Big Sky Outdoor Championships

MOSCOW, Idaho - It might have made for a stressful couple of days but in the end the Northern Arizona University track and field program took care of business in sweeping the 2018 Big Sky Outdoor Championships at the University of Idaho's Dan O'Brien Complex on Friday.

On the men's side Northern Arizona found themselves down with just two events remaining in the meet. The tide turned when Tyler Day led a Lumberjack charge in the 5000-meter race. Day won the Big Sky title in 14:08.16 while teammates Matt Baxter came in second, Andy Trouard took third, Luis Grijalva came in fifth and Peter Lomong took seventh for a 22-point swing.

"There are certain people who while you are still coaching them you have the perspective to realize that what's happening is very rare and precious," director of track and field Michael Smith said. "Those distance guys are very special people, not just special athletes. They obviously have wonderful talents but their willingness that they showed today to take the track meet and shift the entire momentum simply because we told them it was necessary just says exactly who they are."

"It's the same characteristic they won the NCAA Cross Country National Championship off of and the way it happened today, to have such a close meet and to dominate an event in that fashion was incredible," Smith added. "It showed a lot about who they are against some of the best distance runners in the country in that heat. They swung the entire track meet in our favor."

NAU took their first lead of the meet with a seven-point advantage after the 5000-meter heading into the final 4x400-meter relay. While a second place finish would have given rival Southern Utah University the victory, the Lumberjacks made sure they took matters into their own hands. The relay unit of Kossi Tchenawou, Ryan Lanley, Shawn Williams and Tyren Wolfe ran a mark of 3:15.53 to finish fifth overall, two spots ahead of SUU to seal the championship.

Other big contributors for the men included the long jump duo of Matthew Kisiel (T-5th /2.05m) and Obang Odol  (7/2.05m) along with the veteran leadership from Tchenawou and Khalil Doresy in the sprints, relays and hurdle events.

"Our high jump guys did a really good job of holding it down for us today," Smith said. "Khalil having a big personal record like that in the 110-meter hurdles was amazing as those points were crucial for us. Kossi going in the 4x100, the 100, the 200 then to give us what he did in the 4x400 was just leadership. Kossi's body isn't in a perfect place and we never heard a word of that. He's the ultimate gamer."

While the battle for the women's championship wasn't as stressful, the Lumberjacks got strong performances across all disciplines to take home the team title.

Jasmine Malone collected four gold medals, two individually in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes and two more in the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter races. Her time of 52.79 in the 400-meter dash set a new NAU, Big Sky and championship meet record.

"She's businesslike in her approach and confident," Smith said. "I love the way she carries herself as there's never a question if she's going to go out there and do everything for her team and as a coach you got someone of that caliber, there's never a doubt she's going to give you everything she has. Between the relays and her events, that's 40 points scored. That's one person. She could be her own team. I'm just so proud of the way she goes about handling her business."

NAU also got big performances from Helena McLeod (fourth in 200m), Jada Jackson (third in the 100m), Nicole Fotinos (second in the 400m/third in 200m along with relays), Ashley Taylor (second in 1500m) and Maggie Carruth (third in 800m) to seal the victory.

"Jada and Helena, obviously what Jasmine and Nicole are doing is incredible but for Jada to take third in the 100-meter dash for a freshman; that was her best race of the season. To have that performance at the most important meet of the season was amazing. We were just so happy Helena was in the finals and for her to do what she did was incredible."

"So many of our great athletes, the Brooke Andersens and the Jasmine Malones and the Andy Trouards get a lot of recognition, and it's rightly deserved as they're exceptional but there are so many people behind the scenes that we couldn't achieve what we do without these athletes."

The Lumberjack men won the title with 131 points while the NAU women took home the championships with 128 points. The victories meant that Northern Arizona swept the Big Sky Championships in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field.

"I'm really proud of how these teams fought for their victories," Smith said. "It's not just winning, it's the way that they have gone about winning that would make anyone involved with NAU track and field very proud."

"Each meet has its own energy and flow. Our athletes were aware of the sometimes dire nature of our points scenario and when something didn't go our way we seemed to never give up and find a  way to pull through," Smith added. "At the same time we have some exceptional people on our roster who are willing to do whatever it takes for their teammates. To take on some of the massive asks that they did today when it came to what they were required to do from a team standpoint."

The victory was the 22nd Big Sky title on the men's side while the women took home their 11th conference crown.

"You come very close with your staff and athletes because they're the ones who know the fine margins we are competing in to win these," Smith said. "We have a conference that is pushing harder and harder even with the target already on our back. We're going to be up against great teams over and over again that want to take down NAU."

The complete sweep of the men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country championships was the first time a team swept all since events since NAU did it in 2014.

"This was something that over two days competing and with just three events to go you've just been smashing heads with these teams for 48 hours and then you head into the last hour and you got all these teams separated by just a few points. A DQ doesn't go our way, we don't win the meet. A kid doesn't roll his ankle and we don't win the meet. Usually in these things we have things break our way but this time things weren't going our way."

"We do not just show up and win these. We are pushed to the limits by our competition and we win these because we have a program that cares so much about tradition and upholding that legacy before us. I'm so proud of all of our athletes with the perseverance they showed today."

Now that the conference championships is over, the qualified NAU athletes will turn their attention to the NCAA West Regionals hosted by Sacramento State on May 24-26.


NAU COMPETING ATHLETES

Field Events

Men's Hammer Final
11. Justin Saxe - 13.24m

Men's High Jump Final
T-5. Matthew Kisiel - 2.05m
7. Obang Odol - 2.05m

Women's Shot Put Final
4. Rachel Pott - 14.51m
11. Tiana Hatler-Stefick - 13.24m

Men's Discus Final
9. Parker Joens - 49.80m
18. William Beaudry - 46.46m

Men's Triple Jump Final
8. Cameron Rayford - 14.47m

Running Events

Men's 4x100 Final
2. Williams, Wolfe, Dorsey, Tchenawou - 40.75

Women's 4x100 Final
1. Jackson, Fotinos, McLeod, Malone - 45.76

Men's 1500 Final
1. Andy Trouard - 3:49.22
4. Tyler Day - 3:52.19
6. Matt Baxter - 3:52.89
11. Cade Burks - 3:58.20

Women's 1500 Final
2. Ashley Taylor - 4:27.85
11. Hannah Behunin - 4:40.66
12. Kylie Goo - 4:43.81
13. Delaney Rasmussen - 4:47.83

Men's 110 Hurdle Final
2. Khalil Dorsey - 14.12
7. Carter Bracken - 14.45

Women's 100 Hurdle Final
5. Sara Murray - 14.20

Men's 400 Final
3. Tyren Wolfe - 47.28

Women's 400 Final
1. Jasmine Malone - 52.79
2. Nicole Fotinos - 53.12
7. Tylnn Carter - 58.11

Men's 100 Final
3. Kossi Tchenawou - 10.44

Women's 100 Final
3. Jada Jackson - 11.90

Men's 800 Final
3. Luis Grijalva - 1:52.80

Women's 800 Final
3. Maggie Carruth - 2:08.61

Men's 200 Final
2. Tyren Wolfe - 20.93
3. Kossi Tchenawou - 21.02

Women's 200 Final
1. Jasmine Malone - 23.52
3. Nicole Fotinos - 23.78
4. Helena McLeod - 23.99

Men's 5000 Final
1. Tyler Day - 14:08.16
2. Matt Baxter - 14:08.67
3. Andy Trouard - 14:12.82
5. Luis Grijalva - 14:23.47
7. Peter Lomong - 14:35.18
10. Jack Shea - 14:47.11
18. Ryan Wolff - 15:06.37
30. Cade Burks - 15:27.10

Women's 5000 Final
4. Paige Gilchrist - 16:42.08
10. Miranda Myers - 17:08.37
16. Jessa Hanson - 17:28.28
17. Pipi Eitel - 17:28.56
19. Emily Roughan - 17:30.30
25. Hannah Behunin - 17:57.73

Men's 4x400 Final
5. Tchenawou, Lanley, Williams, Wolfe - 3:15.53

Women's 4x400 Final
1. Malone, Taylor, Carruth, Fotinos - 3:40.71