FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (June 17, 2021) – After a yearlong hiatus due to COVID-19, the Northern Arizona women's outdoor track & field team reclaimed their position as Big Sky Champions in 2021, increasing their outdoor conference championship total to 12 all-time titles.
The NAU women proved to be a well-balanced team, scoring 201 total points in Ogden, becoming only the third women's team in Big Sky history to score at least 200 points at the outdoor track & field championship, and defeating the second place team, Weber State, by nearly 60 points.
In an impressive feat, the 'Jacks received gold medals in the women's 800-meters (freshman
Maggi Congdon), 1500-meters (freshman
Taryn O'Neill), 4x100-meter relay (freshmen
Kenashalee Kerr and
Kenya Coburn, and seniors
Jada Jackson and
Miracle Onyemaobi), shot put (junior
Matilde Roe), and discus (Roe).
Roe is the first NAU multiple event champion since Jasmine Malone in 2018. Also, a women's Lumberjack thrower has not won double events since 2000, when Linda Nestorsson championed these same two events.
In addition to Roe being crowned a double-champion, she also competed in the javelin, earning a total of 25 points for the Lumberjack women and the title of Big Sky Women's Most Valuable Athlete.
Meanwhile O'Neill was awarded the Big Sky Women's Co-Freshman of the Year title after gathering 18 points for the Lumberjacks in the 1500-meter race and the 5000-meter run.
Heading into the postseason, 11 women qualified for the west regional meet in College Station Texas. All of these women made an appearance at the meet for the first time in their collegiate careers with junior
Jessa Hanson earning a national bid.
Hanson fought her way through the women's 10000-meter semifinal and clinched the last qualifying slot. In Eugene, Hanson placed 11th in the nation, earning Second Team All-American status, to complete her momentous season.
NAU women's outdoor track & field is the sixth feature in NAU Athletics' Champions Week celebrating the department's national and conference champions. Be sure to follow Champions Week on
www.nauathletics.com and on social media on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram.
FROM THE COACH
"The 2021 Women's Outdoor season was one of the most special teams I've worked with because of how they navigated challenging circumstances and still came out as perhaps the best team in NAU history. We teach our athletes that winning is a byproduct of competing, and this championship was an example of just that. This team scored the third most points in Big Sky history and the most in NAU history as they completed a dominating victory against some great teams. Their process was what should be celebrated, particularly in this difficult year. We were so proud of this team and this season was one we won't forget." – Director of Cross Country and Track & Field
Michael Smith
| 201 |
Becoming only the third women's team in Big Sky history to score a minimum of 200 points at the outdoor track & field championship, the Lumberjacks won the title with 201 points. |
| 59 |
The runner-up team, Weber State, finished in a distant second place with 142 points, meaning the 'Jacks annihilated the closest team by 59 points. |
| 5 |
NAU won five events at the Big Sky Conference outdoor championship. |
| 12 |
This season's conference trophy marks the 12th conference title in Northern Arizona history. |
| 3 |
Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Mike Smith earned his third Big Sky women's outdoor coach of the year award. |
| 154 |
On the final day of conference championships, the women scored 154 points, which was still enough to best their nearest respective challengers' point totals from the entire meet. |
| 11 |
All 11 women who qualified for west regionals traveled to the meet for the first time in their collegiate careers. |
| 1 |
One Lumberjack, Jessa Hanson, earned Second-Team All-American honors in the 10000-meters. |
