BOZEMAN, Mont. (February 26, 2022) - Northern Arizona swept the Big Sky Men's and Women's Championship team titles winning their tenth and fourth consecutive respective conference trophies, rounding out their historic total of 24th and 15th trophies. The Lumberjacks also garnered the men and women's Co-Most Valuable Athlete accolades, as well as the men's Outstanding Performer award.
On the final day of competition, NAU earned 11 gold medals, and posted 19 podium performances, finishing the meet with 170 points and 182 points; the Lumberjack women dominated the meet by 110 points. The men's and women's point totals respectively rank fourth and second-most in Big Sky history.
"This was the most dominating Big Sky Championship for the men's and women's teams in my time at NAU," said Director of Track and Field & Cross Country
Michael Smith. "We are elated with the performances and I am so proud."
Nico Young earned the Big Sky Men's Outstanding Performer award after running the men's 3000-meter in championship meet record time of 7:59.01; Young's time also ranks third on the NCAA Indoor Qualifying list.
The Lumberjacks continued to rack up points in the 3K as
Ryan Raff (8:19.93) placed fifth and
Jack Shea (8:20.11) placed eighth for the men, while
Elise Stearns (9:45.08) finished third,
Jesselyn Bries (9:49.33) took fourth,
Delaney Rasmussen (9:49.86) placed fifth, and
Annika Reiss (9:54.36) grabbed eighth.
Meanwhile,
Alyssa Colbert (7.40 / 24.44) and
David Dunlap (6.76 / 21.38), named Co-Most Valuable Athletes, both became double-champions in the men and women's 60-meter dash and 200-meter. Colbert's 60-meter time is a new arena record.
Synfanie Crudder (7.71) and
Kyle Smith (6.94) respectively placed eighth in the women's and men's 60-meter;
Miracle Onyemaobi (24.71) and
Synfanie Crudder (25.40) sequentially placed fourth and seventh while
Kyle Smith (22.49) finished seventh.
In the men's mile,
Abdihamid Nur gave a gold medal performance of 4:03.98 to set a Big Sky Championship record;
George Kusche (4:05.65) placed fourth,
Drew Bosley (4:11.88) took sixth,
Theo Quax (4:12.93) grabbed seventh and
Caleb Easton (4:13.33) stole eighth.
Meanwhile
Elise Stearns (4:55.72) earned second in the women's mile, with
Bryn Morley (4:57.35) in fourth, and
Annika Reiss (5:00.20) in sixth place.
Onyemaobi (54.79) was also the champion of the women's 400-meter, with
Kyairra Reigh (55.78),
LiNay Perry (56.10) and
Hannah Schmidt (58.38) picking up second place, fifth place and seventh place points.
Melanie Loff (2:11.56) earned a gold medal in the women's 800-meter as well, while
Hannah Behunin (2:16.88) took eighth; on the men's side, Quax (1:56.17) placed fourth.
In the 60-meter hurdles,
Trenton Givens finished first with 7.96 while
Wil Peralta (8.15) took sixth and
Tyson Givens (8.25) placed eighth; on the women's side
Madeline Wilson tied her school record of 8.57 for third and
Jyntry Rucker finished eighth (9.17)
The women's 4x400-meter relay team composed of Onyemaobi, Reigh, Perry and Loff also placed first with a time of 3:44.41; the men's relay team finished second with 3:16.79.
In the field,
Jenna Figueroa (12.39m) grabbed gold in the women's triple jump,
Kenashalee Kerr (12.32m) placed second and
Courtney Weisenberger (11.67m) took eighth.
Meanwhile,
Mitchell Effing (15.31m) placed fourth and
Jack Normand (14.46m) stole eighth in the men's triple jump.
As for the throws event,
Jake Arnold (17.89m) and
Parker Bays (16.92m) respectively finished second and fourth in the men's shot put while
Kimberly Buchanan (18.00m) placed fifth in the weight throw.
