POCATELLO, Idaho (May 14, 2022) — Northern Arizona track & field has swept the Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championship for the second consecutive season, claiming their all-time 24th and 13th respective men's and women's titles; the NAU women finished the meet with 244 points, the most points scored in Big Sky history, and the men's team won with a total of 185 points, the third highest point total in NAU history.
The Lumberjacks have now swept the Big Sky cross country, indoor and outdoor team team championship titles in the same calendar year for the third time in program history.
"It's hard to not call this weekend one of the greatest in NAU track and field history. These were dominating performances and full team efforts and I'm so proud of our athletes and staff, " Director of NAU Track & Field Michael Smith said, " this will be a weekend I will not forget as a coach."
Women - 244 Points
On the final day of competition, the NAU women earned seven gold, three silver, and seven bronze medals; they also swept the podium in the 5,000-meter, 1500-meter, 400-meter, and 200-meter races.
The women's team depth was on full display tonight, as Jesselyn Bries (16:37), Jessa Hanson (16:41), and Elise Stearns (17:00) swept the women's 5K podium. Annika Reiss (17:08) and Delaney Rasmussen (17:10) also finished fifth and sixth in the event to pick up a total of 31 points.
Meanwhile, Stearns (4:24), Maggi Congdon (4:26), Bryn Morley (4:28), Reiss (4:28), and Cassi Land (4:35) placed 1-2-3-4-8 in the women's 1500-meter to score 30 points for the team.
Melanie Loff (2:09)championed the 800-meter, as Congdon (2:09) placed second and Morley (2:13.84) finished seventh.
Although NAU could've relied heavily on their distance crew to carry them through the meet, the sprinters never let off the gas and compiled a total of 82 points.
Miracle Onyemaobi (53.61), LiNay Perry (54.31), Kyairra Reigh (54.82), and Hannah Schmidt (56.82) dominated the women's 400-meter with a 1-2-3-5 finish and a score of 28 points.
In the women's 200-meter dash, Alyssa Colbert (23.65), Madeline Wilson (23.81), Onyemaobi (23.95), and Perry (24.50) respectively placed first, second, third, and eighth to round out the event with 25 points.
Colbert once again became a double-event champion after her school record, Big Sky Championship record and all-time Big Sky record 100-meter time of 11:33.
Wilson (13.87) also placed sixth in the women's 100-meter hurdles.
In the field, Jade Kwinn ultimately championed the javelin with a throw of 49.32 meters, while Piper Pfister (43.25m) posted a seventh place performance.
Matilde Roe (14.75m) and Kenashalee Kerr (12.44m) respectively earned bronze medals in the women's shot put and the women's triple jump; Jenna Figueroa (12.12m) placed seventh in the triple jump as well.
With the team title fully secured, the NAU women still gave their all in the 4x400-meter, running a Big Sky Championship meet record of 3:39.17; the women placed third in the 4x100 meter earlier in the day as well (46.02).
Men - 185 Points
The Lumberjack men finished the final day of competition with six gold, one silver and two bronze medals; David Dunlap was named Men's Most Valuable Athlete after scoring a total of 20 points.
The NAU men scored by far the most points in the mens 5K, as Drew Bosley (14:07), Young (14:10), Nur (14:10), Brodey Hasty (14:15), and Ryan Raff (14:18) racked up 27 points with a 1-3-4-5-7 finish.
By no surprise, Abdihamid Nur (3:43) championed the men's 1500-meter run, followed by Nico Young (3:43), Theo Quax (3:46), and Caleb Easton (3:49) in a 1-2-4-7 finish.
Dunlap posted first place performances in the men's 100-meter (10:35) and the 200-meter (20.39), with Kyle Smith (10.68) and Zachary Sutton (10.79) fifth and eighth in the 100, and Sutton (21.32), and Erick Thompson Jr. (21.50) sixth and eighth in the 200.
Trenton Givens earned the men's 110-meter hurdle gold medal with a run of 13.71, and Wil Peralta (21.59) came seventh.
Meanwhile, the throwers scored 20 points between the hammer throw and the discus.
Jacob Kaufman (61.31m), William Beaudry (60.32m), and Jack Murphy (58.14m) finished 5-6-8 in the mens hammer, while CJ McMullen (52.89m), Beaudry (52.38m), and Rudy Tapia (51.40m) placed 4-5-6 in the men's discus.
The jump squad also had a successful day, as Mitchell Effing (15.31m), Sirr Butler (15.14m) and Jack Normand (15.10m) placing 6-7-8 in the men's triple jump. Normand (1.99m) placed seventh in the high jump as well.
On the track, Theo Quax (1:50) and Alex Alton (52.35) respectively placed fourth in the men's 800-meter and 400-meter hurdles.
The Lumberjack men also championed the 4x100-meter relay (40.17) and placed third in the 4x400-meter relay (3:12.84).
