SPOKANE, Wash. (February 24, 2024) – The NAU track & field teams concluded their time at the Big Sky Indoor Conference Championships with a sweep of the team titles for the fourth consecutive year.
The women earned their fourth straight conference title with a team score of 204 points, the highest women's point total in conference championships history.
Madeline Wilson earned the Women's Most Valuable Athlete honor after winning both the 60-meter and the 200-meter. Wilson's 200-meter time of 23.35 was a Big Sky Conference Championships meet record and earned her the win. Wilson ran a time of 7.44 in the 60-meter to easily take home two gold medals.
Kyairra Reigh was named Co-Women's Most Outstanding Performer after taking the event win in the 400-meter. She ran a season best time of 53.00 to dominate in the event.
LiNay Perry finished third in the 400-meter after running a season best time of 54.73 to score six points for NAU.
Reigh also finished second to Wilson in the 200-meter, running a season best time of 23.90 to earn eight team points. Perry also scored, finishing eighth with a time of 24.82 to add a point to the team total.
Nikita Moore started the day off strong on the track with a win in the women's mile, edging out teammate
Annika Reiss to take the gold. Moore ran a time of 4:47.76 while Reiss was right behind in second with a time of 4:47.77.
Aliandrea Upshaw and
Karrie Baloga placed fourth and fifth respectively, running times of 4:50.14 and 4:50.53.
Bryn Morley and
Meagan Van Pelt also scored for the Lumberjacks, placing sixth and seventh respectively with times of 4:51.19 and 4:55.14.
Reiss returned to the track to compete in the 3,000-meter, this time besting Moore to take the event win. Reiss ran a time of 9:30.46 while Moore was close behind with a time of 9:33.76.
Bryn Morley placed third, with
Ava Mitchell finishing fourth. Morley ran a time of 9:35.21 while Mitchell 9:36.01.
Maggi Congdon took the event win in the 800-meter, running a conference championships meet record time of 2:05.24.
Karrie Baloga also scored in the event, finishing sixth with a time of 2:12.09 to add three points to the team total.
The women's 4x400-meter relay closed things out for the women, capping of their win with another gold medal performance.
LiNay Perry,
Madeline Wilson,
Kyairra Reigh, and
Maggi Congdon combined to run a time of 3:38.59, setting a new Big Sky Conference Championships record.
Brenna Rodriguez had a great day in the women's triple jump, jumping a personal best 12.38 meters to finish second and earn eight points. Rodriguez's mark puts her at fifth on NAU's all-time performance list in the event.
In the women's weight throw,
Sariyah Horne-Kemp placed third with a mark of 18.16 meters to score six points.
Alaina Diggs threw 17.29 meters to add three points to the team total.
The men earned their 12
th consecutive conference championship with a score of 190 points, the highest team total since the Lumberjacks won in 2012.
Aaron Las Heras was named Men's Most Outstanding Performer after adding a second-place finish to his gold medal performance from day one. Las Heras finished second in the men's mile after running a time of 4:03.21.
Nico Young took the event win in the mile after running a Big Sky Conference Championships meet record of 4:01.16.
Theo Quax finished third in the event with a time of 4:03.43 to score six points, while
Kang Nyoak placed sixth with a time of 4:06.28 to score three points.
Brodey Hasty took home the gold in the 3K after running a time of 8:15.56 to add 10 points to the team total.
Aidan Puffer and
Drew Bosley placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with times of 8:16.33 and 8:16.89.
Zack Munson also scored in the event, placing seventh with a time of 8:18.02 to add two points.
Colin Sahlman won the 800-meter after running a season best time of 1:47.48 to set a new conference championships meet record.
Nico Young finished third in the event after running a personal best time of 1:49.61 to score six points.
Theo Quax and
Kang Nyoak placed fifth and seventh, respectively, with times of 1:50.94 and 1:54.82.
Mitchell Effing earned his second gold medal of the weekend after taking first in the triple jump with a mark of 15.09 meters.
Sirr Butler placed eighth in the event with a mark of 13.76 meters to score one point.
Parker Bays and
Desmond Lott placed second and third in the shot put, each earning a new PR. Bays threw 17.70 meters to score eight points, while Lott threw 16.84 meters to score six points.
The men closed out their conference championships with a fourth-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay to add five more points to the team total.
Joshua Anderson,
MarcAnthony Sanchez,
Colin Sahlman, and
Trenton Givens combined to run a time of 3:14.11.
The Lumberjacks have a week off before they will send qualifying athletes to the NCAA Indoor National Championships in Boston, Mass. Stay up to date with NAU Cross Country and Track & Field by following us on Twitter and Instagram.
