BOZEMAN, Mont. – For the second consecutive week the Montana State Billings men's and women's track and field teams have set new standards in the program's ever-growing record book, setting five new school records and six provisional marks at the Montana State University Open Friday in Bozeman.

“Overall we competed very well against some tough competition with Montana State and the University of Mary especially,” said head coach Dave Coppock. “We continue to make progress each week by establishing new school records and adding to our qualifiers for the conference championships. Our next meet will be even tougher at the Mountain State Games at Idaho State next week with a large number of Division I teams competing.”

In the ninth event of the evening, Whitney Mickelsen (Sevier, UT) and Katie Thiel (Powell, WY) finished just four seconds apart in the mile run to provisionally qualify for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference meet. Mickelsen took fifth overall with a time of 5:22.75, while Thiel was seventh with a 5:26.32.

Just five events later, the men's team got a pair of provisional qualifying marks in the 800 meter run by Ryan Blomback (Belgrade, MT) and Chase Robinson (Colstrip, MT). The pair who took first and second at last week's Black Hills State meet, again finished behind one and other with Blomback running fifth with a 2:00.15 and Robinson in sixth with a 2:00.21.

A school record fell during the women's 4x400 meter relay as the MSUB 'A' team of Justine Simons (Laurel, MT), Leah Berry (Lewistown, MT), Sarah Jackson (Bozeman, MT) and Erika Halle (Manhattan, MT) finished fifth and set a new mark of 4:12.12 in the event. Berry also set a school record in the triple jump, finishing second with a top jump of 10.84 meters (35'-06.75”).

Once again the field events saw the most records fall as a total of four, including Berry's, were set during the meet. Brock Steingruber (Three Forks, MT) set a new mark and reached a provisional mark in the long jump, jumping 6.35 meters (20'-10.00”) for a sixth place finish overall.

Branden Martinez (Worland, WY) provisionally qualified in the pole vault, finishing ninth with a clearance of 4.12 meters (13'-06.25”). Stacey Pitt (Kalispell, MT) also broke the women's school pole vaulting record with her best clearance of 3.35 meters (10'-11.75”). Tanner Rottrup (Billings, MT) rounded out the record breaking day with his throw of 14.08 meters (46'-02.50”) in the shot put, finishing eighth.

The Yellowjackets will continue their season next week, traveling to Pocatello, Idaho, for the Mountain State Games hosted by Idaho State on Friday and Saturday.