LAUREL, Mont. – Hope Reid broke the MSUB record in the women's 100m hurdles, and the Yellowjacket women's 4x100m relay team broke a record set last year with three of the same athletes at the second annual Yellowjacket Battlin' Bear Open held at the Laurel Sports Complex Thursday afternoon.
 
Six men's teams and seven women's team from around the region came out to compete at the second annual meet hosted by MSU Billings and Rocky Mountain College. Joining MSUB and RMC were South Dakota School of Mines, Dickinson State, Carroll College, the University of Great Falls, and Gillette College.
 
Last year was the first time in 30 years that MSUB had hosted a home track meet, and this year was a continuation of that success. "We had a great day competing at home which is a real treat for us since we normally travel quite a ways to get a meet in," MSUB head coach Dave Coppock said. "I think it was great for the team to be here in front of family and friends and the results really bore that out."
 
Breaking the first MSUB record, Reid finished the 100m hurdles in 15.16, provisionally qualifying her for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships and breaking the MSUB record from 2013 of 15.47 set by Sarena Underwood. Reid also placed fourth in the pole vault, and for her performances today was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Meet. Freshman Amanda Nichols tied for first place in the women's pole vault with a height of 3.25m.
 
In the 4x100m women's relay, Blair Street, Kaytlin Halle, Brianna Gray and Reid surpassed the record set last year of 49.77 with a time of 49.66 this year. Street, Halle, and Reid were all on the relay team last year that set the record.
 
On the track, Gray and Street had a good day in the sprints. In the women's 100m dash, Gray won the event in 12.60 and teammate Street finished just behind her in 12.67. Gray's time has her ranked sixth in the GNAC and her time provisionally qualifies her for the conference championship. Gray also won the women's 200m dash in 25.80, hitting the conference provisional mark. Street placed third in the event in 26.67.
 
In the women's 400m race, Ashlynn VanVoast placed third in 1:01.06. Brielle Davis won the women's 800m run in 2:26.66.
 
Senior Nocona Frame won the women's 1500m run in 4:50.77. Jinise Osborne came in fifth in the women's 5,000m run in 19:05.42. In the women's field events, Courtney Henry placed fourth in the javelin with a throw of 34.93m.
 
On the men's side, MSUB added two new GNAC provisional marks. Nate Vanderby completed a personal best in the men's 400m dash winning the event in 49.69. Vanderby's time meets the GNAC provisional qualifying mark and has him ranked sixth in the conference. Landon Polkow finished close behind Vanderby placing third in 51.28.
 
Nels Flanagon won the men's discus with a personal best throw of 45.19m. His throw surpasses the GNAC provisional mark and has him ranked third in the conference.
 
"We gathered a few more conference qualifiers today," Coach Coppock said. "We've been doing that every week, with Brianna Gray in the 100 and 200, Nate Vanderby in the 400 and Nels Flanagon in the discus. Nels really had a big day and that was his personal best which ranks 3rd best in the conference right now."
 
The Yellowjackets went 1-2-3 in the men's 200m dash. Cameron Stanek won the event in 22.80, followed by Tyler DiGiovanna in second in 23.20, and Tyler Delaney in third with a time of 24.07.
 
DiGiovanna also placed second in the men's 100m dash in 11.15.
 
Freshman Mark Hovland finished second in the men's 800m race with a time of 1:57.99. MSUB finished 2-3-4 in the men's 1500m run. Freshman Liam McKay was second in 4:01.48, followed by Robert Peterson in third with a time of 4:05.00, and Josh Panasuk in fourth in 4:06.51.
 
Panasuk came in second in the men's 5,000m run crossing the finish line in 15:47.66, followed by sophomore Garrett Love in third in 15:53.66.
 
In the men's pole vault, freshman Preston Schubert came in third with a height of 4.10m. Stanek placed third in the men's javelin with a throw of 51.94m.
 
"We looked very good across all events," Coppock commented on the day's results. "I think the team is coming together at the right time in these final weeks before the conference championships. Overall, it was a beautiful day for track and field and a great experience for our athletes."
 
Next up for MSU Billings is at the Carroll College Invitational on Apr. 24 followed by the Montana Open hosted by the University of Montana on May 1. The GNAC Outdoor Championships are scheduled for May 8-9 in Monmouth, Ore.