NAMPA, Idaho – Competing with lean roster, several Montana State University Billings track and field athletes achieved good performances in individual events but fell short of any potential podium finishes as the Yellowjacket men came in ninth out of 10 teams and the women ended 10^th in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at Jacksons Indoor Track.
 
"I was proud of how we came out and competed on both days," commented MSUB head coach Jon Woehl. "With so many personal bests it's hard to be mad about how things went. I know Isaiah (Girard) was disappointed in high jump and so were a few others but they all gave it their best effort and worked hard over the two days. Now we will have the chance to rest this week and get ready for outdoor track and field season."
 
 
DAY ONE: Sprinters Mason Schram and Kyle Patelis qualified for the finals of the 60 meter dash. Shram placed fifth with a time of 7.09 second while Patelis was a hundredth of a second behind in sixth position with a time of 7.10 seconds.

Schram narrowly missed the eight runner cut to qualify in the men's 200 meters as he came in 10th with a time of 22.65 seconds. In men's long jump, Isaiah Girard took sixth place with a jump of 22' 3.75" in the third round. 

Hailey Steinbeisser took ninth in women's weight throw with a fourth round mark of 45' 11.25". Hannah Nessan was 13th in the same event throwing 42' 6" and Taylor Stringari placed 14th at 42' 4.75". Nikki Aiken ran the women's 5,000 meters and came in 11th place with a time of 19:22.24, marking a personal best.
 
Sierra Durbin and Kailee Stoppel missed qualifying marks in the women's 800 meters and ran in 12th and 13th place respectively in the preliminary event. Stringari and Steinbeisser posted personal bests in weight throw and shot put. Patelis marked a personal best in the 200 meters and 60 meter events as did Schram in the 200 meters.
 
 
DAY TWO: Nikki Aiken ran a personal best 3,000 meter time of 10:53.45, finishing in 14^th place. Aiken also took 11^th position in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:22.24. Steinbeisser took ninth in the women's weight throw with a toss of 45' 11.25". Shram and Patelis kept their spots from preliminaries and finished fifth and sixth overall in the men's 60 meters. Shram's final time was 7.13 seconds with Patelis right behind at 7.15 seconds.
 
Ase Ackerman gradually made passes in the men's 3,000 meters and came in 15^th at 9:05.61. Forrest Cross was 14^th in men's shot put with a round one mark at 47' 7".
 
Western Washington University won the men's team championships while Seattle Pacific University took the women's best score.
 
WOMEN
Track Athlete of the Meet: Caroline Kurgat, Alaska Anchorage
Field Athlete of the Meet: HarLee Ortega, Central Washington
Performance of the Meet: Alaska Anchorage DMR
 
MEN
Track Athlete of the Meet: Rowan Doherty, Simon Fraser
Field Athlete of the Meet: Kodiak Landis, Central Washington
Performance of the Meet: Tyler Cronk, Saint Martin's (7-0.5 in the high jump)
 
UP NEXT: The outdoor track and field season opens on March 23 when MSU Billings travels to Spearfish, South Dakota for the Yellow Jacket Spring Open. MSUB hosts one home track meet this season March 30 in Laurel, Montana.

THE BUZZ: Mason Schram and Kyle Patelis were named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the meet for men's track and field. Taylor Stringari earned the distinction for the women's team.