MSUB SPORTS – The Yellowjacket men's cross country team enjoyed success throughout the decade, and featured numerous notable runners who competed among the top runners in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
"The all-decade team is definitely a high-level performing group of guys," said MSUB head cross country and track and field coach Jon Woehl. "Over the years they have represented MSUB very well, and they were very competitive on a regional and national stage. The other cool thing to see is the balance of representation through all 10 years."
 
The all-decade team features a lineup of seven runners, and four alternates who are honorable mention selections.
 

Day	Release
Monday, September 14, 2020	No. 6 & No. 7 Runners
Tuesday, September 15, 2020	No. 4 & No. 5 Runners
Wednesday, September 16, 2020	No. 3 Runner
Thursday, September 17, 2020	No. 2 Runner
Friday, September 18, 2020	No. 1 Runner & Full Team

Position	Name	Running Years
Starting Lineup
1	Robert Peterson	2011-2015
2	Jorey Egeland	2014-2017
3	Clint Choquette	2012
4	Chase Robinson	2010-2013
5	Daniel Lombardi	2009-2012
6	Brian Potter	2010-2011
7	Tyson Vanderby	2008-2012
Honorable Mention
	Taylor Canfield	2008-2012
	Ivan Colmenero	2015-2018
	Josh Panasuk	2012-2016
	Matt Winter	2015

 

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No. 1 Runner
Robert Peterson
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2011-2015 (5 seasons)

Feature Story: Robert Runs Road Rarely Reached In Career With 'Jackets
 
After redshirting as a true freshman in 2011, Peterson put together the top career in MSUB cross country history. As a junior in 2014, Peterson earned a spot in the NCAA Championships, after taking 13th place in the NCAA regional meet hosted by MSUB.
 
He helped lead the Yellowjackets to their best two finishes at the GNAC Championships during the decade, with a third-place finish his redshirt freshman year in 2012 and a fourth-place finish during his junior year in 2014. Peterson finished in 15th place at the conference meet in 2012, just one spot behind team leader Clint Choquette. He earned all-conference honors in 2014 by taking fourth, and was also an all-region selection.
 
Peterson again placed 13th at the regional meet during his senior year, this time posting his personal-best 10k time of 30:15.1 minutes. That mark stands as the program record, along with his 31:29 time he posted in 2014. Peterson is also the MSUB record holder in the 8k distance, with a time of 24:53. He holds the No. 3 time at 24:59 and the No. 6 time at 25:13 in the 8k distance as well.
 
Among Peterson's accolades were five GNAC runner of the week awards, he was twice named the MSUB Male Athlete of the Year, and he was a three-time MSUB Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year.


 
Peterson on how the MSUB experience shaped him: "Dramatically! If I never ran in college I don't know if I ever would have gone to college. So that being said I would have a totally different life right now. My running career has also helped drive me to give back to my community. My wife and I currently help coach at Skyview High School and enjoy watching everyone progress and improve."
 
Dave Coppock (Peterson's Head Coach 2011-2015): "Robert really bought into the program and the type of training that I wanted him to do. He really took it upon himself to get the mileage in and really focus on developing himself as a runner. That's what got him to nationals."
 
Jon Woehl (Peterson's Assistant Coach 2015): "Watching him run, you could see that he was gaining confidence every year. It was fun to see him learn how to compete and excel at that high level once he got to nationals."
 
Where is he now? Peterson currently lives in Billings, where he is a chemist performing lab analysis at the ExxonMobil refinery.


 

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No. 2 Runner
Jorey Egeland
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2014-2017 (4 seasons)
 
Progressing into one of the top runners in program history by his senior season, Egeland was a four-year standout both in cross country and track and field from 2014-17.
 
Egeland peaked during his senior season in the fall of 2017, where he established personal bests at the 6k, 8k, and 10k distances. He claimed the individual title that year at the Yellowjacket Invitational, running a time of 21:48.7 minutes in the 4.2-mile distance. That performance set him up well for the ensuing GNAC Championships, where Egeland finished in ninth place with a time of 25:37.6 minutes on the 8k championship course.
 
Egeland's final cross country race was the NCAA regional championship meet, where he posted a personal-best 31:55.3 minutes time in the 10k distance. He competed in four regionals and four GNAC Championships during his MSUB career. He holds the No. 7 and No. 8 all-time marks in the 10k, running a 31:55 in 2017 after a 31:57 in 2016.
 
Egeland was an all-conference runner, a three-time academic all-GNAC selection, and was twice tabbed the MSUB Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year.


 
Dave Coppock (Egeland's Head Coach 2014-2016): "Jorey struggled his freshman year, but he really started to bear down and get serious his sophomore and junior years. By the time he was a senior, he was running near the top of the conference."
 
Jon Woehl (Egeland's Assistant Coach 2015-2016, Head Coach 2017): "Jorey was a ton of fun to work with. He had the confidence to do really well, and the ability to do it as well. His senior year in our home meet, he just put the hammer down and went from being in the top pack to being way out in front of everybody. That was a sign of what was to come the rest of the year when we watched him race."

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No. 3 Runner
Clint Choquette
Hometown: Butte, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2012 (1 season)
 
After completing his degree at Montana Tech, Choquette joined the Yellowjacket program for one season and posted a landmark campaign in the fall of 2012. He led MSUB to the team title at the Yellowjacket Invitational, placing fourth overall with a personal-best 8k time of 25:01 minutes.
 
His biggest contribution came on Oct. 20, 2012, when he was MSUB's top finisher at the GNAC Championships to push the Yellowjackets to a third-place team finish. Choquette finished in 14th place overall at the conference meet, with a time of 25:45.5 minutes. He was the top finisher among first-year conference athletes, thus earning him the GNAC Newcomer of the Year honor.
 
Choquette also represented the 'Jackets at the NCAA regional meet with a 10k time of 34:44.0 minutes, and he placed 64th. He earned GNAC Runner of the Week honors during his lone year in the program as well.
 
Dave Coppock (Choquette's Head Coach 2012): "We were lucky he was here and had some eligibility. He was one of the top high-school runners in the state and was recruited by a lot of D1 schools, but he chose to go into engineering at Montana Tech. We were fortunate to get him for that year. He offered a lot of maturity and leadership on the team."
 

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No. 4 Runner
Chase Robinson
Hometown: Colstrip, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2010-2013 (4 seasons)
 
Another four-year standout for the 'Jackets, Robinson cracked into the lineup at the turn of the decade and put together a solid career. The Colstrip native competed in 30 races over his four seasons, including four GNAC Championships and four NCAA regional races as well.
 
Robinson steadily progressed over his seasons, breaking out in 2012 with a 10th-place finish at the Yellowjacket Invitational on Oct. 13. He finished with a time of 25:31.0 minutes, which stood as his four-year collegiate best for the 8k distance.
 
Robinson's final collegiate cross country race was a memorable one, as he finished in the top-40 at the 2013 NCAA regional meet. His 10k time of 33:11.9 minutes was the best of his career, as he ended things with a bang. In addition to his success on the course, Robinson was an academic all-GNAC selection as well.
 
Dave Coppock (Robinson's Head Coach 2010-2013): "Chase was so solid and consistent. He just moved up every year, and was one of our team leaders by the time he was a senior."

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No. 5 Runner
Daniel Lombardi
Hometown: Deer Lodge, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2009-2012 (4 seasons)
 
A four-year standout on the men's cross country team, Lombardi helped anchor the Yellowjackets throughout his career. He was the No. 1 runner in his freshman and sophomore seasons, and helped the team progress towards its top finish of the decade in 2012 when it placed third at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships.
 
Lombardi's top time in the 8k distance was a mark of 25:37.0 minutes, which he achieved during his senior season on Oct. 13, 2012 at the Yellowjacket Invitational. He continued the trend of finishing his career strong, with a personal best mark of 35:28.0 minutes in the 10k distance at the 2012 NCAA Regional Championship. Lombardi also took 27th place at the GNAC meet that fall, crossing the line as MSUB's fourth runner at the race.
 
Overall in his four seasons, Lombardi competed in 28 races including four GNAC Championships and four NCAA regional championships. He was also a two-time academic all-conference selection.
 
Dave Coppock (Lombardi's Head Coach 2009-2012): "Daniel came into the program and even early on as a freshman he was a leader. He held the team accountable, and he would really push the guys quite a bit. He was really dedicated to getting his mileage in. He was one of our top runners, was very consistent, and his leadership qualities are what helped us."
 

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No. 6 Runner
Brian Potter
Hometown: Manhattan, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2010-2011 (2 seasons)
 
Potter spent two seasons at Montana State, before transferring to MSUB and finishing his career with the Yellowjackets. Providing a key leadership role, Potter helped set the team up for its stellar GNAC performance the year after he graduated.
 
Potter competed as one of the team's top runners during his two seasons, and was MSUB's top finisher in fifth place at the Yellowjacket Invitational on Oct. 15, 2011. He also competed in the GNAC Championships and NCAA regional meet in both of his seasons, while earning academic all-conference honors as a senior.
 
Dave Coppock (Potter's Head Coach 2010-2011): "Brian came in and we had two years with him, and he was really a D1-caliber runner. We were lucky to get him to transfer, and he brought a lot of leadership to the program. Those years around 1010 were where we really started to move up as a program."
 

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No. 7 Runner
Tyson Vanderby
Hometown: Manhattan, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2008-2012 (5 seasons)
 
Vanderby's five-year career as a Yellowjacket dipped into both the 2000s and 2010s decades, as he progressed into a key fixture on the team by his senior year in 2012. Vanderby ran in 25 races throughout his four seasons, competing in three GNAC Championships and three NCAA regionals along the way.
 
Vanderby was a key senior on the 2012 squad that finished third at the GNAC Championships, finishing as MSUB's fifth runner at the race in 31st place. His top career marks included 34:21.0 minutes for the 10k distance at the 2012 NCAA regional, and a time of 25:49.0 minutes at the 2012 Yellowjacket Invitational.
 
Vanderby was an academic all-GNAC selection as well, and is the older brother of former MSUB track and field standout Nate Vanderby.
 
Dave Coppock (Vanderby's Head Coach 2008-2012): "Tyson was one of Montana's top high-school runners, and he brought a lot of enthusiasm to the program. By his senior year, he was very focused and driven to excel both in school and while competing."

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Taylor Canfield
Hometown: Manhattan, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2008-2012 (5 seasons)
 
Canfield redshirted during the 2011 cross country season, which set him up to be a member of the 2012 team which took third place as a team at the GNAC Championships. He finished up his career with a personal-best time of 35:01.0 minutes at the NCAA regional meet as a senior in 2012.
 
Dave Coppock (Canfield's Head Coach 2008-2012): "Taylor got into an academic program that he liked, and he really trained hard. He helped the team by the time he was a seniors, and he played a big part in that 2012 team that placed third."
 

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Josh Panasuk
Hometown: Butte, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2012-2016 (5 seasons)
 
Panasuk was a dedicated five-year athlete on the cross country and track teams, consistently running in a leadership role throughout his career. He finished on a positive note, with a personal-best time of 33:26.0 minutes in his final collegiate race at the NCAA regional meet in 2016.
 
Dave Coppock (Panasuk's Head Coach 2012-2016): "Josh was always a steady performer, and we looked at him as a team leader. He held people accountable, and made sure they were working hard in practice. He was an extremely hard worker, both in school and on the team."
 
Jon Woehl (Panasuk's Assistant Coach 2015): "I really enjoyed getting to work with and coach Josh. He worked really hard, was very competitive, and was a really good team leader. He is somebody who his other teammates looked up to for sure."


 

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Ivan Colmenero
Hometown: Manhattan, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2015-2018 (4 seasons)
 
Another key four-year runner for the 'Jackets, Colmenero progressed throughout his career and peaked during his senior season. His final race as a 'Jacket was a memorable one, as he took 37th place at the NCAA regional meet with a mark of 32:05.4 minutes. Colmenero's name also appears in the program's top-10, as that time he posted at the regional was ninth-fastest for the 10k distance.
 
Dave Coppock (Colmenero's Head Coach 2015-2016): "Ivan came out of a strong program in Manhattan High School. He developed steadily over his four years of competing, and was a consistent performer for us. He was always enthusiastic about running, and was very dedicated."
 
Jon Woehl (Colmenero's Assistant Coach 2015-2016, Head Coach 2017-2018): "Ivan is somebody who all of his teammates loved to have around, and who ended up being a good team leader for us. He definitely showed our underclassmen when he was a senior how things should be done with training."


 

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Matt Winter
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Years at MSUB: 2015 (1 season)

Feature Story: Trading Uniforms: MSUB's Matt Winter Comes Full Circle After Stints In Afghanistan (Joe Kusek/Billings Gazette - February 7, 2017)
 
Winter's only year with the Yellowjackets was a good one, as he claimed the GNAC Newcomer of the Year honors with three top-10 finishes along the way. He took 29th place at the GNAC Championships, and his time of 31:36 minutes in the 10k distance stands as the No. 5 mark in program history.
 
Dave Coppock (Winter's Head Coach 2015): "Matt was one of Montana's top high-school runners and he went to UM. He was another D1 caliber runner who we were lucky to get. He was really experienced, had maturity, and that helped bring the younger guys on the team up."
 
Jon Woehl (Winter's Assistant Coach 2015): "Matt that year was a really good leader on the team, and he had an incredible ability to be a good runner. You wouldn't necessarily have expected that from someone who was significantly older, but he was somebody that his teammates really looked up to. He also did a really good job working with the athletes over the next two years as a volunteer coach."


 

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The Yellowjackets' top performance of the decade came in 2012, with five runners finishing in the top-31 at the conference meet. That kept MSUB's score down to 103 total points, which was enough to edge fourth-place Western Oregon by nine points.
 
"Our best years were when we had so much depth. In 2012 we had so many guys who were running close together, and that is advantageous in cross country." – Dave Coppock.
 
"Everyone was super supportive and had great energy. I remember looking forward to practice every day. My freshman year I really looked up to the upperclassmen and saw what they were doing for training. It was because of those guys that I really got going on the right path." – Robert Peterson on how the 2012 season shaped his running career.
 
The fall of 2014 was another landmark campaign during the decade, as Peterson's fourth-place individual finish helped pace the team to a fourth-place team finish at the conference meet. MSUB posted a team score of 156 points, which was enough to hold off fifth-place Central Washington by just three points to finish in the top tier among the conference. The 2014 season also marked the first time that MSUB played host to the NCAA regionals, and the team's first national meet participant with Peterson running on the sport's top stage.
 
"The course was a mud hole, and Robert got bumped by a spectator which cost him a lot of momentum there. It was a great experience for him just to be there, and I think in better conditions he would have been capable of running in the top-30 or so. For the program it was a huge improvement and it gave us some national notoriety. You have to be a legitimate D2 program to get to nationals." – Dave Coppock.
   

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An opportunity to host some of the biggest Division II meets of the decade put MSUB and the city of Billings on the map among the world of runners throughout the 2010 decade. The Yellowjackets hosted the NCAA regional meet in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and hosted the GNAC Championships during the 2019 season.
 
The regional championship meets brought more than 400 men's and women's runners from more than 30 teams across the western U.S. to Amend Park in Billings, where Coppock designed and laid out the men's 10k distance.
 
"We always had to travel so far for regionals, it was great to have it at home for a period of time. I always felt that course would be a great championship course, because it is wide open and spectator friendly. We went into it a little unsure in 2014, but after that first year we saw that it could be really successful. It is great for the kids and spectators to have meets like that in Billings." – Dave Coppock.
 
MSUB was scheduled to host the regional meet in the fall of 2020, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic pushed the NCAA to cancel all of its championship events for the fall. The Yellowjackets are on schedule to host the GNAC Championship meet once again in the fall of 2021.
 
"Billings has done a really good job of helping us host those meets and rolling out the red carpet. The city has recognized how important these events are for the athletes and coaches. It has been nice for our teams to be able to host and not have to go anywhere for those big meets. It's great to have the home-field advantage." – Jon Woehl.
 

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After more than a quarter century in charge of the cross country and track and field programs, Coppock retired from his post as head coach after the 2016-17 academic year. Building both programs from scratch and coaching hundreds of athletes along the way, no one has been more influential on the shape of running at MSUB over the last 30 years.
 
Retirement hasn't stopped Coppock from staying actively involved with the MSUB teams and with the planning for the major championships hosted by MSUB. He remains as the meet director and one of the chief planners for both the NCAA regionals and GNAC Championships hosted at Amend Park.
 
"Dave was definitely the face of Yellowjacket cross country and track for a long time. We wouldn't be where we are now without him. I owe a lot to Dave, and he has definitely helped mentor a lot of men and women on the all-decade teams. They all have good memories of him being their coach." – Jon Woehl.
 

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With the 2010s all-decade team filled with runners who progressed steadily throughout their careers, the turn of the decade features a roster with a balance of experienced veterans and up-and-coming newcomers. The latest four-year face in the lineup is 2020 senior Carson Jessop, with juniors Ase Ackerman and Logan Straus also entering their stride into their upperclassman seasons at MSUB.
 
The Yellowjackets plan to continue to bid for the hallmark championship events over the next decade, with Amend Park being a gem of a facility both for the competitors and spectators. Expect to see more championship events and memorable careers take shape throughout the 2020s.
 
"I believe I got to where I was because the runners and teammates before me helped me strive to not only better myself, but the program overall. If it wasn't for them I don't think I would have been as successful or break any school records. I hope the future generations will see my accomplishments and improve on them. I would be so stoked for the program to see all my records be broken." – Robert Peterson.
   

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About the MSUB All-Decade Team Project
The top student-athletes from each of Montana State University Billings' current varsity athletic teams from 2010-2019 have been selected, and 14 all-decade teams will be revealed throughout the course of the fall of 2020. Each sport's all-decade team is comprised of the top-performing student-athletes, with weight given to individual athletic achievement and accolades, team achievement, academic achievement, as well as community service. For more information on MSUB's all-decade project, and to view each sport's all-decade teams, view the all-decade project webpage online here.