BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings track and field program began its outdoor season at the Yellowjacket/Battlin Bears Icebreaker Open, highlighting the day with a pair of new school records.
 
Kendall Lynn improved upon the MSUB school record in the long jump which she set last season, setting the new mark at 5.41 meters (17' 9"), taking first at the meet. Lynn, who also owns the school record for outdoor triple jump, finished top in that event as well, jumping a distance of 11.25 meters (36' 11"). Also setting a school record in the Icebreaker Open was Ryann Moline in the women's javelin. The sophomore threw for a mark of 41.60 meters (136'6"), breaking the previous school record of 39.38 meters (129'2") from Jordan Cookman. Moline was also the top finisher in the discus, with a mark of 35.80 meters (117'5").
 
Behind those two, there were a number of top finishers and personal bests for MSUB on the day. Madeline Severson was the top finisher in the 400m, finishing in 1:03.58, just nearly edging out fellow Yellowjacket Mya Richardson who finished in 1:03.88 to finish in second. Kailee Stoppel was victorious in the 5000m with a time of 19:11.01, finishing with a time 19 seconds quicker than the next best finisher.
 
Madeline Severson finished first in the high jump, setting a new personal best with a jump of 1.53 meters (5'0.35"). Meanwhile in throwing, Jaida Green competed in her first outdoor meet with the Yellowjackets, winning the shot put with a throw of 11.65 meters (38'2.75"), and finishing fifth in the hammer throw. That event would be won by Grace Jones, whose throw of 46.56 meters (152'9") would set a new personal best for her, and rank second in MSUB history.
 
On the men's side, Ben Ralston would finish in first for the 200m, improving his personal best to 22.46 seconds, sixth in school history. Ralston also ran well in the 100m, finishing in 11.11, just one hundredth of a second off a first-place finish. Bradley Graves won in the 400m hurdles, finishing with a time of 59.59. Bryant Edgerton was the top finisher in the 5000m, running a time of 16:09.32. MSUB dominated in the throwing events: Forrest Cross finished in first in both the shot put and discus. Cross's shot put mark of 14.75 meters (48'4.75") set a new personal best, the seventh best mark in program history, while his discus throw of 45.63 meters (149'8") was more than seven meters better than the next highest finisher. Meanwhile, Isaac Perkins finished top in the hammer throw with a mark of 48.41 meters (158'10"), and Brandon Geck won in the javelin with a best of 45.40 meters (148'11").
 
Both the men and women had a relay team take first at the meet. The women's 4X400 team made up of Sophia Bohl, Alyssa Sanchez, Taylor Gordon, and Chantel Chase finished first with a time of 51.75. For the men, the 4X100 relay team featuring Jonny Rocha, Bradley Graves, Favor Okere, and Ben Ralston finished in first with a time of 43.43.
 
THE BUZZ:

• Kendall Lynn was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Meet on the women's side, while Ralston was selected for the men.

• Favor Okere finished with a time of 11.33 in the 100m dash, just .01 seconds off tying his career best mark.
• Kevin Graves, brother of Bradley, competed in his first outdoor meet at MSUB, finishing in third for the 800m with a time of 2:08.24.
• In the men's 1500m, Wyatt May finished in second running a time of 4:21.95, while Gaven McColloch finished in third with a mark of 4:25.51.
• Tatum Hull finished second in both the women's 100m and 200m, clocking in times of 12.89 and 27.40 respectively.

 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets race again at Colorado State University Pueblo in the Spank Blasing Invitational, taking place at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl from March 24-25.