SPEARFISH, S.D. – Back in action for the first time in 2026, the Montana State University Billings men's and women's track & field teams saw a number of quality finishes on both sides Saturday, including a pair of first place marks from the women's team at the Dave Little Alumni Mile Open Saturday, hosted by Black Hills State University.
 
Hannah Cooper would lead the pack in the weight throw, taking first with a mark of 16.58m (54' 4.75"), collecting her first top finish of the season thus far. The MSUB record holder in the event, Cooper bested the next best finisher by .22m to claim first, earning a season best mark which also ranks second in the GNAC this season. Cooper also competed in the shot put at the meet, where she took sixth place with a mark of 11.64m (38' 2.25"), also a season-best finish.
 
Meanwhile, the group of Micah Strong, Chloe Shennum, Gracyn Rock, and Ally Coey would combine to take a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay, finishing with a time of 4:24.49. The group bested the second-place team from South Dakota Mines by over four seconds to take the top spot in the race. Strong, Shennum, Rock, and Coey would also compete in the 4000m distance medley, finishing in second place with a time of 13:46.35.
 
Behind them, a pair of newcomers would highlight the MSUB women's team's performances in the sprints. In the 60m, freshman Delainey Engen and transfer Izzy Ping would both qualify for the finals after Engen finished the prelims in third with a time of 8.15 seconds, and Ping in fifth with a time of 8.19 seconds. In the finals, Ping would improve her time to take third place overall with a time of 8.11, while Engen would end up in sixth, finishing in 8.26 second. Engen would also take a third-place finish overall in the 200m with a time of 27.72, her second top three finish in that event this season. Sarah Eichmann would close in on her previous season best in the 5000m with a time of 19:58.35. In the jumps, Hailey Daffin would take ninth in the long jump with a mark of 4.36m (14' 3.75"). And behind Cooper in the throwing events, Jaida Green would take eighth in both the shot put with a mark of 11.05m (36' 3") and weight throw with a mark of 13.22m (43' 4.5"), with Mattea McColly finishing one spot behind Green in weight throw with her mark of 12.90m (42' 4").
 
For the Yellowjacket men, MSUB's top finisher in any event would be Carson Nissen, with the freshman standing out in the long jump. Nissen's leap of 6.54m (21' 5.5") placed second in the event, just missing out on besting his season and career best mark by just .04m. Behind Nissen in the long jump, Landon Dunning placed ninth with a time of 6.05m (19' 10.25"). In the high jump meanwhile, Johnnie Young would place fifth with a best mark of 1.88m, while Ian Myers would finish slightly behind him in seventh place with a mark of 1.80m (5' 10.75"). Young would also finish as MSUB's top finisher in the triple jump, placing fourth with a final mark of 13.14m (43' 1.5").
 
On the track, the 'Jacket men would see freshman sprinter John Roberts qualify for the finals of the 60m in the first meet of his collegiate career, qualifying with a time of 7.19 in seventh place. Roberts would improve both his time and placement in the finals, jumping up to fifth place with a time of 7.17 seconds. Tyler Grenier would be the Yellowjackets' second-best finisher in the event, running a time of 7.25 and placing 13^th. Meanwhile, Kalub Padilla and JayCee Herbert would take 10^th and 11^th in the 200m respectively, finishing with times of 23.98 and 24.08 respectively. Then in the 5000m, Will Hyatt would place tenth overall with a time of 16:32.53.
 
In the throwing events, the MSUB men would find the most success in the weight throw, with Cort Sandefur taking third with a time of 16.48m (54' 1"), Kody Biggs placing fourth with a best throw of 15.90m (52' 2"), and Kane Olsen taking eight with a mark of 13.93m (45' 8.5"). Biggs would lead MSUB's competitors in the shot put with a mark of 12.75m (41' 10"), with Olsen placing just behind him in 10^th with a mark of 12.05m (39' 6.5").
 
THE BUZZ: Cooper and Nissen were selected as the Intermountain Health Athletes of the Meet
 
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets will be back in action next week on the road, heading to Bismarck, North Dakota to take part in the UMary Winter Classic at the University of Mary Fieldhouse and Wellness Center. The meet will take place on Saturday, January 24. Meet information and live results can be found on the men's and women's track & field schedules.