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OGDEN, Utah (March 27,2017) - For the first time outdoors this year, all 12 Big Sky Track & Field teams will be in action as the season picks up steam during a high volume, highly-competitive weekend across the Western United States and in Texas.
- Last weekend, six teams were in action, with Idaho and Montana State making their outdoor debuts. As April approaches, 11 Big Sky teams have at least one meet under their belt, with North Dakota, Northern Colorado, Portland State and Sacramento State each having a busy March with two or more meets.
- The first of many highly-anticipated weekends in the track & field world is coming up as all 12 Big Sky teams will be active this weekend, with several attending meets with strong prestige.
- The Big Sky will have representation at several high-caliber meets, with the Texas Relays and Stanford Invitational highlighting the schedule. Three teams will host meets this weekend, with Montana making its outdoor debut hosting Eastern Washington, Idaho and MSU at the Al Manuel Northwest Dual. UNC will host the Tom Benich Invite, while UND will get acclimated with the site of this season’s Big Sky Championships as Sac State welcomes the Fighting Hawks to Hornet Stadium for the Mondo Team Challenge.
- Early on in the season, the Big Sky has already had one conference record and two other top-10 marks set. NAU’s Brooke Andersen broke the Big Sky record in the hammer throw with a toss of 221-2 that ranks second nationally. North Dakota’s Molli Detloff has moved up the record books in two events, now ranking third in the discus and seventh in the hammer all-time.
- The Big Sky currently has 19 athletes that rank in the top 25 of their event nationally, with 10 of those ranking within the top 10 in the NCAA.
- The league is in its first season without qualifying standards. Coaches will be able to fill rosters for the conference championships however they please within the roster limits of 26 indoors and 28 outdoors. The Big Sky Outdoor Championships in Sacramento, Calif., will be held on May 10-13.
| Date |
Meet |
Location |
Teams Competing |
| 3/30-4/1 |
Texas Relays |
Austin, Texas |
EWU, NAU, SUU |
| 3/31 |
Utah Valley Invitational |
Orem, Utah |
ISU, WSU |
| 3/31 |
Bob Larsen Distance Carnival |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
PSU |
| 3/31-4/1 |
Al Manuel Northwest Dual |
Missoula, Mont. |
EWU, UI, UM, MSU |
| 3/31-4/1 |
Stanford Invitational |
Stanford, Calif. |
EWU, ISU, NAU, SAC, SUU, WSU |
| 3/31-4/1 |
San Francisco State Distance Carnival |
San Francisco, Calif. |
SUU |
| 3/31-4/1 |
Legends of Track & Field Invitational |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
PSU |
| 4/1 |
Tom Benich Invite |
Greeley, Colo. |
UNC |
| 4/1 |
Mondo Team Challenge |
Sacramento, Calif. |
UND, SAC |