Final Results
POCATELLO, Idaho (May 14, 2022) – The Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona University completed their sweep of the 2022 Big Sky Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday evening, winning both the women’s and men’s titles.
NAU was dominant on both sides, but so much so on the women’s side that they set a new Big Sky Conference record for points in a championship meet with 244.
“I’ve looked at the conference history from a points standpoint and saw 240 out there and thought it was too much, but we scored 200 last year and talked about it all year long,” NAU head coach Michael Smith said following the meet. “We challenged the team to stay on it this weekend and challenged them to score 200 points. But scoring 244 is remarkable and really speaks the well-rounded program we have and NAU as well as the staff, but also to the challenge for teams that win to stay at the top. So, I’m very proud of this group.”
This marked NAU’s 13
th outdoor title on the women’s side.
The Lumberjack women were paced by Alyssa Colbert, who won gold in both the 100-meter and the 200-meter, along with setting a new Big Sky Conference record in the 100 with a 11.33.
NAU’s men scored 185 points, outpacing Montana State, and the rest of the field.
“We knew that one was going to be a lot closer,” Smith said. “We knew we’d have our hands full, and the conference has just gotten so much better. We’ve got some of the best runners in the country, and they’re absolutely challenged at our conference meet in their events. We’ve got NCAA champion athletes that can’t count on winning their own conference title, which says so much about the Big Sky and our competitors.”
The ’Jacks were led in scoring by Most Valuable Athlete David Dunlap, who was named the men’s Most Valuable Athlete. He won both the 100-meter and 200-meter.
This marked Northern Arizona’s 24
th men’s outdoor track and field title.
Montana State’s Drake Schneider broke his own league record in the 400-meter hurdles, running a 49.04 that resulted in him being named Most Outstanding Performer.
Both scoring 28 points for the Bobcats, MSU’s Elena Carter and Alexandra Hellenberg were named Co-Most Valuable Athlete. Additionally, Idaho State heptathlete Brianna Hagler was named Women’s Most Outstanding Performer.
Next up will be NCAA West Regional competition, and the field is set to be announced next week.
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Individual Award Winners
Men’s Most Valuable Athlete: David Dunlap, NAU
Men’s Most Outstanding Performer: Drake Schneider, MSU
Co-Women’s Most Valuable Athlete: Elena Carter and Alexandra Hellenberg, MSU
Women’s Most Outstanding Performer: Brianna Hagler, ISU
Final Women’s Scores
- Northern Arizona – 244
- Montana State – 125
- Sacramento State – 82.5
- Weber State – 67
- Eastern Washington – 66
- Idaho – 62
- Idaho State – 59
- Southern Utah – 42
- Montana – 37.5
- Northern Colorado – 33
Final Men’s Scores
- Norther Arizona – 185
- Montana State – 119
- Idaho – 100
- Idaho State – 83
- Weber State – 76
- Montana – 58
- Northern Colorado – 49
- Southern Utah – 47.5
- Sacramento State – 46.5
- Eastern Washington – 42
- Portland State – 11