BOZEMAN, Mont. – Montana State University's men's and women's track teams officially open their 2011 indoor seasons Monday, hosting the MSU Combined Events Invitational in Worthington Arena.
Athletes from MSU, Montana and the University of Great Falls compet in the heptathlon (men) and pentathlon (women) beginning at 12:30 pm Monday. Women's events conclude Monday afternoon, while men's events finish on Tuesday.
“This will be a challenge, but I know our kids are excited to compete,” said MSU coach
Dale Kennedy. “The kids have been training on their own, but they've worked hard. Our young kids will get some real-life experience in this meet.”
On the men's side, MSU's Jeff Mohl, who finished fourth in last winter's Big Sky indoor meet as a freshman, and Asa Staven, who finished second last year, are pegged to compete. Staven is expected to compete unattached. MSU women Courtney Barrett (10th at last year's indoor meet), Carly McCutcheona freshman), Sarah McGree (a 2010 redshirt who finished ninth in 2009) and Sadie McMillan (9th in 2010) compete.
Big Sky Conference coaches project Montana State and Montana to each compete in the middle of the Big Sky pack this season. MSU's men are picked fourth and the women fifth, while Montana's men are picked seventh and the women fourth.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Women's Pentathlon begins at 12:30 pm Monday, men's Heptathlon begins at 12:40 pm.
Women's Pentathlon concludes Monday, men's Heptathlon begins Tuesday at 10:30 am and finishes later Tuesday.
Pentathlon order of events: 55m hurdles, HJ, SP, LJ, 800.
Heptathlon order of events: 55m, LJ, SP, HJ on Monday; 55m hurdles, PV, 1000m on Tuesday.
