MISSOULA — The Montana Grizzlies men's and women's track and field programs both took third at the Big Sky Conference championships. Now they're taking their largest group to an NCAA West Regional, with 14 athletes representing the Grizzlies.
The record total for Montana heading to the meet will be spread across 16 events as the competition gets under way Wednesday and runs through Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.
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Among them are freshman phenom sprinter Callie Wilson, who starred at the conference meet with individual golds in the 100 and 200, and was also part of UM's championship 400-meter relay.
"I think the No. 1 thing for me was that I have nothing to lose. This is my first year, I literally have no times and no expectations, so might as well go all out and see what I can do," Wilson said. "So that's really what it was.
"My one goal coming into this year was just to place at Big Sky, maybe podium and score points, but I didn't even think regionals was an option because of how big it is, but it's so exciting. Surpassed all of my goals so I'm really excited."
Wilson will compete in the 100 and 200 at regionals, as will Missoula native Karsen Beitz, a walk-on turned star for the Grizzlies who brought home the Big Sky title in the 200 and also was part of the Grizzlies' 400-relay conference championship team.
"Obviously winning a gold medal is awesome in the conference. Because as a freshman, me getting sixth in outdoor, I thought that was amazing," Beitz said. "So just like to see and say I went out there I went from the bottom of the bottom to now winning a gold medal indoor and outdoor in the 200, that just shows you how far I've come since I got here so I think that part is pretty sweet."
Seven-time Big Sky high jump champion Erin Wilde also headlines the group going to Arkansas as she sits in the mix for a shot at nationals. Also going on the women's side includes Lily Meskers in the 400, Shealyn McGee in the pole vault, and Brynn Fuller and Ashley Carroll in the javelin.
On the men's side, those representing UM includes Kevin Swindler and Carson Hegele in the pole vault, Alex Shields in the shot put, Titus Jeffrey in the discus and Kyle Iorg, Hunter Loesch and Cooper Henkle in the javelin.
Under the tutelage of coach Doug Fraley and his staff, the Griz track and field program has been rapidly ascending, culminating in as successful an outdoor season as the school has had in the past decade, not to mention the number of athletes who qualified for the postseason regional meet.
"Doug was telling me I'd feel sorry for you if you didn't line up on Wednesday and you weren't like psyched out of this world about who you get to run against and where you're at, and I think if you just look at the list the West region is arguably the strongest region in the sprints," Beitz said.
"They have most of the fastest sprinters in the country so to be able to go over to Arkansas and compete against those guys, that's all the excitement you need to go out there and run."
The top 12 placers at the regional in every event advance to the outdoor championships in June in Oregon, and as the Griz program continues to climb, sending athletes back to the national meet would be another key goal accomplished.
"It's so good to see because it just means we're all putting in that work and I've seen it this whole year, everyone has been working so hard and I'm so glad I get to be part of that 14, I'm so happy," Wilson said. "I'm excited to see next year because I think we'll have even more then too."
