8/29/2009
Course Record Falls, Record Turnout At Annual Campus Fun Run
Helena, MT – The University of Great Falls track & cross-country team hosted their third annual Blue & Gold Campus Fun Run this morning on the UGF campus, and both the performance and turnout did not disappoint. The events included a two-mile run and a one-mile walk around campus, with a total of 174 participants competing in one event or the other.
Ander Jayo (Twin Falls, ID), a freshman on the Argo cross-country team, broke the two-mile course record with a time of 10:11, besting the previous record, set by Moses Leavens in 2008, by 15 seconds. Also fairing well were UGF runners Cullen Cantwell (Everett, WA) and Mitchell Elias (Monroe, WA), who finished with times of 10:16 and 10:24, respectively.
The top female finisher was local high school runner Keely West, who won for the third consecutive year with a time of 13:10. UGF freshman Shelby Tritthart (Challis, WA) and senior Charelle Beatty (Ethete, WY) were close behind with times of 13:12 and 13:16, respectively. West still holds the course record for females with her time of 12:21, set back in 2007.
Participants included a number of UGF student-athletes who are not associated with the track & cross-country program. Athletes from UGF’s softball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, golf, cheer and wrestling teams were out in full force to support the track & cross country program and to partake in this fun event. Also participating were UGF faculty and staff members, as well as community members and runners from local high schools.
“We had our biggest turnout ever for this year’s Fun Run,” said UGF track & cross country head coach Jim Brewer. “With 174 runners and walkers, we more than doubled our participants from last year. It was great to see so many UGF students, athletes, staff members, and community members out on the course. This Fun Run is a chance for our cross-country athletes to showcase all the work they’ve been doing this summer to prepare for the upcoming season. We open our official cross-country season next Saturday in Walla Walla, Washington. It was especially encouraging to see only a 10 second gap between our #1 female and our #4 female. Our top three UGF men’s cross-country runners all ran faster than the previous course record set last year. I’m hoping this fun run will be a confidence builder for the entire team and a good spring board for the season.”
08/03/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., August 3, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Sebastian Makinson toan NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Makinson will join the University of Great Falls track and field team from North Beach High School in Ocean Shores, Washington where he was a 3-time State Track and Field qualifier in the 110 meter high hurdles. Sebastian improved every season placing in eleventh, eighth and fifth place, respectively from 2007-2009. He was also a state qualifier in cross-country during his senior year. The Washington native plans on majoring in Computer Science at the University of Great Falls this fall. In addition to his on-field accomplishments, he was very active at his high school where he was the Yearbook Editor, Senior Class President, and a member of the Technology Club.
Makinson's personal records include running the 110 High Hurdles in 16.13 at the District IV Championships in 2009, 5'10" in the high jump at a North Beach home meet and 3:43.41 in the 4 X 400 meter relay at the District IV Championships.
“I am looking forward to competing at the college level and growing in my physical abilities!" said Makinson.
“Our coaching staff is excited to welcome Sebastian to our team and our university,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "He just recently committed to our school and has worked very hard to finish up all of his necessary paperwork. I feel this is an indication of his strong work ethic! Sebastian has a lot of versatility with experience in the hurdles, distance, jumps, and sprints. It will be fun to work with him to see what he decides to specialize in."
He is the son of Tina Makinson.
07/28/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 28, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Allix Barnes toan NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Barnes is transferring from West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, California to the University of Great Falls. Prior to attending WCBC, Allix was a state qualifier in track and field and cross-country at Rainier High School in Rainier, Washington. During the 2008 state track and field championships, she placed seventh in the discus for the Mountaineers. In addition to her on-field accomplishments, the Washington native was the recipient of the Distinguished Scholastic Award, named the Most Improved in Cross-Country and Track and won the Coach's Award for Track and Field. She finished her high school career with a cumulative 3.1 GPA. The Education major's interests include basketball, mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, hunting, aviation and traveling.
Barnes' personal records include throwing the discus 112' 10" and the shot put 33'8".
“I am looking forward to learning more about track and field at the University of Great Falls, improving, and trying new things!" said Barnes.
“I am very grateful for the heads-up about Allix from her high school coach, Rob Henry,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "She is an excellent student with a great personality and a lot of potential to improve her throws in college. Her personal best in competition for the discus is 112' 10" but she has thrown 120' in practice. We think she'll make a very positive contribution to our program and our university."
She is the daughter of Robert and Nancy Barnes.
07/21/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 21, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Luke Mathews to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Mathews comes to the University of Great Falls from Freeman High School in Mica, Washington (just outside of Spokane) where he was the 2009 Track and Field League Most Valuable Player, a 3-time First Team All-State finisher in the triple jump, and placed in all four events at the 2009 state track championships (second in the 4 X 400 meter relay, third in the triple jump, long jump and the 4 X 100 relay). Luke was also First Team All-Conference and First Team All-State in basketball in 2009 as well as the league MVP in football in 2008. The Washington standout finished high school with a 3.4 cumulative GPA. Mathews was involved in the Future Business Leaders of America and the Letterman's Club in addition to his athletic accomplishments. He plans on majoring in Health and Human Performance at the University of Great Falls.
Mathew's personal records include 44' 3 3/4" in the triple jump, 21'6" in the long jump, 3:28 in the 4 X 400 meter relay and 43.6 in the 4 X 100 meter relay.
“I am excited to be a part of the foundation in building UGF's track program. I look forward to representing the Argos as a team that is competitive. I come from a small school, and like the small school feel, where you can really get to know everyone. I have really enjoyed getting to know Jim and Rachel (Brewer) and I'm glad they'll be my coaches," said Mathews.
“We are delighted to welcome Luke to our university,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "He excelled as a three sport athlete all four years of high school while maintaining a 3.4 cumulative GPA. Luke's versatality, athleticism, and ability to shine in many areas will be a lot of fun to work with. He has improved his marks in the triple and long jump every year throughout high school so we're looking forward to seeing what he can do at the collegiate level. His personal best triple jump is just over a foot off the national provisional qualifying mark for the NAIA."
He is the son of Brenda and Mark Bauman and Ken and Lauri Mathews.
07/16/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 16, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Tyler Burns to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Burns comes to the University of Great Falls from Weber High School in North Ogden, Utah where he was a state championship qualifier for the Warriors in the high jump for three straight years. He captured first place with a jump of 6’6” at the City County Track Meet and in the Region I Championships, he finished in second place with a jump of 6’4”. He also played football and was voted to the All-Region Football team. Tyler finished his high school career with a 3.3 GPA. The Utah standout remains undecided on a major when he enrolls at the University of Great Falls in the fall.
Tyler earned his personal best in the high jump at the 2007 Davis Super Meet where he finished with a jump of 6’10”.
“I am looking forward to pushing myself to be the conference’s best in the high jump and scoring ten points for my teammates at the meets," said Burns.
“Tyler is very competitive and motivated to continue improving,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "His personal best of 6’10” in the high jump is already over the automatic qualifying standard of 6’9 ¼” for the NAIA national track championships. We’re excited to welcome Tyler to our university and the Argo Track Team!"
He is the son of Kevin and Deann Burns.
07/09/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 9, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Agnes Wojnar to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Wojnar is a 2009 graduate of W.F. West High School in Chehalis, Washington where she was a state championship qualifierfor the Bearcats during her senior year finishing in 69th place overall. Her personal best finish was 20:13 in the 5K at the District Championships in 2008 which qualified her for the cross-country state meet. Agnes finished her high school career with a 3.0 cumulative GPA while earning All-League Academic Honors for the 2009 track season. While in high school, she was also the President of the Physics Club. The Washington standout plans to major in History at the University of Great Falls.
In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, wake boarding, hiking, hunting and fishing.
“I am really looking forward to being a part of a growing team and learning more about running," said Wojnar.
“We are thrilled to welcome Agnes to our university,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "She will add some great depth to our women’s cross-country and track teams. I think she has the potential to run in the low to mid 19 minute range for the 5K distance this fall. Her personal best is already very close to breaking the 20 minute barrier. We look forward to working with her the next four years!"
She is the daughter of Mary and Thomas Wojnar.
07/08/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 8, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Emily Busby to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Busby is a 2009 graduate of Clearfield High School in Syracuse, Utah where she was a state qualifier and captain of the Falcon track team for the past three years and the recipient of the Heart of the Falcon award. She finished her high school career with a 3.5 cumulative GPA and remains undecided on a major when she enrolls at the University of Great Falls this fall.
Emily's personal records during high school include running the 400 meters in 61 seconds, 5'2" in the high jump and 16'3" in the long jump.
In her spare time, she enjoys singing and playing the guitar, volleyball, camping, fishing, hiking and spending time with her family.
“I am really looking forward to making new friendships at the University of Great Falls and pushing myself to new limits in track," said Busby.
“Emily is very athletic and versatile in the jumps, relays, and sprints," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "She will be an excellent addition to our new track and field program. Emily is the type of student athlete we like to build our program around with her abilities out on the field and in the classroom."
She is the daughter of Jeff and Lisa Busby.
07/02/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., July 2, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Christina Bruce to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Bruce comes to the University of Great Falls from Sequim High School in Sequim, Washington where she was a state championship qualifier for all four years of high school and she was awarded the All-Peninsula Female Runner of the Year. During her senior year, Christina helped the Wolves finish fourth overall at the state cross-country championship and had a strong individual finish (44th Place). She has also competed in nine marathons including a fifth place overall at the 2009 Yakima River Canyon Marathon.
Christina's personal records during high school include running the marathon in 3:24, the 3 mile race in 19:06, the 1,600 meters in 5:33, the 3,200 meters in 12:02 and the 800 meters in 2:36.
She finished her high school career with a 3.30 GPA and plans to major in Psychology and Health and Human Performance at the University of Great Falls. In the classroom, she was a Distinguished Scholastic Award winner and the Alexander Hamilton Scholar Award winner. She was also involved in the Honor Society, Interact Club, Women in Network, Marathon Maniacs and the Faith Lutheran Youth Group.
“I am most looking forward to running with people who share the same love as I do and hopefully becoming the best runner I can!" said Bruce.
“Christina has an amazing passion for running and a great, upbeat personality," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "Her personal best of 3:24 in the marathon distance is already 10 minutes under the automatic qualifying time for Nationals. She will most likely focus on the longer distances such as the 5K, the 10K, and the marathon during the track season and I'm confident she will be very competitive at the NAIA level. We're very excited to welcome Christina to our team and our univerisity."
She is the daughter of Timothy and Linda Bruce.
06/26/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 26, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Nychele Carley to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Carley joins the University of Great Falls from Hoquiam High School in Hoquiam, Washington where she competed in cross-country and track for the Grizzlies.
Nychele's personal records during high school includes running the 5K at the District 4 Cross-Country Championships in 20:47 and finishing the 100 meter hurdles in a time of 16.91 at the Evergreen League track meet her senior season. During her junior year, she ran a personal best of 47.54 in the 300 meter hurdles.
She finished her high school career with a 3.86 GPA and plans to major in Pre-Veterinary or Pre-Nursing at the University of Great Falls. She was involved in the National Honor Society, Young Life, voted Student of the Month at Hoquiam High School, and participated in the Washington Cultural Exchange Program that traveled to Hong Kong and China to compete in several international track meets.
“I am looking forward to improving my times and experiencing a new adventure along the way," said Carley.
“Nychele is an extremely talented and driven young lady," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "We are very excited to see her in an Argo uniform! Nychele will bring some great depth to our women's cross-country team and will also be a force in the hurdle events during the track season. She qualified multiple times for the cross-country state championships throughout high school as well as the 300 hurdles and the 4X400 meter relay for track. Not only is our coaching staff impressed by her athletic achievements, but also her excellent GPA in the classroom."
She is the daughter of Shelina and Douglas Carley.
06/22/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 22, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Shelby Tritthart to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Tritthart joins the Argo Cross-Country and Track team from Challis High School in Challis, Idaho where she placed eighth in the one mile and seventh in the two mile at the Idaho State Track Meet during her senior season.
Shelby set impressive personal records during her high school career including a 17.1 in the 100 hurdles, 50.04 in the 300 hurdles, 2:40 in the 800 meters, 5:53 in the 1,600 meters and ran the 3,200 meters in 12:50.
She finished her high school career with a 3.80 GPA and plans to major in Business at the University of Great Falls. She was involved in the National Honor Society for three years and was the Associated Student Body Secretary during her senior year. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, snowboarding and running.
“I am really excited to compete for the University of Great Falls because I am new to the world of distance running and have yet to discover how far Coach (Jim) Brewer can take me," said Tritthart.
“Shelby's high school coach Paul Lind has been a great advocated for her," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "Our coaching staff is excited to continue working with Shelby where he left off. We think she has the potential to be an excellent steeple chase runner in college with her background in the hurdles and her new interest and knack for distance running. Shelby is not only an all-around athlete, but an outstanding student with a 3.8 cumulative GPA coming out of high school. We are delighted to welcome her to the University of Great Falls."
She is the daughter of Brant and Lynn Tritthart.
06/09/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 9, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Austin Stuchell to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Stuchell comes to the University of Great Falls from Lakeside High School in Nine Mile Falls, Washington where he was a team captain for the Eagles and a member of the All-Academic Team.
During his junior year at Lakeside High, Stuchell ran the 5K at the league cross-country meet in 16:21 and he also set three personal records as a senior including a 1:58.03 in the 800 meters, 4:25.32 in the 1,600 meters and 10:04 in the 3,200 meters.
He finished his high school career with a 3.22 GPA and intends to major in Pre-Physical Therapy at the University of Great Falls. In his spare time, he enjoys running, biking, swimming, camping and playing games.
“I am really looking forward to bettering myself physically and pushing my body to run even faster times in college," said Stuchell.
“Austin has exceptional leg speed and strength in everything from the 800 meters up to the 5K," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "I think he'll make the jump up to the 8K very well in his first collegiate cross-country season because of his versatility and his amazing work ethic. I'm really looking forward to working with Austin and welcoming him to the team."
He is the son of John and Kathie Stuchell.
06/08/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 8, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Travis Price to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Price from Seward High School in Seward, Alaska will be joining the University of Great Falls cross-country and track and field team this fall. The former prep standout was a 2009 state champion in four different events this spring for the Blue Jays. Price placed first in the 400 meters, 800 meters, long jump, and triple jump at the Alaska State 3A Meet. As a result of his outstanding performance in all of his events, he was voted Alaska’s male track athlete of the year in all divisions.
During the 2008 track season, Travis earned two state championships in the 800 meters and the triple jump and was runner-up in the 400 meters and placed third in the long jump.
Price had a personal best of 49.82 in the 400 meters, 1:57 in the 800 meters, 41'9" in the triple jump and 20'0" in the long jump.
The Alaska native had a 3.1 GPA in high school and plans on majoring in Education at the University of Great Falls in the fall. During his spare time, he has raced and helped raise money for the Special Olympics and the Hope/Sunrise Emergency Medical Services through participation in both the Hope Wagon Trail Race and the Torch Run.
“I am looking forward to going to college to run track and cross-country and eventually become a coach," said Price. “I would also like to teach elementary education. I think I would prefer coaching at the high school level because I am very competitive.”
“Travis is an all-around gifted athlete," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "We feel very fortunate to get to work with him the next four years. His personal best in the 400 meters, 49.82, is already less than a second off the NAIA national provisional qualifying mark. He will be very competitive at the NAIA level from the get go. Not only is Travis a talented runner and jumper, he is also a very nice young man and a good student."
06/03/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., June 3, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Tara Tadlock to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Tadlock will join the University of Great Falls this fall from Douglas High School in Box Elder, South Dakota where she was a co-captain on the cross-country team for two years, was voted Most Improved in cross-country in 2006 and was the recipient of the Spirit of Cross-Country award in 2008. Tara helped lead her cross-country team to a sixth place finish at the South Dakota State Meet this past season. During high school, she has been involved in Student Government and the Foreign Language Club.
At the 2006 South Dakota State Cross-Country meet in 2006, she ran 2.5 miles in 17:39, and also set personal records in three different events in track during the 2009 track season including a 12:42 finish in the 3,200 meters, 5:50 in the 1,600 meters and a 2:38 in the 800 meters.
She currently has a 3.4 GPA in high school and intends to major in Education at the University of Great Falls. She has received several scholarships including the Box Elder Lion's Club Scholarship and the Military Children Scholars Scholarship.
“I am looking forward to running in college because I can continue something I am passionate about and it will make college even more exciting," said Tadlock.
“We are very excited to have Tara join our cross-country and track team," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "She is a good student and a strong distance runner with some solid times. Tara also has a lot of positive energy and leadership experience as a captain for two years. We’re also excited that she’ll be our first cross-country athlete from South Dakota."
05/29/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., May 29, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Mitchell Elias to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Elias is transferring to the University of Great Falls from Everett Community College in Everett, Washington. In addition to being the captain of the Trojans Cross-Country and Track team during this past season, the Monroe, Washington native was also a Northwest Athletic Association Community College (NWAACC) All-American.
At the Sundodger Cross-Country Classic hosted by the University of Washington this fall, he ran a 26:03 in the 8K and a 9:56 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Pacific Lutheran University Track Invitational this spring. Both were personal records for Elias.
Mitchell plans on majoring in Secondary Education and English at the University of Great Falls.
“Mostly, I am most looking forward to the new competition and the opportunity to be coached by Jim Brewer," said Elias.
“We are really excited to work with Mitch," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "He will be a great addition to our team for multiple reasons. He has an amazing work ethic and loves to put in the miles during the off-season, he has two years of experience running the 8K at the collegiate level, and he will bring some additional leadership to our relatively young team."
Mitchell is the son of Heidi Ludwig and Cameron Mitchell.
05/28/2009
BILLINGS, MT – May 28, 2009 – The Frontier Conference has announced their 2009 Frontier Academic All-Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country selections according to Frontier Conference Commissioner Mike Walker. The University of Great Falls was represented by two male athletes. Student athletes had to be at least a sophomore in standing, maintain a 3.0 GPA and participate in at least half of their team's meets to be eligible.
Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) and Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) were selected to the Academic All-Conference Men's Team for the University of Great Falls. As a sophomore, Liedtke had his best finish in the 8K with a time of 27:24 at the Frontier Conference Championships in November. Meanwhile, Leavens best finish came at the Montana State Invitational in September with a finish of 27:23.
To view a complete list of this year's Men's Academic All-Conference Selections, please click here.
05/21/2009
EDWARDSVILLE, IL – May 21, 2009 – The University of Great Falls track team had one male competitor that qualified for the 2009 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Edwardsville, IL that began Thursday (May 21) and finishes up on Saturday (May 23) with the finals.
On Thursday night, Jared Reyes, a UGF freshman from Quincy, WA, finished 15th overall (out of 27 finishers) in the preliminaries of the Men's 3,000 meter steeplechase. He finished with a time of 9:20.62 and missed qualifying for Saturday's finals by .03 of a second behind Taylor University's Tom Robertson who finished at 9:20.59 in 14th place. The NAIA takes the top 14 finishers to the finals on Saturday afternoon. Malone University's Aaron Melhorn took top honors in the steeplechase with a time of 9:07.27 and runner-up Brock Stoltzfus from Oklahoma Baptist finished over 8 seconds behind Melhorn with a time of 9:15.56.
"Jared (Reyes) was the second fastest freshman in the nation in the 3000 meter steeplechase," said UGF Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer. "Jared had an amazing run even though he was new (to the steeplechase) this year and we couldn't have asked for a better finish from him. He was ranked 18th in the NAIA before nationals and set a new school record for the University of Great Falls. Jared had just a phenomenal year and we couldn't be more excited for him and what he has accomplished as a freshman this season."
To view the results from Thursday's action, please click here.
Click here to view the Official Site of the 2009 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
05/08/2009
SEATTLE, WA – May 8, 2009 – The University of Great Falls track teams finished off the 2009 track season at the Ken Shannon-Ken Foreman Invitational hosted by the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, WA on Friday afternoon.
The Argos had two male athletes that competed at the track invitational in Washington. Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA) finished in 11th place in the 800 meter run (2:01.28) as he competed against some stiff competition including some opponents from the NCAA.
Meanwhile, Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) finished in third place behind a pair of runners from Seattle Pacific in the Men's 3000 meter steeplechase. He had one of his best finishes this season with a 9:31.56.
"We're all very proud of Jared. He ran a great race setting a 7 second personal record," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "As of today, his time is the 15th fastest in the nation. After every team has reported their marks from this weekend, we'll find out if his time qualifies for the NAIA national meet in 2 weeks. In the mean time, Jared will continue training as if his season is still going."
The University of Great Falls women's team did not compete.
Click here for full results.
05/05/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., May 5, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Andrew Walters to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Andrew is finishing up his senior season at Darby High School in Darby, Montana where he was voted the "Men's Best Field Event Athlete" on the Darby High track team in 2007 and 2008. In addition to participating in track, Andrew earned Second Team All-Conference as a Defensive and Offensive Tackle and also as a kicker for the Tigers football team. Walters is a National Honor Society member and currently has a 3.01 GPA.
Walters threw 47.8 feet in the shot put and 134 feet in the discus at the Corvallis Invitational this spring. Both throws were personal records for Walters.
The Darby High standout intends to pursue a double major in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science at the University of Great Falls next fall.
“I am really excited to be able to throw in college on the University of Great Falls track team," said Walters.
“Andy will be a great leader and example for our team in the throwing events," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "He is willing to put in the work during the off-season, he loves to analyze his technique, and he enjoys learning more about his events. That is what it takes to compete and excel at the college level. We are looking forward to having him on our team and our campus."
Andrew is the son of Brandi Walters.
05/01/2009
CHENEY, WA – May 1, 2009 – The University of Great Falls men’s track team competed well against many Division I schools on Friday afternoon at the 38th Annual Pelluer Invitational hosted by Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington. The Argo women's team did not compete.
Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) led the way for the University of Great Falls in the 800 meter run as he came in with a time of 2:01.99 (13th Place) while teammates Mark Hardin (FR, Bellingham, WA) finished two spots behind Jessop (2:05.09) and Jeremy Anderson (FR, Chimacum, WA) came in 19th Place (2:10.78). Anderson would also compete and finish the 1500 meter run in a time of 4:30.10 and Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA) came in 23 seconds ahead of Anderson (4:06.51).Lantz' time was good enough for a University of Great Falls school record.
"When the gun went off this weekend in the 1500, I was in the back of the pack. My legs felt very tight. I went through the first 400 meters in only 68 seconds," said University of Great Falls athlete Daniel Lantz. "But every lap I got faster and I ran negative splits. I attribute my good race to being healthy and consistent in my training sincethe start of the cross-country season this past fall. I'm looking forward to a solid summer of training."
Meanwhile, Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) took the men's 3000 meter steeplechase title (9:48.55) as he finished about six seconds ahead of the University of Idaho's Alex Brekke (9:55.35). Mark Hardin capped off the day for the Argos with a 16th place finish in the 5000 meter run.
"I came into the season thinking my focus was going to be the 5,000 meters but when I experienced some success in the 3,000 meter steeple chase at Central Washington, my focus changed," said Jared Reyes. "Unfortunately, I hit two barriers this weekend in the last 200 meters of the steeple chase because I was so tired and mentally it beat me."
05/01/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., May 1, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Gabriela Smith to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Gabriela is from Evanston High School in Evanston, Wyoming where she was the 100 meter South Regional Champion in 2007 with a time of 12.88. She also helped lead her 4X400 meter relay in the South Regional to a first place finish. During the 2008 season, Smith was a member of the Red Devils 2008 South Regional Track Championship team, which was a first in school history for Evanston High. She is currently the school record holder in the 4X100 meter relay with a time of 51:37 and a record holder in the 4X400 meter relay with a 4:06.07 time.
Smith's personal best times include a 12.88 in the 100 meters, a 27:09 in the 200 meters and a 1:02.42 in the 400 meters.
Gabriela plans on majoring in Pre-Physical while attending the University of Great Falls next fall.
“I can't wait to be a part of the close knit team, school and community. I am also looking forward to helping set the standards for this new track and field program," said Smith.
“We are very excited to welcome Gabbi to our team. She has alot of versatility with her experience running indoor and outdoor track as well as cross-country," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "It will be interesting to see which events she specializes in during her collegiate career. Her athletic ability has allowed her to excel in all the sprinting events, the hurdle events, as well as the long and high jump."
She is the daughter of Vivian Mead and Gene Smith.
04/25/2009
SPOKANE, WA – April 25, 2009 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams competed against many Division I teams including Eastern Washington University, University of Idaho, and the University of Montana among others at the Duane Hartman Invitational track and field meet hosted by Spokane Falls Community College on Saturday in Spokane, Washington.
Three Argo men competed in the 800 meter run with Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA) leading the way for the Argos coming in with a time of 1:59.16 with teammates Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) finishing at 2:01.31 and Stephen Burns (FR, Shelton, WA) finishing 10 seconds behind Jessop (2:11.39). Mark Hardin (FR, Bellingham, WA) and Stephen Burns finished in 27th and 28th places, respectively in the 1500 meter run.
Meanwhile, Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) finished 19 seconds off the leader (9:38) for fourth place in the Men's 3000 meter steeplechase. Spokane Falls' Sean Coyle won the event with a time of 9:19. Great Falls Jeremy Anderson (FR, Chimacum, WA) also participated and finished in tenth place. In the 5000 meter run, Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) took fourth place (15:58.22) while Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) came in with a 17:10.68 mark.“Shane’s time in the 5,000 meters this weekend is especially impressive after running a solid 10K on the track last weekend. It usually takes a couple of weeks to recover from running 6.2 miles on the track but Shane has amazing fitness and ran yet another great race this weekend,” said UGF men’s and women’s cross-country and track coach Jim Brewer.
“We will continue to have Jared run the steeplechase in our final few meets to see if he can run the automatic qualifier for the NAIA national meet. He most likely needs to run five to ten seconds faster to qualify, “said Brewer. “We’re excited about Jared’s future in this event.”
The Argo track team also had two 4 X 400 meter relay teams entered at the Spokane track meet. The Great Falls "A" team (Daniel Lantz, Jared Reyes, Mark Hardin, and Ben Jessop) captured fifth place while the Great Falls "B" team (Zach Liedtke, Shane Donaldson, Jeremy Anderson, and Stephen Burns) took ninth place.
On the women's side, Great Falls' Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) and Tiffani Gibson (JR, Eugene, OR) competed in the 1500 meters with Barber placing fifth (20:19.70) and Gibson in seventh with a time of 21:27.84.“Jessica’s hard work is really paying off as she continues to improve her times every meet. Jessica beat several girl’s from NCAA Division I schools including Gonzaga and the University of Idaho,” said Brewer. “We look forward to seeing how the speed Jessica is developing this track season helps her cross-country season in the fall.”
04/21/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., April 21, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of William Secor Jr. to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Secor comes to the University of Great Falls from Neah Bay High School in Neah Bay, Washington where he was the team captain on the Red Devils track and field team throughout his high school career. He specializes in throwing the javelin and his personal best distance is 155'11". In 2008, he placed fifth in the javelin at the Washington State 1B track and field championships.
William plans on majoring in Business while attending the University of Great Falls.
“I am looking forward to making new friendships on the team and competing for the University of Great Falls," said Secor.
“It's exciting for our new track and field program to sign a talented javelin thrower from western Washington," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "Billy is setting an excellent example for his high school peers in going to college. He will be a great addition to our team and our university."
He is the son of Tracy and Daniel Tejano.
04/18/2009
ELLENSBURG, WA – April 18, 2009 – After having a week off, the University of Great Falls men's and women's track teams competed at the Spike Arlt Invitational track meet held on the campus of Central Washington University's Tomlinson Stadium on Saturday. The Argos competed against 10 other schools at the one day event.
Great Falls' Mark Hardin (FR, Bellingham, WA) competed in two events at the track meet including the 400 meter dash where he finished in eighth place coming in with a time of 55.89. Hardin also took part in the 800 meter dash where his time of 2:05.64 helped him finish in ninth place. Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) and Jeremy Anderson (FR, Chimacum, WA) were the other Argo competitors in the 800 meters where the duo finished in fourth and 12th places, respectively. Meanwhile, Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA) took sixth place overall in the 1,500 meter run (4:09.84) followed by teammates Jeremy Anderson (4:28.57) and Stephen Burns (4:35.86) who both finished the race in respectable places. The University of Great Falls had two male Argo runners place in the top four in the 10,000 meter run. Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) finished right behind Spokane Community College's Rigoberto Jimenez with a time of 33:48.22 while Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) finished in fourth with a 34:56.61. The Argos top finisher of the day went to Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) who captured top honors in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:38.80.
On the women's side, Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID) took 11th place in the 200 meter dash with a time of 27.56 and a time of 1:04.40 in the 400 meter dash. Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) competed and finished the 800 meter dash in a time of 2:42.87.
"Overall, we had a pretty good day and a lot of athletes had good personal records," said UGF men's and women's Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer. "Jared Reyes won the 3000 meter steeplechase in 9:38 and the provisional PR is 9:40 so he had an excellent day. We had good competition and great weather (in Ellensburg, Washington)."
04/04/2009
MISSOULA, MT – April 4, 2009 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams officially opened up their 2009 campaign on the road at the University of Montana's Al Manuel Invitational on Saturday at Dornblazer Field as they competed against six other schools.
Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT), Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA), Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) and Mark Hardin (FR, Bellingham, WA) all competed in the men's 800 meter run for the University of Great Falls. Ben Jessop finished 14th overall and was the first Argo to cross the finish line with a time of 2:04.37 followed by Daniel Lantz in 15th Place with a time of 2:04.88 while Shane Donaldson (2:08.75) and Mark Hardin (2:11.32) finished in 20th and 21st Place, respectively. Lantz also did well in the 1500 meter run as he finished in seventh place overall coming in with a time of 4:11.10. Ben Jessop and Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) finished in tenth and eleventh places while Shane Donaldson came in 13th place.
Meanwhile, Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) was the top finisher for the University of Great Falls in the 5,000 meter run coming in with a time of 16:15.85 (11th place overall) followed by Jeremy Anderson (FR, Chimacum, WA) and Stephen Burns (FR, Shelton, WA) both finished the race in under 18 minutes. The Argo men also had two teams entered in the 4 X 400 Meter Relays with the Great Falls (A) team (Lantz, Hardin, Jessop, and Reyes) finished in tent place with a time of 3:38.84 while the Argos (B) team (Donaldson, Liedtke, Burns, and Anderson) finished nine seconds behind the Great Falls (A) team at 3:57.36.
Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID) took eleventh place for the Argo women in the 400 meter dash while Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) ran the 1500 meter run in 5:36.
“I am very proud of how our athletes performed in their first track meet (of the season) today,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer. “We are on the right track to success.”
04/02/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., April 2, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Ander Jayo to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Jayo is a two-time All-State cross-country runner from Twin Falls High School in Twin Falls, Idaho finishing in 19th place his junior and senior years. He was also a member of the Two-Time Idaho 5A State Cross-Country Team Champions for Idaho in 2007 and 2008. Jayo's personal best times include a 16:38 in the 5K for cross-country, a 10:03 for the two mile run, a 4:41 for the 1 mile and a 2:02 for the 800 meters.
Ander is also a standout in the classroom with a 3.6 cumulative GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. The Idaho native plans on majoring in Pre-Physical Therapy at the University of Great Falls.
“I am looking forward to being a part of a young, talented, upcoming cross-country and track program.” said Jayo.
“Ander knows what it takes to be a part of a championship cross-country program so our men's team is very excited to have him on board," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "We think he will make an impact in the Frontier Conference right away. I look forward to working with Ander the next four years. He is a gifted runner as well as an excellent student."
He is the son of Joseph and Cammie Jayo.
03/28/2009
GREAT FALLS, MT – March 28, 2009 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams opened up their 2009 season as they hosted a pre-season meet with participants from Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College on Saturday afternoon at Great Falls’ Memorial Stadium.
In the first race of the day, the Argos’ Daniel Lantz (FR, Lake Stevens, WA) and Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) finished in first and second place, respectively in the men’s 1500 meters while Stephen Burns (FR, Shelton, WA) finished in fourth place behind Carroll’s Taylor Gregory. UGF’s Travis Larsen (SO, Honokaa, HI) took second in the men’s 100 meters while Whitney Kossman (FR, Twin Falls, ID) and Alissa Flockerzi (SO, Trout Creek, MT) finished the 100 meters for the women with times of 13.6 and 16.2, respectively.
Meanwhile, Great Falls’ Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) captured first place with a time of 9:54 followed by teammate Jeremy Anderson (FR, Chimacum, WA) at 10:59 in the men’s 3000 meter mini-steeple chase. The University of Great Falls’ co-ed 4X400 meter relay team out-lasted Carroll’s relay team by 4 seconds (4:14 for UGF and 4:18 for Carroll’s team. Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID), Mark Hardin (FR, Bellingham, WA), Alissa Flockerzi, and Juan Pina (SO, Lake Worth, FL) each contributed to the Argos relay victory over Carroll College.
Shane Donaldson was the top finisher for Great Falls in the men’s 5,000 meters as he finished with a time of 16:28 for second place while Zach Liedtke finished right behind Donaldson at 16:42. In the women’s 5,000 meters, Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) coasted to victory finishing with a time of 20:55.
The University of Great Falls men’s Distance Medley Relay team edged Carroll College for first place while the women’s team finished in second place behind Carroll College.
Travis Larsen closed out the track meet by winning the “Big Cheese” 200 meter challenge with a time of 24.40.
“The UGF Distance Relays went very well and I was glad all the competitors had fun,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer. “It was also nice to see the fans out supporting us too.”
No team scores were kept at this pre-season meet.
03/17/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 17, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Mike Camarillo to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Camarillo is currently a senior from Three Forks High School in Three Forks, Montana with a 3.0 GPA. At the 2008 Montana Class A-B state meet in Bozeman, Montana, Mike was the state champion in the triple jump and the runner-up in the long jump. The Three Forks native also finished in sixth place overall in the High Jump. His personal best records include a 42' 8" in the triple jump, a 21'1 1/2" in the long jump and 6'4" in the High Jump.
In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, building model cars and playing the bass guitar.Mike plans on majoring in Accounting while attending the University of Great Falls. “I am really looking forward to being one of the first jumpers for the University of Great Falls as they start a new track and field program. It will be an honor to compete for and with the University of Great Falls," said Camarillo.
“Mike is extremely athletic and versatile in the different jumping events. His marks will be very competitive at the NAIA level," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "We are humbled and excited to sign our first state champion to our new track and field program."
He is the son of Shawna and Jerry Meier.
03/06/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 6, 2009 —The University of Great Falls Cross Country and Track teams will be hosting their 2nd Annual Buffalo Jump Fun Run at the First People Buffalo Jump (formerly Ulm Pishkun State Park) on Sunday, May 31, 2009.
There will be a 3 mile walk, 10K Run, and a 1/2 Marathon that will begin at the First People Buffalo Jump Visitor Center in Ulm, MT just 10 miles east of Great Falls. Take Exit 270 from Great Falls off of I-15 and follow signs 3.5 miles to Visitor Center. The 1/2 Marathon will begin at 9:00AM followed at 9:45AM by the 10K run and 3 mile walk. The race course will consist of soft, rolling, dirt and paved roads near the visitor center with beautiful views of the Square Butte, the Big Belt Mountains and the Little Belt Mountains.
Race Fees
- 3 Mile Walk: $20.00 per participant (before May 26th or $25.00 on race day)
- 10K Run: $25.00 per participant (before May 26th or $30.00 on race day)
- 1/2 Marathon: $30.00 per participant (before May 26th or $35.00 on race day)
Pre-registered participants will receive a T-Shirt if registered by May 26th. Other participants may order a T-Shirt on the day of the race and pick them up later.
Race participants can pick up their race numbers on Thursday, May 28th from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the UGF McLaughlin Center or on the day of the race on May 31st from 8:00 AM until 8:45 AM at the First People Buffalo Jump Visitor Center.
All proceeds benefit the University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track and Field programs.
For more information about the fun-run, please contact Jim Brewer at (406) 791-5928.
Please click here to download a registration form for the 2nd Annual Buffalo Jump 1/2 Marathon, 10K, and 3 mile walk.
02/18/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., February 18, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Christopher Fraser to a NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Fraser began his high school career at Lakenheath High School in England before moving to Great Falls, MT to attend C.M. Russell High School for his senior season. He was the track and field team captain at Lakenheath High School and helped his team finish second overall in the European high school cross-country championships. Chris’ personal best times include a 16:51 in the 3-mile run for cross-country as well as 9:46 in the 3,000 meters and 4:40 for the 1,500 meters in track.
Chris plans on majoring in Health and Human Performance at the University of Great Falls with a personal desire to be an athletic trainer.
“I am really looking forward to the competition in college and having a strong team to run for," said Fraser.
“Chris is relatively new to distance running with the spring of 2007 being his very first competitive track season in England. We’re excited to see him continue to improve in college.Chris connected really well with our men’s team and we think he will be a great addition to the University of Great Falls," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.
He is the son of Todd and Angela Fraser.
02/10/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., February 10, 2009 — University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Jose Mendez and Jacque Clure to NAIA/Frontier Conference Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season.
Mendez attended Grandview High School in Grandview, Washington where he was a four-time state qualifier for the Greyhounds cross-country team. During his junior season, he qualified for the state meet in the two-mile run and was team captain in 2006 and 2007. Jose's personal best times include a 16:23 in the 5K for cross-country, 10:15 in the two-mile and a 4:42 in the one-mile for his high school’s track and field team.
A future Computer Science major at the University of Great Falls, Jose has maintained a 3.44 GPA.
“I am really looking forward to continuing my running career at the University of Great Falls and improving my times in both cross-country and track," said Mendez.
“Ourcoaching staff is very excited to work with Jose. He is a very hard worker with a passion for the sport. He has improved his 5K cross-country time at the state meet every season since his freshman year. We look forward to seeing him continue to improve at the collegiate level," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.
The University of Great Falls has also added to their roster Jacque Clure from Stanford High School in Stanford, Montana. She was a member of the 4 X 400 meter state relay team in 2006 that finished with a time of 51.3 seconds. Jacque's other highlights on the track team include a fourth place finish in the 100 meters with a time of 12.8 seconds andthird place in the 200 meters with a time of 27.6 seconds in the district meet in 2008.
She plans to major in Pre-Veterinary while attending the University of Great Falls. During high school, she served as President of the Pep Club, was a member of the School Yearbook and the Stanford High School Choir and the Community Choir. The four-year track and field letterman earned the "Competitive Spirit Award" at Stanford High School.
“I think running track at the University of Great Falls will be a wonderful opportunity for me. I met with the coaches and members of the track team and they were great to work with. I look forward to next year," said Clure.
“Jacque is a very positive and upbeat young lady. Her energy and optimism will bring a lot to our team and our university. She also has a lot of speed that will add depth to our sprinting events. We look forward to working with her,” said Brewer.
02/02/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., February 2, 2009 —The University of Great Falls Cross Country and Track teams will be hosting their 2nd Annual Saint Patrick's Day Dash at Giant Springs State Park on Saturday, March 14th.
The two and four mile fun runs will cost $20.00 per participant (includes T-Shirt) if registered by March 9th or $25.00 after this date. There will be a $5.00 fee after March 9th if you want a T-Shirt. The race will begin at 10:00 AM at the Heritage State Park Picnic Area just east of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks headquarters across from Giant Springs in Great Falls.
Race participants can pick up their race numbers on Friday, March 13th from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM at the UGF McLaughlin Center or on the day of the race at Giant Springs from 9:00 AM until 9:45 AM.
“We’re excited for our second annual fun run on Saint Patrick’s Day. Last year, we had a great turnout for both the two mile and four mile races. We always appreciate the support and participation from the community,” said UGF Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer.
All proceeds benefit the University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track teams. Prizes will be awarded to the top 5 male and female finishers in the 2-mile and 4-mile runs.
For more information about the fun-run, please contact Jim Brewer at (406) 791-5928. Participants can also pick up an application at Universal Athletic Service, Peak Health & Wellness Center, Gold’s Gym, Community Recreation Center or at the Heisey Youth Center.
You can click here to download a registration form for the St. Patrick's Day Dash.
11/22/2008
KENOSHA, WI– November 22, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s cross country team had two athletes qualify for the 53rd Annual NAIA Men’s Cross Country Championships that took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Saturday morning.
Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) and Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) each qualified for the NAIA championships. Donaldson, who finished 7th at the Frontier Conference Championships two weeks ago, finished the 8K race with a time of 26:28 and finished 146th out of 331 runners. Meanwhile, Jared Reyes finished the race in 27:31 and a 248th place finish. He finished the conference championships in ninth place. Donaldson and Reyes were the first two men to qualify for Nationals in their third year of existence.
Both Donaldson and Reyes each were named to the All-Conference team this year in cross country.
“Shane and Jared had a great race especially with our team having two freshmen going to nationals,” said UGF Cross Country and Track coach Jim Brewer. “Jared didn’t have the race we wanted to have from him but he did well having run only one year of cross country in high school. We are looking forward to seeing what these two runners can do in the future.”
The Argo men’s team did not register a team score.
Meanwhile, the Malone (OH) Pioneers won their second straight team title as they won by 57 points over runner-up Azusa Pacific University (CA). Azusa Pacific’s Aron Rono won the individual title for the second straight season with a time of 23:45 while Malone’s Nikolaus Schweikert finished second (24:03) and his teammate Aaron Melhon finished in fifth place.
11/19/2008
BILLINGS, MT., November 19, 2008 — The Frontier Conference Men’s and Women’s All-Conference selections were recently announced by conference commissioner Mike Walker.
Lewis-Clark State, the women’s and men’s conference champions placed seven men and eight women on the team. The University of Great Falls had two men selected to the team followed by Westminster College, Carroll College, and Rocky Mountain College each with one runner apiece.
Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) and Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) each made the All-Conference team as they helped the Argo men finish second this season. Reyes and Donaldson have also qualified for the NAIA National Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, November 22, 2008 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Donaldson placed 7th at the Frontier Conference Championships in Lewiston, ID in the men’s 8K race finishing with a time of 26:35. Reyes came in two spots behind Donaldson in 9th place at 26:47.
“We’re all very proud of Jared and Shane. You couldn’t ask for two more humble, hard-working young men to earn this title of All Conference,” said UGF cross country and track coach Jim Brewer. “It’ll be exciting to see how they do this weekend at the national meet.”
Lewis-Clark State's Eric Tuwel and Stephanie Shuel received the Runners of the Year honors for the conference. The Frontier Coach of the Year went to Mike Collins from Lewis-Clark State College.
2008 All-Conference Team
Men
Eric Tuwel, JR, Lewis-Clark State College
Mickael Sopel, SR, Lewis-Clark State College
Sean Huey, SO, Lewis-Clark State College
Chris McConnell, SO, Lewis-Clark State College
Grant Eldridge, FR, Lewis-Clark State College
Taylor Gregory, SO, Carroll College
Shane Donaldson, FR, University of Great Falls
Jake Miller, SO, Lewis-Clark State College
Jared Reyes, FR, University of Great Falls
Adrian Ramirez, SR, Lewis-Clark State College
Women
Stephanie Shuel, FR, Lewis-Clark State College
Tayler Harrington, FR, Lewis-Clark State College
Amber Watson, SO, Rocky Mountain College
Amanda Theobald, JR, Westminster College
Lindsay Szybura, JR, Lewis-Clark State College
Kyli Astle, JR, Lewis-Clark State College
Madison Randall, FR, Lewis-Clark State College
Amanda Palmer, FR, Lewis-Clark State College
Katja Palm-Loevslett, JR, Lewis-Clark State College
Jessie Gulsvig, SO, Lewis-Clark State
11/8/2008
LEWISTON, ID – November 8, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams went to Lewiston, Idaho for the 2008 Frontier Conference Cross-Country Championships that was held at Hells Gate State Park on Saturday morning.
The Argo men’s team finished in second place with 57 team points right behind nationally ranked Lewis-Clark State at the Frontier Championships on Saturday. Shane Donaldson (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) and Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) placed 7th and 9th place respectively in the men’s 8K race. Donaldson came in with a time of 26:35 while Reyes finished with a time of 26:47. They both earned a trip to the NAIA National Cross-Country Championships on November 22nd in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Reyes and Donaldson both ran personal best times in the 8K race and their top 10 finish earns them All-Frontier Conference honors.
“I am still a little speechless but it is a great accomplishment to qualify for nationals,” said an excited Jared Reyes after the race. “It’s pretty cool to represent Great Falls at nationals. I know a lot of freshmen don’t get this opportunity,” added the other Argo national qualifier Shane Donaldson.
Other Argo top finishers included Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) with a time of 27:24, Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) at 27:49 and Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) with a time of 27:52.
“It is extremely impressive to have two freshman guys qualify for the national meet this year. Shane and Jared both ran gutsy races with a lot of heart. Our team and our university are very proud of them. They represent our young team with a bright future,” said head coach Jim Brewer.
On the women’s side, the Argo women finished in fourth place. Melissa Barcroft (SO, Burbank, WA) finished the women’s 5K race with a 19th place finish with a time of 20:11 followed by Tiffany Gibson (JR, Eugene, OR) with a time of 20:40. Rounding out the top five were Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) finishing in 26th place, while Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) and Kaneesha Benson (FR, Ronan, MT) finished in 28th and 29th, respectively.
“The women’s team competed really well on Saturday with several athletes running personal bests. The spread between our #1 runner and our #5 runner was only 51 seconds. Despite struggling with injuries throughout the fall, transfer student Tiffany Gibson stepped up and ran a solid race for us finishing second on our team with a time of 20:40,” said Brewer.
10/25/2008
Lewiston, ID – October 25, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams participated in the LCSC Invitational Pre-Conference Meet hosted by Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho on Saturday morning.
The Argo men’s team finished fifth with 150 points. Shane Donaldsen (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) was the top finisher for Great Falls as he finished in 22nd place overall with a time of 27:04. Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) and Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) finished in 43rd and 45th places respectively followed by Zach Liedtke (SO, Yakima, WA) with a time of 28:12 rounded out the top five male finishers for Great Falls.
Meanwhile, the Argo women finished in 8th place as a team. The top female finisher was Melissa Barcroft (SO, Burbank, WA) with a time of 20:07 and a 37th overall finish followed by Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) with a 45th place finish, Kaneesha Benson (FR, Ronan, MT), Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ), Alisha White (FR, Great Falls, MT) and Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID) rounded out the top finishers for the Argo women.
10/11/2008
Billings, MT – October 11, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams were in Billings, Montana on Saturday for the MSU-Billings Invitational.
The Argo men’s team finished in fourth place with 101 team points. Great Falls’ top finisher on the day was Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) who finished 16th overall with a time of 28:05. Rounding out the top five were Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) with a time of 28:20 followed by Chris Holcombe (FR, Simms, MT) with a time of 29:03, Chris Alejandro (FR, Corpus Christi, TX) at 29:13 and Max Willis (FR, Bellingham, WA) finished with a time of 29:31.
On the women’s side, the Argo women finished in seventh place. Kaneesha Benson (FR, Ronan, MT) paced the Argos with a 31st place finish coming in at 22:50 followed by Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) and Alisha White (FR, Great Falls, MT) with 35th and 36th place finishes, respectively. Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID) finished in 24:09 and Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) at 25:00 rounded out the Argo women.
"We were very proud of our athletes running tough despite the snowy, cold conditions. The footing was extremely challenging with all of the slush and mud. It wasn't a day for setting personal records but it did show our athlete's tenacity and determination! ," said UGF Cross Country and Track coach Jim Brewer.
10/06/2008
Great Falls, Mont., October 6, 2008 — The University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track Teams hosted a successful fun run at Gibson Park on Saturday, October 4th. The Great Falls Harvest Classic 5K was a first-time event that the team hopes to be an annual tradition.
There were two course records for the 5 kilometer race as UGF cross country runner Cullen Cantwell finished with a time of 16:34 while Susan Kaluzia finished the women’s race with a time of 20:40. I have attached the full results above.
“We were pleased with the turn-out for the race despite the rainy weather and cooler temperatures. Gibson Park was a great setting for the Harvest Run with all of the leaves changing colors. The top two runners battled the entire race until Cullen Cantwell from Great Falls defeated Ryan Kearny from Bozeman in the last 10 meters. It was an exciting finish!" said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.
The next fun run hosted by the Argo cross country and track teams will be conducting will be the St. Patrick’s Day Dash that will take place on March 14, 2009 at Giant Springs State Park.
|
2008 Harvest Classic 5K Results
|
|
Place
|
Name
|
Gender
|
Time
|
| 1 |
Cullen Cantwell |
Male |
16:34 |
| 2 |
Ryan Kerany |
Male |
16:36 |
| 3 |
Jeremy Johnson |
Male |
17:44 |
| 4 |
Andrew Akles |
Male |
18:07 |
| 5 |
Andrew Lehto |
Male |
18:19 |
| 6 |
James Tanner |
Male |
18:36 |
| 7 |
Matt Handwerk |
Male |
19:02 |
| 8 |
Bob Bolland |
Male |
19:18 |
| 9 |
Collin Merrin |
Male |
19:38 |
| 10 |
Aaron Renville |
Male |
19:54 |
| 11 |
Scott Cabbage |
Male |
20:15 |
| 12 |
Matt Shemo |
Male |
20:38 |
| 13 |
Gary Bjelland |
Male |
20:38 |
| 14 |
Tram Stout |
Male |
20:39 |
| 15 |
Susan Kulazia |
Female |
20:40 |
| 16 |
Spencer Madplume |
Male |
21:26 |
| 17 |
Kaneesha Benson |
Femaile |
22:03 |
| 18 |
Mark Barry |
Male |
22:07 |
| 19 |
Loni Judisch |
Female |
22:50 |
| 20 |
Zach Franz |
Male |
22:56 |
| 21 |
Allison Squires |
Female |
23:02 |
| 22 |
Becky Lorio |
Female |
23:08 |
| 23 |
Dave Chandler |
Male |
23:39 |
| 24 |
Robin Meguire |
Female |
23:39 |
| 25 |
J. Yoneji |
Male |
23:44 |
| 26 |
Ashley Harmer |
Female |
23:58 |
| 27 |
Joe Capps |
Male |
23:59 |
| 28 |
Sara Carlisle |
Female |
24:06 |
| 29 |
Jeremy St. Goddard |
Male |
24:07 |
| 30 |
Jim Huniston |
Male |
24:11 |
| 31 |
Stephanie Frick |
Female |
24:49 |
| 32 |
Stuart White |
Male |
24:56 |
| 33 |
Michael Horton |
Male |
24:58 |
| 34 |
Carson Gudgeon |
Male |
25:08 |
| 35 |
Sara Patterson |
Female |
25:14 |
| 36 |
Malinda Gudgeon |
Female |
25:26 |
| 37 |
Lindsay Jones |
Female |
25:56 |
| 38 |
Robert Sims |
Male |
26:22 |
| 39 |
Shirley Carrigan |
Female |
26:33 |
| 40 |
Kathleen TenPenny |
Female |
26:43 |
| 41 |
Molly Murray |
Female |
27:07 |
| 42 |
Jason Furr |
Male |
27:18 |
| 43 |
Brenda Crag |
Female |
27:40 |
| 44 |
Billie Jo Holzer |
Female |
27:43 |
| 45 |
Robyn Pepion |
Female |
28:07 |
| 46 |
Pamela Mackie |
Female |
28:08 |
| 47 |
Amy Arthur |
Female |
28:47 |
| 48 |
Ryan Schimdf |
Male |
28:57 |
| 49 |
Becky Anseth |
Female |
29:09 |
| 50 |
JJ Drummond |
Female |
29:10 |
| 51 |
Brenda Krull |
Female |
31:09 |
| 52 |
Don Jelinek |
Male |
31:39 |
| 53 |
Stefanie Horton |
Female |
33:20 |
| 54 |
Danielle Pettis |
Female |
33:38 |
| 55 |
Steve Pettis |
Male |
33:39 |
| 56 |
Tyler Young |
Male |
34:44 |
| 57 |
Dustin Young |
Male |
34:45 |
| 58 |
Donna Sims |
Female |
35:08 |
| 59 |
Vicky Darko |
Female |
35:08 |
| 60 |
Barb Ablio |
Female |
35:10 |
| 61 |
Remy Elie |
Female |
35:41 |
| 62 |
Carol Crews |
Female |
37:36 |
| 63 |
Michala Shallue |
Female |
41:40 |
| 64 |
Sarah Weinell |
Female |
41:42 |
9/20/2008
Bozeman, MT – September 20, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams competed on Saturday morning at the Montana State University Invitational held at the Bridger Creek Golf Course in Bozeman, Montana.
The Argo men’s team finished eighth in the 11 team invitational and scored 60 team points and they defeated fellow Frontier Conference members Carroll College and Rocky Mountain College as well as NCAA Division II opponent MSU-Billings. Westminster College also had a men’s team but did not have enough members for a team score.
Shane Donaldsen (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) was the first Argo to cross the finish line in 45th place with a time of 26:40 in the men’s five mile run. Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) was the next Argo to finish in a time of 27:02 (54th Place) followed by Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) and Ben Jessop with 61st and 67th place finishes respectively.
“Overall, our men’s team competed extremely well today. It was many of our freshman’s first 8K ever. We finished 28 points behind Dickinson State University, who was ranked #9 in the NAIA National polls last week. It really was exciting to watch our men’s team battle with a nationally-ranked team, said UGF cross-country and track coach Jim Brewer.
On the women’s side, Great Falls finished in 12th place in the 3 mile race, one spot ahead of Dickinson State in the team standings. Melissa Barcroft (SO, Burbank, WA) finished in 65th place with a time of 20:02. Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) finished 8 spots behind Barcroft in 73rd Place at 21:01 followed by Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) and Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID) with 87th and 88th place finishes respectively.
“I was really proud of our women’s effort today. Rocky Mountain College nipped us by only one point today, so we’re starting to close the gap. We’re continuing to work on decreasing the time between our #1 and #5 runners. We had a 2:21 spread today which is an improvement,” said Brewer.
9/13/2008
Helena, MT – September 13, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams headed 90 miles away to Helena, Montana for the Carroll College Open hosted by Carroll College on Saturday.
The Argo men’s team defeated Carroll College 26-43 to take top honors while the women took second place to Carroll College. The University of Great Falls men’s team made history by winning their first cross-country invitational in their third year of existence. Runners from two local club teams in Helena as well as Flathead Valley Community College also participated in the event.
Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) paced the Argo men’s team with a third place individual finish with a time of 16:28. Shane Donaldsen (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) was behind Leavens with a time of 16:34 followed by Ben Jessop (FR, Pinesdale, MT) and Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) in seventh and eighth place respectively.
“Our men’s team had six guys in the top 11 spots and we had only a 25 second gap between our #1 and #5 runners. Overall, our guys had a great race despite the tough week of practice. I was very pleased!” said UGF cross-country and track coach Jim Brewer.
The Argo women’s team had 7 in the top 22 that finished including Melissa Barcroft (SO, Burbank, WA), who finished second overall to Carroll’s Jade Johnstone with a time of 20:40. Barcroft was followed by teammate Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) with a time of 21:39. Other Argo finishers included Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) and Alisha White (FR, Great Falls, MT) followed by Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID), Jenni Hill (FR, Victor, MT), and Amanda Mah (JR, Eugene, OR).
“Our women’s team had two runners in the top 15 spots. Overall we are getting stronger with each race,” said Brewer.
9/6/2008
WALLA WALLA, WA – September 6, 2008 – The University of Great Falls men’s and women's cross country teams headed west to Walla Walla, Washington for their first meet of the season hosted by Whitman College on Saturday.
The Argo runners competed against eight other schools including fellow Frontier Conference foe Lewis-Clark State College and host Whitman College.
On the men’s side, the Argos placed fifth as a team in the 6K as Pacific Lutheran University, Whitman College, Lewis-Clark State and Whitworth College all finished in the top four. Shane Donaldsen (FR, Thompson Falls, MT) was the top male finisher for the Argos as he finished the 6K in a time of 20:23.35 and finished 12th overall. Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) and Jared Reyes (FR, Quincy, WA) finished in 26th and 27th place respectively with a time of 20:56. Ben Jessop also competed for the Argos and finished with a time of 21:02.94.
On the women’s side, Melissa Barcroft (SO, Burbank, WA) finished the 4K with a 33rd overall finish in a time of 16:17.55. Other Argo finishers include Shantell McLinden (FR, Libby, MT) with a time of 17:23.78, Jessica Barber (JR, Lakeside, AZ) finished in 18:30.62 followed by Alisha White (FR, Great Falls, MT) and Danielle Keating (FR, Twin Falls, ID).
8/31/2008
The University of Great Falls Cross Country and Track teams held their “2nd Annual Blue and Gold Fun Run” on Saturday morning on the campus of the University of Great Falls. There were 88 participants for the two-mile run/walk and 10 for the one-mile walk.
University of Great Falls cross-country runner Moses Leavens (SR, Great Falls, MT) broke the two mile men’s record set in 2007 by Joey Barela (10:53) with a time of 10:26. The women’s record was not broken but Keely West defended her title from last year with a time of 12:30.
The University of Great Falls men’s cross country team swept 9 of the top ten spots.
UGF Campus Fun Run Set for August 30th
The University of Great Falls Cross Country and Track teams will be hosting their 2nd Annual Blue and Gold Campus Fun Run on the University of Great Falls campus on Saturday, August 30th. This fun run is free but donations are welcome. Registration will begin at 8:00AM with the 1-mile run/walk and 2-mile run/walk beginning at the UGF McLaughlin Center at 9:00 AM. All donations benefit the University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track teams. Prizes will be awarded to the top10 male and female finishers in the 2-mile run.
Last year, Joey Barella set the men’s race course record with a time of 10:53.9 and Keely West set the women’s course record in a time of 12:21.
If you have any questions, please contact: Jim Brewer, UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach, Office Phone: 406-791-5928, Email: jbrewer02@ugf.edu
08/25/2008
Great Falls, Mont., August 25, 2008 --University of Great Falls Cross-Country and Track coach Jim Brewer has announced the signing of Danielle Keating to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.
Danielle attended Twin Falls High School in Twin Falls, Idaho and competed in the 100, 200, and 400 meter events. In 2008, she was the team captain for the Bruins track team and was a member of the 2008 4 X 200 meter Relay State Champions for Idaho. “Danielle is extremely athletic and very explosive. She will bring some great depth to our track team in the spring with her experience in the sprinting events" said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.
In high school, she maintained a 3.67 GPA and plans on majoring in Psychology at the University of Great Falls. “I am excited about the overall experience of attending the University of Great Falls, being a part of a close team, and setting new personal records," said Keating.
8/15/2009
GREAT FALLS, Mont., August 15, 2008 — Ben Jessop of Hamilton, MT has signed an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent to run Cross Country at the University of Great Falls according to head coach Jim Brewer.
Jessop is a 2008 graduate of Hamilton High School where he earned All-State honors in cross-country in 2006 and 2007. He also captured first place at the Cross-Country Divisional Championships in 2007. Jessop also starred on the track for the Broncs earning All-State honors in 2008 at the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meter distances.
Maintaining a 3.296 GPA, Jessop was also a standout in the classroom as he earned All-State Academic honors for 3 years in cross country and 4 years in track. “I am really looking forward to running and competing at the college level. It's my goal to help make the team stronger," said Jessop.
“I traveled 8 hours to see Ben run at a high school meet this year," said UGF Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer. "It was totally worth the extra effort to meet this young man and see him run in person. He has a huge heart and a lot of potential to improve in college as well as make an impact on our team this fall. He's a great addition to the University of Great Falls."