More UGF Athletic News

University of British Columbia wins regional golf team and individual titles; Seven Argo golfers competed at regionals

COEUR D’ ALENE, ID (Tuesday, April 29, 2008) – The University of British Columbia golf teams won team titles at this year’s NAIA Region 1 Golf Tournament that took place at the Coeur d’ Alene, Municipal Golf Course in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. On Monday, the first two rounds were played and the third and final round of the tournament wrapped up on Tuesday.

The University of British Columbia’s Blake Rowe-Sleeman and two of this teammates finished in the top three on the men’s side of things. The Argo men finished the golf tournament in twelfth place. The Argos shot a 356 in the first round followed by 342 and 348. Big Fork, MT native Chris Richter finished tied for 51st overall with Montana Tech’s Jake Amerman with a score of 252. Richter’s teammate, Josh Wittman finished right behind him at 254. Other Argo finishers include Lance Wilson with a 267, Ryan Kovach with a 281 and Shay Thompson who finished with a 299.

The top three finishers on the women’s side were also from the University of British Columbia. Kaitlin Troop, Melissa Core and Alyssa Human all helped UBC take home the team title. Rocky Mountain’s Rachel Warren came in fourth place with a 238. Meanwhile, the UGF women had two women that competed but didn’t have enough athletes for a team score. Emily Pfeifer shot a 292 and Kirstin Thompson came in with a score of 303 for the Lady Argos.

The Argo men’s and women’s golf team will be back in action in September.

Round-by-Round Results: Men's Results (Round 1) l Men's Results (Round 2) l Men's Results (Final)

Round-by-Round Results: Women's Results (Round 1) l Women's Results (Round 2) l Women's Results (Final)

By: Kevin Scott

Medicine Hat student-athlete inks with Argos hoop team 

GREAT FALLS, MT (Monday, April 28, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s basketball team has announced the signing of a student athlete from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the 2008-2009 season.

Dallas Holyk is a 6’3” guard from Medicine Hat High School in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game this past season on his high school team. Dallas was born in Twin Falls, Idaho and has a dual citizenship in the United States and in Canada. The newest member of the Argos basketball team was selected to the Southern Alberta All-Star Team this past season.

He is the son of Don and Marcia Holyk and he plans on majoring in physical education at the University of Great Falls.

"Dallas is a player who demonstrates excellent court vision and playmaking abilities. His unselfishness on the court makes him a tremendous team-oriented player which we welcome here at the University of Great Falls," said UGF men's basketball coach Steve Silsby.

By: Kevin Scott

Washington native added to the men’s cross-country and track team for the fall

GREAT FALLS, MT (Monday, April 28, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s cross-country and track team has announced the signing of a student-athlete from Chimacum, Washington to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.

Jeremy Anderson will be joining the University of Great Falls from Chimacum High School in Chimacum, Washington. Although his high school didn’t have a cross-country team, he was able to run for nearby Port Townsend High School. He was voted Most Inspirational in both cross-country and track. Jeremy finished 54th overall (out of 158 runners) at the 31st Annual Salt Creek Cross-Country 5K Invitational this past fall with a time of 16:53. At the 2-A Washington cross-country State Championships in 2007, he qualified and finished 67th overall (out of 144 competitors).

At a spring track meet hosted by Washington High School in Tacoma, Washington, Anderson finished first overall for the Chimacum Cowboys in the 1,600 meters.

The newest runner for the Argo cross-country and track team has excelled in the classroom by maintaining a 3.10 cumulative GPA and has been on the honor roll throughout his high school career. During high school he earned a few awards including Student of the Month, a School Pride Award and a Scholastic Athletic Award.

Some of his favorite hobbies include snowboarding, wakeboarding, and riding dirt bikes.

Although he remains undecided on a college major, he is interested in math and science.

"Jeremy is very hard working and self-motivated. His 1-A high school in Chimacum, Washington didn’t have a cross-country program but that didn’t stop him from competing. He ran up a division for near-by Port Townsend High School and did very well. Jeremy also organized and put on a 5K fun-run for his community as a senior project. We’re excited to welcome him to our Argo running family,” said UGF Cross Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.

For complete press releases from the other UGF Cross Country & Track recruits, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos go 1-1 in their final home softball games of the season; defeat nationally ranked Simon Fraser both days

GREAT FALLS, MT (Sunday, April 27, 2008) – In their final day of competition, the University of Great Falls softball team picked up their second win over 12th ranked Simon Fraser but fell in their last game of the season to Black Hills State 9-7.

In their first game of the day on Sunday, the Lady Argos fell behind in the first inning as Simon Fraser’s Jessie Harris scored on a single by Meaghan Cumpstone to give the Clan a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, the Lady Argos would tie the game as Great Falls native Jen Cox connected on a solo home run over the left field fence. In the following inning, Great Falls would score two more runs on two home runs. Senior Erica McAlmond hit the ball over the right field fence for a solo home run and the next batter, Lindsay Cline copied her with a home run of her own to give the Lady Argos a 3-1 win over the nationally ranked Clan of Simon Fraser.

Great Falls finished the contest with six hits. Great Falls also defeated the nationally ranked Clan on Saturday 7-4.

In their final game of the tournament, Black Hills State got on the scoreboard right away in the first as Autumn Berg scored from third on a throwing error by Great Falls. Jo Bailey’s final game as a senior would not be complete without a home run and that is exactly what she did in the bottom half of the inning as she connected on a solo home run to tie the game. Lindsay Cline would connect on a double and Libby, MT native Sam Schultz would come in to score from second base as the University of Great Falls would cling to a 2-1 lead.

The game would remain that way until the fourth inning when Black Hills State would capitalize on some Argo miscues and scored eight runs. Jo Bailey and Sam Schultz would each score runs in the bottom of the inning for UGF as UGF cut the deficit to 9-3. Jo Bailey would get on base with a double on the bottom of the fifth. The next batter, Sam Schultz also doubled and drove Bailey in to cut the deficit to 9-6. The Lady Argos would tack on one more run in the seventh inning but that wasn’t enough as Black Hills State get their second win against the Great Falls team 9-7.

Great Falls finishes the 2008 season with a 14-17 record.

Earlier in the day, Simon Fraser (13-7) defeated Black Hills State (12-19) 9-4. Each team went 2-2 at the two-day round robin tournament.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here.  

By: Kevin Scott

Argo runners finish their season at the Montana Open

MISSOULA, MT (Saturday, April 26, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams went to Missoula, MT on Saturday to take part in the Montana Open hosted by the University of Montana in the final track meet of the season for the Argos.

Besides the University of Montana and the University of Great Falls, MSU-Billings and Carroll College runners also participated in this event along with some unattached runners.

Juan Pina captured third place in the men’s 400 meter dash for the Argos coming in with a time of 53.61. Meanwhile Brian Bragg finished the 1,500 meter run in sixth place as he finished the race in 4:11.81. Marc Jennings came in at 17: 29.12 in the 5,000 meter run for the Argos.

This was the final race for the 2008 Argo men’s and women’s track teams.

Great Falls results are posted below. You can full results here (PDF Format) and please click here for the story.

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos upset #12 Simon Fraser; fall to Black Hills State in eight innings

GREAT FALLS, MT (Saturday, April 26, 2008) – The University of Great Falls opened up the two-day UGF Softball Invitational against the 12th ranked Simon Fraser Clan (British Columbia) on Saturday afternoon at the Multi-Sports Complex in Great Falls, MT. The UGF Invitational is a two-day (6 games) round-robin tournament.

In the first contest against Simon Fraser, the Lady Argos get on the scoreboard right away as Helena, MT native Lindsay Cline connects on a three-run home run as Sam Schultz, Erica McAlmond and Cline all come in to score in the first inning. The game remained 3-0 until the fourth inning when Simon Fraser’s Nicolla Collicutt singled off UGF’s Sarah DeVore and Christine Barr came home from third to cut the Clan’s deficit to 3-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Sarah DeVore came home after a throwing error to home plate by Simon Fraser. Sarah Hawley, Erica McAlmond, and Lindsay Cline all connected on singles and drove in three runs to increase their lead to 7-1. In the final three innings, Carolyn Bell, Nicola Collicutt, and Chrissy Caviglia from Simon Fraser would all drive in runs on single hits but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Argos pull off an upset of  #12 Simon Fraser University 7-4.

Sarah DeVore threw a 5-hitter in the first game for the Lady Argos.

In the second game of the day for the Lady Argos as they took on Black Hills State (South Dakota), both teams would remain scoreless until the top of the fifth inning that featured three solo home runs by Black Hills State. Danielle McGrath, Autumn Berg, and Brittan Montgomery each took the ball out of the park. In the sixth inning, Jo Bailey would answer back for Great Falls as she connected on a home run (her seventh of the season) to centerfield. Montgomery would get her second home run of the game for the Yellowjackets of Black Hills State in the seventh inning to increase their lead to 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Great Falls answered back as senior Jo Bailey connected on a double and drove home Kim Falcon and then two throwing errors by Black Hills State brought home two more runs for the Lady Argos as Sonja Barone and Bailey scored to tie the game. However, the Yellowjackets would score four runs in the top of the eighth inning to give the Yellowjackets an 8-4 victory over UGF.

Great Falls is now 13-16 on the season.

In the third and final game of the day, Simon Fraser (12-6) came back from their opening loss to the Argos and defeated Black Hills State (11-18) in five innings 13-0.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here.  

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos hoop team signs local Great Falls High standout

GREAT FALLS, MT (Friday, April 25, 2008) — The University of Great Falls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of a local athlete to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent for the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

Marijka (pronounced MAR-RIKE-A) Francis is a 5’7” guard from Great Falls High School in Great Falls, Montana. She averaged 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game this past season for the Lady Bison. She joins her older sister Marissa, a freshman guard, and former high school teammate Kirilynn Winkler in the Lady Argo program. Marijka is the daughter of Lucius and Mary Ellen Francis and she will be majoring in sociology at the University of Great Falls.

"Marijka will be a terrific fit in our program. She is really athletic, and she has a very high ceiling for development. Marijka is also a great student, and we are excited that she will be joining us this fall," said UGF women's basketball coach Shawn Chaffin.

The Lady Argos won 12 games this season, which is the most since the program’s reinstatement nine years ago.

By: Kevin Scott

Lewis-Clark State men’s and Rocky women’s golf teams win the Westminster Invitational; Argo men place sixth

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (Tuesday, April 22, 2008) – The Lewis-Clark State men’s and Rocky Mountain College women’s golf teams won team titles at the Westminster Invitational at the Wingpointe Golf Course in Utah that concluded on Tuesday afternoon. Each team played 36 holes of golf on Monday and finished up the tournament on Tuesday with the final 18 holes.

On the men’s side, the Lewis-Clark State won the Westminster Invitational by only three strokes over Rocky Mountain College 877-874. Chris Kneen led the Warrior men with a finish of 210. Kneen captured the individual title as well. Meanwhile, the Argo men finished sixth in the final team standings with eight student-athletes competing. Phil Marra finished the tournament in a tie with Lewis-Clark State’s Patrick Casabonne with a 226. UGF’s Chris Richter and Montana Tech’s Tyler Lamb both finished with a score of 236. Other Argo finishers include Ryan Kovach (28th place), Josh Wittman (32nd place), Jeff Lepard (41st place), Shane McNameny (43rd place) followed by Lance Wilson and Shay Thompson.

Meanwhile, the Rocky Mountain College women won by 9 strokes (958-949) ahead of Lewis-Clark State in the team standings. Rocky’s Rachel Warren captured led the Lady Bears with a score of 226. That was seven strokes better than Lewis-Clark’s Juanita Villa.

Meanwhile, the Lady Argos had only one athlete competing in Kirstin Thompson. She shot a 269 in the two-day tournament and a 15th place finish as an individual.

The University of Great Falls didn’t have enough athletes for a team score.

The University of Great Falls will head to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho next week to compete in the 2008 NAIA Region 1 Golf Tournament.

You can view full story by clicking here.  RESULTS: Men's Results (Team/Individual) / Women's Results (Team/Individual)

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos hoop team adds a pair of standouts for the upcoming season

GREAT FALLS, MT (Monday, April 21, 2008) — The University of Great Falls women’s basketball team has announced the signing of two athletes to NAIA/Frontier Conference Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

Mackenzie Gentry is from Pocatello, Idaho. The 5'9" guard will be transferring to the University of Great Falls from Sheridan Junior College in Sheridan, Wyoming. She averaged 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for the Lady Generals last season where she helped the team to a 26-4 record and a runner-up finish in Region IX’s Northern Division. Gentry also shot 41% from the field.

"Mackenzie is a winner in every sense of the word. She is strong off the dribble and has a great touch from mid-range. Mackenzie is a talented passer as well, having helped set up three of the top scorers in Region IX. She is also a tenacious ball defender, and she continues our trend of getting more athletic," said UGF women's basketball coach Shawn Chaffin.

UGF has also signed Lisa Van De Riet from Foothills Community Christian School in Great Falls, MT. Lisa averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game this season for the Lady Falcons. On February 2, 2008 against Gallatin Valley, she scored a season-high 14 points. Foothills Community Christian School is a member of the Montana Christian Athletic Association.

"Lisa is a great fit for our University and our program. She is very quick, and she is a tremendous student. Lisa comes from a great family, and we are excited about her potential development," said Chaffin.

The Lady Argos are coming off a season in which they set the school record with 12 wins; that is 10 more wins than the previous season.

By: Kevin Scott

Eight Argo runners fare well at the Duane Hartman Invitational in Spokane, WA

SPOKANE, WA (Saturday, April 19, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams headed west to Spokane, Washington for a track meet hosted by the Community College of Spokane on Saturday. The “Duane Hartman Invitational” is the second to last track meet that the University of Great Falls will compete in for this year.

The eight Argo runners competed against nine other schools including five Division I schools and fellow NAIA foe Lewis-Clark State College and two community colleges.

On the men’s side, the Argos had several runners that made the trip to Spokane, WA. Juan Pina competed in two events including the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter dash. Pina, a Florida native, placed eleventh in the 400 meters with a time of 54.60 and finished the 800 meters at 2:17.57. Brian Bragg also competed in the 800 meter run and captured ninth place for the Argos with a time of 2:04.63. Bragg, a native of Burbank, WA, had a time of 4:12.54 in the 1,500 meter run. That time was good enough for a sixth place finish. Marc Jennings competed in the 5,000 meter run and finished in 13th place with a time of 17:26.17.

On the women’s side, Melissa Barcroft (Fr., Burbank, WA) finished in sixth place in the 800 meter run with a 2:29.60. Last week at the Montana State Invitational in Bozeman, MT, she captured fifth place with a time of 2:38.01 in this race.

The Argo men’s and women’s track teams will compete next Saturday (April 26th) in Missoula, MT at the Montana Open to finish off their track schedule.

Great Falls results are posted below. You can click here for the full results.

CORRECTION: Moses Leavens placed 7th (not 8th) in the 5,000 Meter Run and finished with a time of 16:06.00 and Jared Reyes finished in 10th place (not 11th) in the 5,000 Meter Run with a time of 16:32.00.

See UGF Cross Country & Track webpage for results)

By: Kevin Scott

Lewis-Clark State men’s and women’s golf teams secure victories at home meet

LEWISTON, ID (Tuesday, April 15, 2008) – The Lewis-Clark State men’s and women’s golf teams swept both the team and individual titles at the Lewis-Clark State Invitational at the Lewiston Golf and Country Club in Lewiston that finished up on Tuesday afternoon. Despite windy and cold conditions, each team played 36 holes of golf on Monday and finished up the day on Tuesday with the final 18 holes.

Both of the men’s and women’s teams from Rocky Mountain College came in second in the team standings.

The Lewis-Clark State men defeated runner-up Rocky Mountain College by 43 strokes. Meanwhile, the Lewis-Clark State women won by 12 strokes ahead of the Lady Bears of Rocky Mountain College, which finished in second place.

The Argo men and women continued to battle with the rest of the teams in the first competition of the spring season for the Argos. Phil Marra paced the UGF men with a final score of 227 and he was followed by Big Fork native Christ Richter with a score of 263. The Argo men’s golf team finished in sixth place on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the UGF women didn’t have enough athletes for a team score as they had just two women competing. Butte native Emily Pfeifer shot a 286 for the Lady Argos followed by Kirstin Thompson who finished four strokes behind at 290.

There are five conference golf matches held each year. Three of the matches are in the fall and the other two in the spring. This is followed by the NAIA Regional and NAIA National Tournaments. The overall conference champion is determined by the combined team totals from each of the five conference matches.

The conference champion will be determined at the end of this month once the final tournaments are completed.

You can view full results and the story by clicking here. 

By: Kevin Scott

College of Idaho secures two victories over Great Falls

CALDWELL, ID (Tuesday, April 15, 2008) – The Lady Argos finished off their four-day road trip in Caldwell, Idaho on Tuesday as they faced the College of Idaho at Symms Field.

In the first game, Haley Butcher of the College of Idaho connected on a two-run single that brought in two runs for the Lady Yotes in the first. Kalie Kurdy hit the ball to left field and drove home Butcher to make the score 3-0 in favor of the team from Idaho. Stephanie Stover added the Yotes only other run of the contest in the second inning. The four runs by the College of Idaho in the first two innings proved to be the only runs needed to secure the 4-0 win over the Lady Argos in the first contest.

Katie Zillner tossed a six-hit shutout for the Lady Yotes. The senior struck out 15 Lady Argos as she upped her career strikeout total to 499.

Kalie Kurdy led the Yotes with two hits while Great Falls got two hits from Erica McAlmond. Great Falls had six hits and no errors in the contest.

In the second contest, the Lady Argos scored the first run of the game in the first as Erica McAlmond singled up the middle and Libby native Sam Schultz scored from second base to give the Argos a 1-0 lead. The College of Idaho came back in the bottom of the inning as Donnae Carrell scored an unearned run on a passed ball to tie up the contest.

In the third inning, Katy Luetke connected with a triple down the right field line. The next batter, Stephanie Stover singled to left field and brought home Luetke. The score remained 2-1 until the fifth inning when Helena native Erica McAlmond flied out to center field and Sam Schultz scored an unearned run from third to tie the game.

However, the sixth inning proved to be costly for the Lady Argos as the Lady Yotes would have eight straight batters reach the base with two outs in the inning. Katie Zillner, Stacy Smith, Haley Butcher, Dani Villyard and Kalie Kurdy all scored in the inning as the Lady Yotes would go on to win 7-2 and sweep Great Falls on their home field.

Katy Luetke led the College of Idaho with two hits and RBI. Caylin Lepire also had two RBI’s in the second contest. Erica McAlmond had two RBI’s for the Lady Argos. Each team had seven hits in the second contest.

College of Idaho improves to 17-16 while Great Falls is now 12-15 on the season. The Lady Argos finished their Idaho-Oregon road trip with a 2-6 record. They defeated Eastern Oregon on Sunday (3-1) and defeated Northwest Nazarene (2-1) on Monday.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here.

Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos and Lady Crusaders each pick up a win in the doubleheader

NAMPA, ID (Monday, April 14, 2008) – The Lady Argos and Crusaders of Northwest Nazarene battled it out in a doubleheader on Monday afternoon in Nampa, ID at Halle Field.

Hayley Hevern put the Crusaders on top as she scored on a triple by Kate Free in the bottom of the first. In the next inning, the Lady Argos’ Jen Cox would hit a triple to center field but a wild throw by Northwest Nazarene would send Cox home to tie up the contest at 1-1.

The game would stay that way until the fifth inning when Erin Myers singled to left field and in came Whitney Secord for Great Falls from second base. Myers hit proved to be the game winner as Great Falls holds on for the 2-1 victory.

Erin Myers had the only RBI for the Lady Argos in the contest in her only bat of the game. The Lady Argos won the game on only four hits. Kate Free had NNU’s only RBI on 1-for-2 hitting.

In the second game of the day between these two teams, the Crusaders took a 1-0 lead as NNU’s Haley Hevern singled to left field and brought home Rachel Bare. The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Crusaders until the third inning when Kate Free hit a double and Hayley Hevern crossed home plate. Kate Free and Vanessa Shaw would score the final two runs of the inning on a Sam Schultz ground ball error to make it 4-0 after three.

Kelsey Noble would put the Argos on the scoreboard as she connected on a double and Kim Falcon would also get a double and Noble scored the Argos first run of the contest in the fourth. In the next inning, Northwest Nazarene’s Kate Free would hit a solo home run and then Vanessa Shaw would score on a bases loaded walk and Shawna Juarez would also score to give the Crusaders a 7-1 lead.

The Argos weren’t done yet as Helena native Lindsay Cline would connect on a three-run home run on a 1-0 count as Whitney Secord and Jen Cox scored. In the end, the game belonged to NW Nazarene as they would get the 7-4 decision.

Cline led the Lady Argos with three RBI’s and a home run on 1-for-2 hitting. Kim Falcon also had an RBI in the contest for Great Falls. Meanwhile, NW Nazarene’s Kate Free went 3-3 in the game including a home run.

Northwest Nazarene’s record is 9-33 while Great Falls is now 12-13 on the season.

To view all of the stats and box scores from these games and the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here. You can view full results by going to the UGF Softball webpage.

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos split the doubleheader against Eastern Oregon

LAGRANDE, OR (Sunday, April 13, 2008) – The Lady Argos began their second of their four day road trip in LaGrande, Oregon as they faced Eastern Oregon University on Sunday afternoon.

In the first game, the game was scoreless until the fourth inning when a wild pitch by the Lady Argos brought home EOU’s Megan Monaghan as they bases were loaded for the Mountaineers. The game remained 1-0 until the sixth inning when Great Falls when Jo Bailey ran across home plate as Erica McAlmond picked up a single. The score was tied at 1-1 until the seventh inning when UGF’s Jo Bailey singled to right center field that brought in both Kelsey Noble and Sarah Hawley. Those two runs in the top of the seventh were enough as the Lady Argos picked up a win in game one 3-1.

The Argos had five hits on the day and one error. Jo Bailey went 2-4 on the day and also had two RBI’s. Erica McAlmond also picked up an RBI as she went 1-3.

Meanwhile, the Lady Mountaineers were hitless in the first contest.

In the second contest, EOU’s Teri Cisler hit a double to center field in the second hitting and Megan Platz and Michelle St. John both scored to give the Mountaineers an early 2-0 lead. The Lady Argos would get in the scoring column in the fourth inning as Helena native Lindsey Cline connected on a three-run home run as Sonja Barone and Sarah Hawley came home to give Great Falls the 3-2 lead.

In the sixth inning, Great Falls native Jen Cox grounded out to shortstop to bring home Jore Noble. The Argos had a two run lead (4-2) but Eastern Oregon would fight back and score three runs in the sixth inning to get take the second contest 5-4.

Eastern Oregon out-hit the Argos 7-6. Lindsey Cline led the way for the Lady Argos as she went 1-3 and connected on a home run. Teri Cisler and Melodee Mildenberger each had two RBI’s for Eastern Oregon.

Eastern Oregon’s record is 12-20 while Great Falls is now 11-12 on the season.

Game 1 Box Score I  Game 2 Box Score

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Bengals top Lady Argos in softball showdown in Pocatello

POCATELLO, ID (Saturday, April 12, 2008) – The Lady Argos faced off against Idaho State University (Division I) on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader at Rainey Park in Idaho.

In the first game, the Lady Argos got on the scoreboard first as Libby native Sam Schultz and Great Falls’ Jo Bailey each scored in the first inning. Great Falls kept the Bengals from scoring after the first inning and the Lady Argos grabbed a 5-0 lead in the second inning as Jo Bailey, Sam Schultz and Jore Noble each scored. But the Lady Bengals would come back in the bottom of the inning and scored seven runs to make the score 7-5. Heather Dixon connected on a home run for the Lady Bengals in the second inning thatdrove home two runs. Both teams would not score until the fifth inning and sixth innings when Idaho State would score three runs in each inning to end the game in the sixth due to the eight-run mercy rule.

The Lady Argos gave up 15 hits and two walks while ISU’s Kandis Clesson gave up 1 hit and she struck out two Great Falls batters.

Heather Dixon led the Lady Bengals with a home run on 2-4 hitting and 2 RBI’s. The home run was the sixth for Dixon on the season. Sam Schultz went 3-3 in the first contest with two RBI’s for Great Falls.

In the second game of the doubleheader, ISU’s Megan Miller scored twice while Emily Hu, Brittany Olsin and Ivy Sessions scored once after three innings to make the score 6-0.

UGF would get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning as Helena native Erica McAlmond connected on a solo home run to get the Argos on the scoreboard. Megan Miller would come home to score in the fifth inning for the Bengals and Jen Cox scored on a double by McAlmond to cut the Lady Argos deficit to 8-2 after sixth innings.

The Argos would score three runs in the seventh inning as Sonja Barone, Jo Bailey and Jore Noble would all cross home plate but that wasn’t enough as the Bengals also take the second contest 8-5.

The Lady Bengals out-hit Great Falls 11-8. Idaho State’s record is 7-22 while Great Falls is now 10-11 on the season.

To view the full game story and box score, please click here.You can view full results by going to the UGF Softball webpage.

By: Kevin Scott

Argo runners compete at the Montana State Invitational

BOZEMAN, MT (Saturday, April 12, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams competed at the Montana State Outdoor Invitational track meet on Saturday in Bozeman, MT. Their were student-athletes from Montana State University, MSU-Billings, Carroll College, Rocky Mountain College and the University of Great Falls that took part at the track meet.

Nine runners from the University of Great Falls placed at the track meet. Juan Pina (55.76) finished in fifth place in the 400 Meter Dash and took eighth (4:49.96) in the 1,500 Meter Run for the Argo men while Brian Bragg came in eight in the 5,000 meter run. Marc Jennings also competed in the 5,000 meter run.

On the women’s side, Melissa Barcroft (Fr., Burbank, WA) took home fifth place in the 800 meters with a time of 2:38.01.

The Argo men’s and women’s track teams will compete next Saturday (April 19th) in Spokane, Washington at the Duane Hartman Invitational.

Great Falls results are posted below.

FINAL RESULTS (GREAT FALLS RUNNERS & UNATTACHED RUNNERS ONLY)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 400 Meter Dash (1 Lap)

(5 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 800 Meter Run (2 Laps)

(9 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 1,500 Meter Run (3.75 Laps)

(8 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 5,000 Meter Run (12.5 Laps)

(13 Runners Competed)

NT: No Time

Individual Results (UGF Women): 800 Meter Run (2 Laps)

(10 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Women): 1,500 Meter Run (3.75 Laps)

(7 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Women): 5,000 Meter Run (12.5 Laps)

(13 Runners Competed)

By: Kevin Scott

MSU-Billings overpower the Lady Argos in both games of Sunday’s doubleheader

GREAT FALLS, MT (Sunday, April 6, 2008) – The MSU-Billings Yellowjackets got the hits they needed to blank the Lady Argos in the first game 9-0 on cold and windy day at the Multi-Sports Complex in Great Falls on Sunday afternoon

Former C.M.R. standout, Jessica Frank connected on two home runs in the first and the fifth innings for the Yellowjackets and Leslie Davis (Jr., Federal Way, WA) added a home run in the third inning. Shay Oberg (Jr., Billings, MT) helped the Yellowjackets end the game due to the 8-run rule with a home run in the fifth inning.

MSU-Billings led 3-0 after the first two innings and they were able to get six runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to secure their fifteenth win of the season.

In the second contest, the MSU-Billings’ Jessica Franks and Terina Stacks (Jr., Washoughal, WA) each scored runs in the first inning to make it 3-0 in favor of Billings. Amanda Schaapveld, a senior from Puyallup, WA, came home on a single in the fourth inning and then Frank scored again in the fifth inning before Helena, MT native Lindsay Cline would get the Lady Argos on the board as she connected on a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning that also brought in Lauren Montijo (Fr., Conrad, MT) to cut the Argo deficit to 5-3.

After the fifth inning, it was all MSU-Billings as they drove home three runs in the fifth and then they got a pair of home runs in the sixth inning by Terina Stacks and Megan Samuels (So., Cody, WY) to end the game due to the eight-run rule. The final score was 11-3 in favor of MSU-Billings.

MSU-Billings improves their record to 15-16 with the victory while Great Falls is now 10-9 on the season.

Meanwhile, it took the Lady Argos sub-varsity team a few more innings in the first game of their doubleheader to defeat the club team from Montana Tech. Great Falls won 9-8 in nine innings over the Butte school and then downed them in the second contest 11-7.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here. Due to some technical difficulties, the stats from this game are not available yet. Please check back later (link above).

By: Kevin Scott

Argo runners compete at the Al Manuel Invitational

MISSOULA, MT (Saturday, April 5, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams opened up their second season of track competition at the Al Manuel Invitational hosted by the University of Montana on Saturday at Dornblaser Field. Teams from the University of Montana, Montana State University, Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, MSU-Billings, Lethbridge, Carroll College and the University of Great Falls competed in Missoula. There were four University of Great Falls student-athletes along with four unattached runners that placed at the prestigious Missoula track meet.

The Argo men competed in the 800 meters and received a sixth place finish from Brian Bragg (Fr., Burbank, WA) and a seventeenth place from Juan Pina (Fr., West Palm Beach, FL). In the 1,500 meter race, Brian Bragg also competed in that race and took home sixth place honors with a time of 4:14.80. Marc Jennings, a freshman from Belfast, Northern Ireland, finished in 21st with a time of 4:41.90. On the women’s side, Melissa Barcroft (Fr., Burbank, WA) finished in seventh place in the 800 meters with a time of 2:37.42.

The Argo men’s and women’s track teams will compete next Saturday (April 12th) in Bozeman, Montana at the Montana State Invitational.

Great Falls results are posted below.

FINAL RESULTS (GREAT FALLS RUNNERS & UNATTACHED RUNNERS ONLY)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 800 Meter Race (2 Laps)

(20 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 1,500 Meter Race (3.75 Laps)

(25 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Men): 5,000 Meter Race (12.5 Laps)

(13 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Women): 800 Meter Race (2 Laps)

(10 Runners Competed)

Individual Results (UGF Women): 1,500 Meter Race (3.75 Laps)

(16 Runners Competed)

By: Kevin Scott

Thompson Falls student-athlete to run for the Argos this fall

GREAT FALLS, MT (Thursday, April 3, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s cross-country and track team has announced the signing of a student-athlete from Thompson Falls, Montana to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.

Shane Donaldson will be joining the University of Great Falls from Thompson Falls High School in Thompson Falls, Montana. He has earned cross-country All-State honors for the Blue Hawks all four years of high school. In 2006, Shane placed second at the Montana Class B State Championship Meet with a time of 15:57 and he also placed second at the State Cross-Country Meet in 2007 with a time of 16:44. He was the top runner for his cross-country team that won the state meet in 2007. This past fall, Shane also participated in the prestigious Mountain West Classic Cross-Country Invitational in Missoula, Montana and finished in 10th overall with a time of 15:45. Furthermore, Donaldson has been a three-time state qualifier on the Blue Hawks track and field team.

The Thompson Falls runner has excelled in the classroom by maintaining a 3.89 cumulative GPA and was named to the All-State Academic Team the past four years for cross-country and three years for track.

He is also involved in the National Honor Society and is a member of the student council and the Science Olympiad team at Thompson Falls High School.

Shane plans on majoring in Education with an emphasis in Mathematics while attending the University of Great Falls in the fall. He is the son of Bruce and Laura Donaldson.

"Shane is the kind of student-athlete that every coach would love to build a program around. He is an excellent student and a very focused runner with a lot of talent. A member of the Thompson Falls community described him as a mental bulldog. He has finished second in the state cross-country meet the past two years and he’s run impressive times of 27:32 in the 8K at the Montana Cup and 1:22 in the half-marathon distance at the Missoula Marathon. We’re excited to welcome him to our program and our university," said UGF Cross Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.

Donaldson becomes the thirteenth overall cross-country and track runner to sign for the University of Great Falls since December. For complete press releases from the other UGF Cross Country & Track recruits, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Argo men sign another student-athlete to run for the Cross-Country and Track team

GREAT FALLS, MT (Tuesday, April 1, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s cross-country and track team has announced the signing of a student-athlete from Bellingham, Washington to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.

Mark Hardin will be joining the University of Great Falls from Meridian High School in Bellingham, Washington. He has been a varsity letterman cross-country and track runner for the Trojans for all four years of high school. In October 2006, Mark placed 15th at the Westside Classic District Championship Meet. A month later in Pasco, Washington, his team placed 7th overall in the Washington State A Cross-Country Championships. Mark was named team captain of the Trojan cross-country team his senior season. During the spring of 2007, he qualified for the State A Track Championships as a member of the 4 X 400 meter relay team running a 52 second split.

Mark has excelled in the classroom by maintaining a 3.56 cumulative GPA and was on the Honor Roll throughout his entire high school career. He is also involved in the National Honor Society. In his spare time, the Meridian High senior enjoys skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and traveling.

Mark plans on majoring in Elementary Education while attending the University of Great Falls in the fall. He is the son of Chris and Mary Hardin.

"Mark will be a great addition to our school and our running program. He’s an outstanding student-athlete that came highly recommended to us by his head coach at Meridian High School, Mike Holz. He’s from a small school and he wants to be a teacher, so we’re confident he has made a really good choice academically. He also has competitive times, a great work ethic, and a desire to run in college so we know he will make a positive impact on our team," said UGF Cross Country and Track Coach Jim Brewer.

Hardin becomes the twelfth overall cross-country and track runner to sign for the University of Great Falls since December. For complete press releases from the other UGF Cross Country & Track recruits, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Argo Track teams hosts their first-ever home track meet despite cold and snowy conditions

GREAT FALLS, MT (Saturday, March 29, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s and women's track teams hosted the wet and snowy weathered-shortened "UGF Distance Relays" at Great Falls High's Memorial Stadium on Saturday in Great Falls. Throughout the meet, it was 29 degrees along with 18 mile an hour winds. The meet began at 11:00 a.m. with cross-country and track runners participating from the University of Great Falls, cross-country runners from Carroll College (Helena, MT) and Rocky Mountain College (Billings, MT) as well as some unattached runners. The University of Great Falls is the only Frontier Conference school to offer a track program (running events only). This was the first-ever home track meet and the only home meet for the Argos and Lady Argo teams this season. There were no team scores kept.

NOTE: Due to the wet and snowy conditions, only the 5,000 meters (12.5 laps), 3,200 meter (8 laps) and 1,500 meter races (3.75 laps) were held. The Co-Ed 4 X 400 meter relays (men/women) and the Distance Medley Relays (1,200, 400, 800, and 1,600) were cancelled.

In the 5,000 meter race, the University of Great Falls’ Brian Bragg took home top honors as he completed the 12.5 laps in a time of 16:32.79. His teammate, Zach Liedtke placed fifth with a time of 18:12.24. Jessica Barber led the Lady Argos in the 3,200 meter raced as she placed sixth overall (4th as a female) while the Argo men had three runners place in the 1,500 meter race as Travis Larsen and Juan Pina captured third and fifth place. Larsen finished the race in 4:58 while Pina came in at 5:08. Both players also compete on the Argo men’s soccer team as well. Melissa Barcroft finished in 9th place (3rd place as a female) in the combined men’s and women’s race.

See the UGF Cross-Country & Track page for full results (scroll down).

By: Kevin Scott

Argo wrestling team adds pair of Montana athletes and Oregon transfer to their roster

GREAT FALLS, MT (Thursday, March 27, 2008) — The University of Great Falls Argo wrestling team has announced the signing of a two Montana student-athletes and an Oregon standout to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letters of Intent.

Scott Schlosser will join the Argos from Conrad High School in Conrad, Montana for the 2008-2009 season. He is a three-time Class B-C state champion and has a career record at Conrad of 128-12. He is expected to wrestle at 133 lbs. for the Argos.  Arlee native Jared Foust, the 135 lb. Class B-C state champion this season will also join Caleb Schaeffer’s squad and is expected to wrestle at either 133 lbs. or 141 lbs. for the Argos.

Jason Pence will transfer from Clackamas (OR) Community College and will also suit up for the Argo wrestling team next season. Pence is a two-time All American at Clackamas CC. At the last two Junior College (JUCO) national tournaments, he finished in 8th place and in fifth place. He also won a high school state championship at 184 lbs. at his high school in Bend, Oregon.

Schlosser, Foust and Pence become the sixth overall wrestling recruits to sign for the University of Great Falls for the upcoming school year. For complete press releases from all of the UGF Wrestling recruits, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Foothills Christian point guard joins the Argo men’s basketball team

GREAT FALLS, MT (Thursday, March 27, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s basketball team is proud to announce the signing of a local prep athlete from Great Falls to a NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.

Chase Johnson is from Foothills Community Christian School in Great Falls, Montana which is a member of the Montana Christian Athletic Association. The 5'10" point guard averaged 14.0 points per game and led the Falcons in assists by averaging 4.3 per game this past season. He was able to connect on 53% of his field goals and 43% from behind the arc.

“I am excited that Chase will be a part of the Argo men’s basketball program. He is a hometown student-athlete who has a bright future ahead of him,” said UGF men’s basketball coach Steve Silsby.

Chase was named to the First Team All-Conference Team and was the team captain as well as Co-MVP for the team. He helped lead his team to MCAA State Championship game the past two years. Earlier this year, Foothills Community Christian School captured second place as they fell to Helena Christian 73-61 in the championship game that took place at the Carroll College P.E. Center in Helena, MT.

He also excels in the classroom and is in the National Honor Society.

Chase plans to major in the Criminal Justice or in Business while attending the University of Great Falls beginning this fall.

By: Kevin Scott

UGF’s Laura Keaster receives NAIA All-American Honorable Mention Honors

KANSAS CITY, MO (Tuesday, March 25, 2008) — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has released this year’s Division I Women’s Basketball All-American Teams on Tuesday night after the conclusion of the Division I Women’s Basketball Championships that took place this past week in Jackson, Tennessee.

The University of Great Falls’ Laura Keaster, a 5’7” senior guard from Belt, Montana, was named to the NAIA All-American Honorable Mention Team. During the 2007-2008 season, she led the Lady Argos in scoring by averaging 18.4 points per game (2nd in the Frontier Conference) as she connected on 40.5% of her field goals and scored a total of 571 points. She also led the team in steals with 2.07 per game (5th in the conference) and averaged 3.13 assists for Great Falls (8th in the conference). You can view all of the Frontier Conference women’s basketball statistics for this year by clicking here.

“We are really excited that Laura has received this prestigious national honor. It’s a tremendous credit to both Laura and her teammates who helped her have such an outstanding season. It’s also a reflection on the kind of season we had, and the respect that our program has gained throughout the United States. Hopefully, Laura is the first of many more to come,” said the University of Great Falls’ women’s basketball coach Shawn Chaffin.

Other Frontier Conference student-athletes who were selected as All-Americans include Carroll’s Jolene Fuzesy (Sr., Malta, MT), who led the conference in scoring with an average of 18.94, was named to the second team. Lewis-Clark State’s Sadie Short (Jr., Touchet, WA) and Westminster’s Shannon Evans (Jr., Morgan, UT) were both on the third team while Lewis-Clark State’s Jade Fulbright (Sr., Wenatchee, WA) joined Keaster on the honorable mention team.

The NAIA’s Player of the Year Award went to Union (TN) University’s 6’4” junior Josephine Owino. The Mombasa, Kenya native averaged 18.7 points per game and led her team to 35 consecutive wins before falling in the semifinals to Vanguard (CA) University. On Tuesday night in Jackson, TN, Vanguard (CA) defeated Trevecca Nazarene (TN) University for the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship 72-59.

The All-American teams were voted on by the NAIA All-American Coaching Committee.

To view a complete list of this year’s All-American women’s basketball selections, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos split the doubleheader against the Crusaders in chilly home opener

GREAT FALLS, MT (Friday, March 21, 2008) – The Lady Argos came into Friday’s doubleheader against Northwest Nazarene University (NCAA Division II) with a 9-6 record as they opened up their second softball season at home.

In the first game, Northwest Nazarene’s Hayley Hevern connected on the first of her two home runs on the day to open up the first inning as she drove in three runs to make the score 3-0. The Lady Argos came back in the bottom of the first as Great Falls native Jo Bailey and Helena native Erica McAlmond each had home runs to tie the score at 3-3 but the Lady Argos would be held scoreless for the rest of the game.

Hayley Hevern connected on a solo home run (her second) for the Lady Crusaders in the third inning to give NW Nazarene a 4-3 lead. In the top of the fifth inning, Vanessa Shaw, a former Helena, MT prep standout came into score with the bases loaded and then Hevern scored a run in the top of the sixth inning to give the Crusaders a 6-3 victory over the Lady Argos.

Hayley Hevern, a freshman for NW Nazarene had two homers and a double in game one. Jo Bailey went 2-4 in the first contest with a home run and an RBI for Great Falls while Erica McAlmond was 2-3 and had two RBI’s.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Crusaders opened up the second game just as they did with the first game – with a three run home run but the Lady Argos would score seven runs on seven hits as Jo Bailey and Sam Schultz each scored runs and then Hardin, MT native Sarah DeVore hit a long ball over the fence and drove in three more runs. Great Falls native Sonja Barone hit a double and two more runs would score in the bottom of the first to make the score 7-3 with the Argos leading.

In the second inning, the Northwest Nazarene would score four runs as Jael Henthorn, Brooke Hesselgesser and Cortnee Crane and Rachel Bare would all scores as the Crusaders reclaimed the lead. Jen Cox would answer back with a solo home run and Erica McAlmond and Kendra Hapke would both cross the plate and the Lady Argos would take the lead for good at 10-7.

Sam Schultz, Sarah DeVore and Kendra Hapke each had home runs in the third inning and Susie Etsell hit a single in the fifth inning to bring home Kelsey Noble as Great Falls would pick up the 16-8 win in game two due the eight-run mercy rule.

The Argos had 22 hits in the 5 inning contest while the Crusaders were held to just 9 hits. Erica McAlmond went 4-4 and Sarah DeVore had 6 RBI’s. Jo Bailey leads Great Falls with 6 home runs and a batting average of .528.

Northwest Nazarene’s (Nampa, ID) record is 2-26 while Great Falls is now 10-7 on the season.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here or click here to see Box Score from this game on the "UGF Softball" page.  

By: Kevin Scott

Lady Argos fall to Minot State and MSU-Billings

BILLINGS, MT (Wednesday, March 19, 2008) – After coming off the Tucson, Arizona trip (March 1-7), the Lady Argos entered the contests on Wednesday afternoon against Minot State and MSU-Billings in Billings, MT with a 9-4 record.

In the first game against Minot State, Janessa Penner from Minot State connected on home run on the first pitch of the game to give the Lady Beavers a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. In the bottom of that inning, UGF’s Jo Bailey answered back with a home run of her own on the third pitch of the inning to tie the game at 1-1. It was all Minot State after that as the Lady Beavers scored six runs in the fourth inning and 2 runs in the fifth inning to make the score 7-1.

Great Falls native Jo Bailey scored the Argos second and final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth off an Erica McAlmond hit. Minot State’s Kira Peturson hit a pinch-hit two run homer in the top of the seventh to give the Beavers an 11-2 victory over Great Falls.

Minot State out hit the Great Falls 11-5.

In the second game of the day for Great Falls, the MSU-Billings’ Leslie Davis connected on a home run that drove in three runs in the bottom of the first inning as the Yellowjackets took an early 3-0 lead. In the second inning, Shay Oberg connected on her second home run of the year on a 3-2 pitch to drive in two more runs for MSU-Billings. The Yellowjackets added four runs in the fourth inning and shutout the Lady Argos 9-0 in five innings due to the mercy rule.

The Argos managed only two hits on the day against the Division II school (10 hits). Sarah DeVore and Sam Schultz each had a hit apiece for Great Falls. Great Falls also had two errors in this game.

Shay Oberg, the junior from Billings, MT, went 3-for-3 on the day including 3 runs and 3 RBI’s for MSU-Billings. Great Falls native Jessica Frank had a nice game with two runs and two RBI’s. Meanwhile, the Lady Argos were led by Samantha Schultz (Libby, MT) and Sarah DeVore (Hardin, MT) who both went 1-for-2 on the day.

MSU-Billings improves their record to 12-15 with their sixth straight victory while Great Falls is now 9-6 on the season.

To view all of the stats and box scores from the previous Lady Argo contests this season, please click here.  

Box Score (UGF vs. Minot State) / Box Score (UGF vs. MSU-Billings) 

By: Kevin Scott

Pitcher and infielder set to join the Lady Argo softball team in the fall

GREAT FALLS, MT (Monday, March 17, 2008) — The University of Great Falls women’s softball team is excited to announce the signing of two student-athletes from Meridian, Idaho and Valleyford, Washington to NAIA Letters of Intent.

Micaela Kurth will be joining the Lady Argos in the fall of 2008 from Meridian High School in Meridian, Idaho where she currently is a middle infielder. Kurth was a 5A First Team All-Conference shortstop. The three-sport standout has a 3.88 grade point average (GPA) and in her spare time, she volunteers at her church and enjoys being around friends and family. She plans to major in Business Administration when she enrolls at the University of Great Falls in the fall.

“Micaela and I share a friend named Erin Peterson who played for me a few years ago and from day one I thought Micaela would be a great addition to our team. She will add depth to our middle infield and excitement to our program,” said UGF women’s softball coach Gary Ehnes.

The Lady Argos have also added Casey Olson, a pitcher from Freeman High School in Valleyford, Washington (located just outside of Spokane, WA). During the 2006-2007 season, she helped her team advance to the “18U Western B National Championship” game. Casey has been very involved at her high school as she currently is the Vice-President of her class and helps with the production of her school’s website. The Washington pitcher plans to study Psychology at the University of Great Falls.

“Casey brings many talents to our program and one of her greatest attributes is her tireless work ethic. She will be a welcome addition to the pitching staff where she can show off her great change-up,” said Ehnes.

Last week (Thursday, March 13, 2008), the Lady Argos added first baseman Jenna Rosenberg, a transfer from Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon, who is from Othello, Washington and catcher Desiree Clarke from Whitefish High School in Whitefish, Montana.

For complete press releases from the other UGF Softball recruits, please click here.

By: Kevin Scott

Argos Cross-Country held “1st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dash (Fun Run Fundraiser) this past weekend

GREAT FALLS, MT (Saturday, March 15, 2008) — The University of Great Falls held their “1st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dash this past weekend at Giant Springs State Park. The “fun-run” benefits the UGF Cross-Country and Track teams and helps with their travel expenses. There was a 2-mile race and a 4-mile race and about 100 runners participated in this fun community event.

There were a few course records that were set at this fun-run. Nathan Taylor ran the men’s 4-mile in 22:33 while the women’s 4-mile was completed in 26:47 by C.M.R. sophomore Keely West. In the two-mile race, Neal Wallace completed it in 13:04 and Amber Osterman finished it in 14:19.

Heart Rate Monitors were donated by Scheels for the top male and female finishers in the 4-mile race and Universal Athletic Service provided the medals for the top competitors and T-Shirts to the participants. A special thanks to the advertisers who made this event a success including the PEAK Health and Wellness Center, Universal Athletics, Gold’s Gym and Scheels. Thanks to all of those who participated in this event.

Please click here for results.

By: Kevin Scott

Argos add another student-athlete to their cross-country and track program

GREAT FALLS, MT (Friday, March 14, 2008) — The University of Great Falls men’s cross-country and track team has announced the signing of a student-athlete from Lake Stevens, Washington to an NAIA/Frontier Conference Letter of Intent.

Daniel Lantz will be joining the University of Great Falls in the fall of 2008 from Lake Stevens High School in Lake Stevens, Washington. During his senior year in 2007, he was the co-captain for the Viking cross-country team. Lantz is a three-time Washington State Cross-Country Championship qualifier and he was a 4A Wesco North District Qualifier in track for the 800 meters and the 1,600 meters during his junior and senior years.

Daniel’s personal records include running the 400 meters in a time of 53.0 seconds, the 1,600 meters in 4:27, and the 800 meters in 2:00. His 5K cross-country personal record is 16:52.

“I am really looking forward to competing and helping build the running program at UGF,” said Daniel Lantz, the newest member of the Argo cross-country and track team.

The Washington senior currently has a cumulative grade point average of 3.84 and he is a Purple and Gold Scholar Award winner. Although he is not positive on what he will major in at the University of Great Falls, he is interested in Math, Science and Computer Science. He is the son of Steve and Jenine Lantz.

"Daniel comes from a strong cross-country program under the coaching of Cliff Chaffee. We lo