Top-ranked NAU Men Win 26th Conference Title; Women Roll Up Meet Record 204 Points Led By Madeline Wilson's Sprint Double

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photo by Bryson Lester/Big Sky Conference

Northern Arizona's men penciled out as the No. 1 team in the Track and Field National Ratings Index last week, so it's no surprise that the Lumberjacks won their 12th straight Big Sky Conference indoor title Saturday at The Podium in Spokane, Wash. 

In fact, it was an NAU sweep of the conference titles for the fourth time. 

The NAU men scored 190 points for their 12th Big Sky championship in a row and 26th all-time and didn't hold anything back, with sophomore Colin Sahlman winning the 800 in 1:47.48 and Nico Young taking third in 1:49.61. 

In the mile, it was Young with a meet record 4:01.16 and teammates Aaron Las Heras second and Theo Quax third. 

In the 3,000 meters, senior Brodey Hasty won the title in 8:15.56 and his teammates Aidan Puffer, Drew Bosley and Zack Munson all scored. 

In the 5,000, Las Heras (13:36.24) and Hasty (13:37.10) went 1-2 and Bosley, Puffer, Munson and Jack Scherer scored. 

The NAU women scored a meet record 204 points and won every final on the track except for the 60-meter hurdles. It was the team's 16th conference title.

Madeline Wilson won the 60 dash (7.44) and the 200 (23.35) and was part of the winning 4x400 relay. She was also third in the long jump to finish the meet as the top scorer with 28.5 points. 

The Lumberjacks pulled 32 points out of the women's mile, with Nikita Moore (4:47.76) and Annika Reiss (4:47.77) leading a 1-2-4-5-6-7 charge. 

It was Reiss, then Moore, in a 1-2-3-4 NAU sweep of the women's 3,000. 

Ali Upshaw won the 5,000 meters and led another 1-2-3-4 sweep. 

Montana State finished second in the team standings for both men and women.