The Montana track and field team will travel to California for three competitions in the Los Angeles area beginning April 16, according to an announcement from the program. The Grizzlies are set to participate in the Pacific Coast Invitational and Beach Invitational at Long Beach State, as well as send three men’s middle-distance runners to the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific.
These meets provide opportunities for Montana’s top athletes to compete against strong national competition and aim for qualifying marks. Head coach Doug Fraley said, “We’re excited, as with every year when we go out to the two Long Beach meets and the Bryan Clay meet for the middle-distance runners. It’s an opportunity for us to get tremendous competition, great weather, and great facilities, which is everything you want in a two-day trip like this. Our athletes are excited and raring to go.”
Several Grizzlies have already posted results that put them among the NCAA West Region’s top 50 athletes this season. Seven men and four women currently hold those positions; only the top 48 qualify for the NCAA First Round meet. Some athletes such as Erin Wilde (high jump), Kyle Iorg, and Hunter Loesch (javelin) are likely assured of their spots based on early performances.
Fraley said mid-April is a crucial time for improving performance standards: “Once you hit mid-April, you’re really in that period where you need to get going as far as performance standards go… We take this trip very specifically at this time to get our best athletes in good weather, good facilities, and great competition.” He also highlighted recent school records set by Callie Wilson (100m), Erin Wilde (high jump), both men’s and women’s 4x100m relays, Alex Shields (shot put), and Titus Jeffrey (discus).
After a busy start that included breaking several school records at home meets followed by strong showings on short rest in Spokane, Montana used last week for focused training ahead of these major California competitions. Fraley said preparation went well: “We had a really good week of training last week and an off weekend to really get prepared… We were very fortunate with the weather last week to get great preparation.”
The upcoming schedule will also simulate championship conditions with quick turnarounds between events—a key factor heading into May’s Big Sky Championships in Portland. Fraley said, “It’s always good to be able to see how people do on short turnaround because that’s really the name of the game at the conference meet where it’s prelims on Friday and finals on Saturday… The schedule of these meets sets us up well.” The Grizzlies return home next week for their own Montana Open April 24-25.
