With the Big Sky Championships around the corner, Portland State’s track and field squad is looking for big performances out of their freshmen and for the young athletes to repeat a third place finish from the indoor season.
The Vikings have a chance to finish in the top three again, but they will need points from athletes who aren’t necessarily expected to finish in the top five or the top three. Especially when it comes to throwers, Portland State is going to need huge results to get back on the podium.
“There’s a good possibility that our women can get in the top three again, but what is going to tip the scales is how our throwers do,” assistant coach Seth Henson said. “If we get some points in the javelin and some points in the women’s discus, that’s going to really help our chances.”
Head coach Ronnye Harrison has been pushing recruiting all year, and the key to his efforts lies in top competitive results. Harrison and the rest of the assistant coaches have set a goal of creating an atmosphere of winning here at Portland State—that means consistency.
“If we are not in this place next year [compared to where we’ve been], then this year won’t be monumental,” Henson said. “I would like to think so—I hope so—I think we tipped the scales in the right direction. But it feels like we have had a culture change here at Portland State track and field.”
On the men’s side of the program, the outlook for the conference championships isn’t quite as bright. The men only have three athletes qualified, but the hope is that they can get a few more before the championships begin.
There have still been standout performances in the men’s team. One athlete who has really come into his own this season is Sean Mackelvie. The senior still has one more year left of eligibility, but he is aiming to be the Big Sky champion in the javelin this year. Mackelvie has stepped up his game of late and is leading the men’s squad in the outdoor championships.
“Me and my coaches have been working a lot on technique and it finally started to pay off,” Mackelvie said. “It was just a relief to feel like, okay, I’m not going to keep digging myself a bigger hole and I am finally starting to move forward.”
Last week, Mackelvie was named the Big Sky male Athlete of the Week. He leads the conference in the javelin.
The women are led by junior Geronne Black, who is also looking to take first place. Black has been nothing short of extraordinary this season with all the records she has broken in the indoor and outdoor season. She has been very successful at the outdoor championships in the past. Black has taken home four medals, two gold and two silver in the past two years. The junior also holds the Big Sky Conference record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.36 seconds.
Portland State is going to need help from supporting athletes if the team is going to repeat the success of the indoor season. Freshmen and younger athletes are going to need to step up big time.
“It’s definitely been a tough season,” Henson said. “We’ve added numbers to our team and tried to be more competitive. We’re young. Pretty heavy in the freshmen and sophomores. But we just got to recruit, and get kids that can come in and help this program.”
The Big Sky Conference Championships will take place in Bozeman, Mont., starting tomorrow and going through May 12. After the championships, NCAA West regionals start May 24.