Men and women’s track is underway

Portland State’s indoor track teams have been competing since December 2003. Both the men’s and women’s teams competed in this year’s Big Sky Indoor Championship. The meet was hosted by Montana State in Bozeman Feb. 27 and 28. Both men’s and women’s teams took eighth place.

The Viking men totaled 17 points. The men are down 18 points from last year’s championship. Seniors Evan Garich and Anthony Robinson join freshman Brandon Lopez as the Portland State distance medley indoor record holders. Their time on Saturday was 10:18.85, an improvement on last year’s time of 10:46.55. Junior Shaun Starka broke his own Viking indoor record in the shot put with his throw of 56’1.25″. Starka ended up in fourth place in the event. Freshman Kenneth Mackins placed sixth in finals and set a new Portland State season best in the 55m with his time of 6.54.

The Viking women’s team earned a total of 37 points. The Women’s team finished 17 points better than last year. Saturday was a good day for some of the Viking women. Freshman Ashley Pugh, senior Brady Randall and sophomore Deyna Tripp set a new school record in the 4x400m relay. Their time was 3:56.24. Together, the team broke the Portland State indoor record of 4:02.02, set in 2003. Freshman Bobeya Krishnek and senior Mandy Peterson, Pugh, and Randall ran the distance medley relay in 12:46.75 and claimed seventh place. This was a new season best and their distance medley relay time ranks second in Portland State’s all-time indoor records.

Junior Ena Shemi put up the greatest accomplishment for the women’s team, winning her first ever Big Sky indoor women’s 200m title at 24.63. Shemi clocked her previous school record 24.88 in the women’s 200m back in December. Saturday’s time was also a season best for Shemi, who also placed second in the 55m dash, with a time of 7.08. Shemi broke Portland State’s indoor record in the preliminaries on Friday February 27, with 7.03 and set a new Viking indoor season best in this event as well.

Weber State swept the 2004 Big Sky Indoor Championships, winning both the men’s and women’s titles. The Wildcats women’s team had 146 points, while their men’s team earned 165 points. Next up, both Viking track teams head to Sacramento State in California for a multi-score meet on March 6, 2003.