Coach Zach Kughn, Abby Clark, Dom Maricelli nab Frontier Track & Field Honors

After winning both the Mens and Womens Frontier Conference Track & Field Championships, the Orediggers are very well represented in regard to postseason honors.  Zach Kughn won both the Mens and Womens Coach of the Year award after the Orediggers won both championships last week while Abby Clark won her second Womens Frontier Conference Field Athlete of the Year award and Dom Maricellii was named the Mens Track Athlete of the Year.  An amazing 19 Montana Tech athletes made All Conference on the men's side while 17 qualified on the women's side.

The following is from a press release from Montana Tech Associate Athletic Director Nick Bowsher.

WHITEFISH, Mont. – The Frontier Conference announced the 2023 Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference Teams today.

Montana Tech’s Zach Kughn was selected the Coach of the Year for both the men’s and women’s track & field teams. The Oredigger women won their second straight conference championship in just their first two years of the program. The men won the first meet in their brief program history.

Sophomore Abby Clark won her second Frontier Conference Field Athlete of the Year. Clark won the heptathlon, high jump, and long jump. She finished with 42 total points in the conference meet.  The Oredigger women led the conference in all-conference honors with 17 individuals making the team.

Sophomore Dom Maricelli was named the Frontier Conference Track Athlete of the Year. Maricelli won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. The Tech men also led the conference in individual all-conference awards earning 18.

To be selected to the outdoor track & field all-conference team, the student-athlete must place in the top three of their events at the conference meet.

Women’s Team

Name                                    Events                                                                  Yr.          Hometown

Naiya Beaudin                   Hurdles, Jumps, Relays                                   So.          Lolo, Mont.

Abby Clark                           Heptathlon, Hurdles, Jumps, Relays         So.          Fort Benton, Mont.

Kamryn Comba                 Middle Distance, Relays                                Fr.          Idaho Falls, Idaho

Mollee Conlan                   Relays                                                                  Fr.           Butte, Mont.

RaeLynn Heggem             Relays                                                                   Fr.           Ryegate, Mont.

Alyssa Jany                          Middle Distance, Steeplechase                  Fr.           Frederick, Colo.

Karly Lawson                      Throws                                                                 So.          Hot Springs, Mont.

Carlin Manning                  Distance, Steeplechase                                  Jr.           Kalispell, Mont.

Hailey Nielson                    Distance                                                               So.          Butte, Mont.

Lizzy Perry                           Relays                                                                   Fr.           Oakdale, Wash.

Anika Ploeger                    Jumps                                                                   Fr.           Baker, Mont.

Emily Ratz                           Relays, Sprints                                                   Fr.           Missoula, Mont.

Olleca Severson                Heptathlon, Hurdles, Relays                         So.          Manhattan, Mont.

Hailee Stiles                        Jumps                                                                   So.          Clancy, Mont.

Jadyn Vermillion               Heptathlon, Jumps, Relays,                          Fr.           Myrtle Creek, Ore.

Jackie Waller                      Relays                                                                  Fr.           Cut Bank, Mont.

Hadassah Wilson              Relays                                                                   Fr.           Darby, Mont.

Men’s Team

Name                                    Events                                                                  Yr.          Hometown

Colter Ball                           Throws                                                                 Fr.           Fort Benton, Mont.

Eli Byrd                                                 Decathlon                                                            So.          Gardiner, Mont.

Payton Cates                      Jumps                                                                   Fr.           Ronan, Mont.

Caden Caywood                Relays, Sprints                                                   So.          Tendoy, Idaho

Tucker Christensen         Relays                                                                   So.          Palmer, Alaska

Holt Downey                      Hurdles, Relays                                                 Fr.           Butte, Mont.

Konnor Gregerson           Middle Distance, Relays                                 Fr.           Laurel, Mont.

Lee Karpstein                     Relays                                                                   Fr.           Broadview, Mont.

William Kempkes             Relays                                                                   Fr.           Lincoln, Neb.

Edwin Kipainoi                   Distance                                                               Jr.           Kajiado, Kenya

Dom Maricelli                    Relays, Sprints                                                   So.          Florence, Mont.

Morgan McClernan         Hurdles, Relays                                                 Fr.           Butte, Mont.

Jesse Mecham                   Throws                                                                 Fr.           Frenchtown, Mont.

Justin Morgan                    Distance, Steeplechase                                  So.          Thompson Falls, Mont.

Derek Schultz                     Steeplechase                                                     Fr.           Mountain Home, Idaho

Bauer Seewald                  Jumps                                                                   Fr.           Cut Bank, Mont.

Cade VanVleet                  Throws                                                                 Fr.           Noxon, Mont.

Aiden Vlasaty                     Relays                                                                   Rs/Sr.    Seattle, Wash.

Tyler Walter                       Relays                                                                   Fr.           Billings, Mont.