Five Olympians and one world champion silver medalist were present to witness 22 men and women qualify for the upcoming Big Sky Championships as NAU was all over the leaderboards Feb. 19. The Lumberjacks played host in the final home meet of the indoor season at the NAU Tune Up.

Junior Jami Michaud vaulted 12 feet, 7.5 inches to break NAU's indoor record in women's polevaulting during the NAU Tune Up meet on Feb 19. Matt Beaty / The Lumberjack

Junior Josh DeKonty kicked off the last qualifying meet of the season, jumping off of the board with his mark of 23-06.75 in the men’s long jump.

DeKonty placed second for the night, while freshman Edgar Panford looked impressive on the long jump board and produced a mark of 22-09.75. It was Panford’s triple jump mark, however, that set the standard in the sand pit, and he now leads the conference with a length of 49-01.50.

“I try to visualize myself and try my hardest to picture a 50-foot jump,” Panford said. “Usually I get up too high instead of getting out farther. I think what I have to work on are my phases, preparing the right way and doing the right warm-ups. I think tonight was definitely an improvement.”

Junior Jami Michaud said she could not have been more thrilled as she demanded victory in the women’s pole vault, laying down a vault measure of 12-7.5. Michaud left the Walkup Skydome having broken her personal record of 12 feet.

“I think getting consistent, confident and getting on some bigger poles has been the hardest task for me to overcome,” Michaud said. “I feel like I’m finally coming around, and the patience is finally paying off.”

Senior Australian native David McNeill zipped by his competition in the men’s 5000-meter run, claiming his second consecutive record-breaker for the season as he concluded his race with a time of 13:39.32.

McNeill said he looks on to the remainder of the season with determination, hoping to remain injury-free as the championships get closer.

“It’s been a phenomenal season,” McNeill said. “It was a last-minute decision to run tonight, and it paid off, so those are the kind of surprises that keep us going. It was certainly a nice feeling to be able to run today and come away with a qualifier, so it’s a big bonus. I still have a lot more goals for the rest of the season, so I just have to be safe and keep doing what I’m doing.”

The Big Sky Indoor Championships are to be held in Montana, an atmosphere much different than the Skydome, which hosted the championships in 2009.

“Last year, we all felt that special atmosphere, and it was an advantage, but this will actually be my first indoor conference championships, so I’m really excited for it,” McNeill said. “Unlike the last two years, hopefully I can stay injury-free and be a part of it as a competitor rather than on the sidelines.”

The Big Sky Championships will test the NAU track team Feb. 26 and 27 in Bozeman, Mont.