Glacier product Evan Todd spears Big Sky honor

FARMINGTON, Utah – The Big Sky Conference named Montana's Evan Todd the men's field athlete of the week Monday, two days after his conference-best javelin throw at the Al Manuel Invitational.

Todd, a Glacier High product, threw 229 feet, 2 inches to win the event at Montana’s first meet of the outdoor season, at Dornblaser Field. He extended his personal best by 10 feet and moved to No. 5 in the NCAA West Region.

Todd was excited but not surprised by his performance. After a strong freshman season that saw him qualify for 2021 NCAA Regionals, he was looking for bigger things this year.

"I have my sights aimed much further than where I was at last year," he said. "I've taken my training a lot more seriously, just trying to keep my nose to the grindstone in the weight room."

Todd has put on 20 pounds of muscle since last season, which was supposed to happen in 2020 but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I treated it as a blessing, allowing me to develop as an athlete and get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger," Todd said. "I saw the results last year, and then treated this offseason the same way.

"I was definitely antsy to get the season started, though."

Todd, who won the 2018 State AA javelin title, was nearly 16 feet ahead of the pack Saturday. Five of his six throws went at least 200 feet, and three of them surpassed his career-best mark from last year. His fifth throw was his best.

"I was already celebrating before it hit the ground," Todd recalled. "I knew it was going to be a PR by the positioning when I hit my plant."

When the javelin finally did land, the crowd let out its largest cheer of the day.

"The environment was incredible," Todd said. "I had my entire throws teams sitting right by the javelin runway, 10 of my closest friends sitting right along the grandstand and an entire crowd cheering me on. I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Montana’s school record is 232-6 by Jensen Lillquist. Todd was fourth in the Big Sky as a freshman.

"Those are definitely long-term goals," Todd said. “And hopefully I can make them more short term."

-UM Communications