MSU's Perrin qualifies for NCAA nationals in 10,000 meters

Montana State junior Ben Perrin successfully navigated a 48-man field to qualify for his first ever NCAA Track and Field Championships, placing 11th in the 10,000-meters at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor West Prelims on Wednesday night at Hornet Stadium. The top 12 finishers advance to the NCAA Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas, June 7-10.

Perrin, a native of Kalispell, posted a time of 28:25.57, just missing his personal record of 28:25.24 set at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April. Two weeks ago, he captured his second consecutive 10,000-meter title at the Big Sky Conference championships in a clocking of 29:46.51. Perrin’s PR ranks second all-time at MSU behind Bobcat Hall of Famer and All-American Shannon Butler.

Wednesday night’s race, hosted by Big Sky rival Sacramento State, marked the second time Perrin has appeared at the NCAA West Prelims. He finished 27th in the 5,000-meters as a sophomore.

Three other Bobcats saw action on Wednesday, including javelin throwers Cooper Hoffman and Pat Vialva. Hoffman, a product of Dillon, posted a toss of 202-9 to finish 32nd, while Vialva, a freshman, went 191-1 to place 42nd. Nebraska’s Arthur Petersen won the event with a mark of 247-7.

Owen Smith, a redshirt-sophomore from Billings, finished 47th overall and 12th in the opening heat of the 1,500-meters in a time of 3:55.35. Washington’s Joe Waskom posted the top time in the event at 3:39.98. Smith holds a PR of 3:49.65 at 1,500-meters which he set at the Tom Gage Classic in early May.

MSU’s Maisee Brown and Camila Noe compete Thursday. Brown begins pole vault competition at 7:30 p.m., while Noe runs the 10,000-meters at 10:10 p.m.

Brown, a junior from Billings, looks to surpass her PR of 13-2.5, which she matched at the Big Sky championships. Noe, a senior from Bozeman who won the Big Sky 10,000-meter title and finished second at 5,000-meters, holds a PR of 33:00.41 at 10k.