Sacramento State track and field made a big statement this weekend, proving that those Big Sky sixth place pre-season predictions were way off.

The Hornet men finished as conference indoor champions this weekend in Bozeman, Mont. The women’s team finished sixth, yet scoring the most points ever by a Sac State squad since joining the Big Sky in 1997.

At the beginning of the season, Coach Kathleen Raske predicted the record books would be re-written. Nine more school records this weekend can attest to that prophecy.

“We had a perfect meet,” Raske said. “It doesn’t happen very often. It was an incredible performance by all our athletes.”

The Hornets won three events on the first day of competition. Junior All-American David Nichols won his second Big Sky indoor shot put title, Raphael McFarlane won the long jump, and Nancy Searcy won the women’s long jump.

Nichols won with a shot put of 62-02.25, ranking him 10th in the country. He also broke Sac State and the Big Sky shot put record in his first competition of the year since coming back from an injury.

McFarlane’s 24-09.75 jump gave him an NCAA provisional mark and a school record. He also placed third in the 55 meters, and sixth in the 200.

Searcy jumped 19-08.25 to win the long jump, and followed it up the next day with a victory in the 55 meter hurdles. She recorded an NCAA provisional and school record time of 7.83. Searcy also finished third in the 55 meter dash, scoring 26 points — the most ever by a Sac State woman.

“It just feels like a blessing,” Searcy said. “You win as an individual, but our team goal was to finish in the top three. I think we all know we’re not a sixth place team.”

The second day continued to roll as junior Jody Johnson won the 55 meters at a blazing 6.36 seconds. He also won the 200 meters with a time of 21.76. Junior Daniel Imlach continued to impress with a victory in the pole vault with a mark of 16-10.25.

Junior Jeff Paneda broke the school record in the 800 with a time of 1:52.22 to place third while Robert Brazier smashed his own school record in the heptathalon with 5,046 points to finish fourth.

A.J. Reed placed third in the 55 hurdles with a time of 7.67 and senior Chauncey Corbin finished fifth in the 55 meter dash, (6.46) the 55 meter hurdles, (7.83) and the 200, (22.04).

The men’s 4×400 relay team consisting of Corbin, Jason Nelson, Stephon Paige and Jermaine Wilson, finished second and broke the school record with a time of 3:15.54. For the women, junior Lori Vaught tied a school record and won the Big Sky title in the triple jump with a personal best of 40-02.75.

The 4×400 women’s relay team including Melissa Tracey, Anais Castillo-Springer, Carlyn Whitney and Tyreina Henley-Henderson, won with a time of 3:48.24.

Henderson also placed third in the 400 (56.67) and seventh in the 200 (25.48).

Everything came together for this meet, and was one of the finest days Raske has had as a coach, she said. The Hornets are looking forward to the upcoming outdoor season, in which they hope to do very well.

“I don’t think many people believed in our ability to win a title,” Raske said. “We went in knowing we could get a piece of it. The fire burned bright and it was very contagious.”

Galen Kusic can be reached at [email protected]