DENVER – MSU Denver is looking to make its biggest impact at the RMAC Indoor Track & Field Championships since … ever.
 
Heading into the three-day meet hosted by Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D., the Roadrunners are projected to score up to 57 points in the men's competition and as many as 32 in the women's race.
 
Even if they don't quite get there, the MSU Denver men still seem on course to potentially surpass a best-ever showing of 34 points in 2011, while the women could easily have their second-best RMAC meet behind the 39 points scored in 2014.
 
"It feels really good," MSU Denver coach Janis Christopher said. "The success is a genuine success, because everyone belongs there and most of them are going to be able to score some points."
 
There is still plenty of work to be done, but Roadrunners who have a chance to compete for conference championships include Blaize Holland (200 meters, 60 meters) and Brandon Bodner (800) on the men's side, and Erin Norton (3,000) and Bekah Moenning (800) for the women.

The 800 is the highlight of Friday's first day. Bodner's best time of 1:53.97 is fifth-best in the field and is .97 off a provisional qualifying time for Division II nationals. He may need to clip a couple more seconds off, though, to qualify officially for nationals.
 
"I don't ever count him out," Christopher said. "He'll be completely fresh. His race plan has him putting himself in position, over the last 250 meters, to have a chance to be a conference champion."
 
Moenning's best time of 2:15.88 is third among entrants for the RMAC meet and 1.78 seconds off a provisional mark. She, too, may need to pick up a couple of extra seconds to make nationals.
 
"She's 100 percent capable of winning," Christopher said. "She's been very consistent at practice. Now we can see that raw talent combine with a base of training and some confidence going into the Championships."
 
Saturday's highlights include finals in the 5,000 meters and in the distance medley relays.
 
"I wouldn't be surprised if we sneak in a point or more in the (women's) 5K," Christopher said. "Stephanie (Carrasco) is finding her racing rhythm again. And Anna (Swanson) has a ton of talent. I see those two working together, and it wouldn't surprise me to see one or both of them get into that top eight."
 
Christopher has high hopes for the DMR teams, with the women having a chance at earning a spot at nationals and the men perhaps racing to a provisional qualifying time.
 
For the men, Bodner will take a shot at the tricky 1,200-meter opening leg, with Brayden Hamby taking the 400 leg since Ethan Loper is likely to be running finals in both the 200 and 400, and then Tommy Gilfillan will take Bodner's 800 slot before freshman Colin Szuch runs the 1,600 anchor.
 
"Brandon is just a competitor," Christopher said. "And you need someone on that leg who is going to fight, no matter what. Brayden is very capable of running the time we need on his leg. Then Tommy has a ton of potential and he's had an outstanding freshman season. He's another kid who doesn't give up. And Colin is someone who is going to be very good for us for all four years.
 
"It would be nice to at least see a provisional time from them."
 
In the women's DMR, Vanessa Kort moves into the 1,200 leg, setting up Allyssa Romero (400) and Moenning (800) before Norton takes over for the anchor leg.
 
"Vanessa will be completely fresh, and we've got some splits that we think she is capable of running," Christopher said. "If she can get us going and get the baton around the way we need it, I think the other girls can hit the times they need to hit in order for us to move up. Our provisional time right now is good, but we need it to be better in order to get a time that guarantees us a chance at nationals."
 
Norton, who has provisional qualifying times in the mile, the 3,000 and the 5,000, will only run the 3,000 on Sunday in addition to the DMR.
 
"Erin is such a mature athlete," Christopher said. "She'll go in there and she'll do her job.
 
"We decided not to double her in the 3K and 5K so that she could run the distance medley 1,600 leg. It's not her strongest event, but she is our strongest 1,600 runner. She's a team player who wants to do everything she can to help the team."
 
Besides Norton's 3,000, Sunday's lineup includes Holland leading the Roadrunners' deep 200 group, and he could place well in the 60, too, where he has the fourth-fastest qualifying time.
 
"I think Blaize will score quite a few points for us," Christopher said.
 
Holland also runs the opening leg on MSU Denver's 4x400 relay, which has run a 3:22.01.
 
"We're at least two seconds faster than that," Christopher said. "That puts us in the top two. Our goal for several years has been to get on the podium. We absolutely have the opportunity to do that this year."