Image courtesy of Derek Livingston
Alyssa Tyler editor in chief
Beginning Mar. 8, the Pittsburg State University track team hosted the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Robert W. Plaster Center. During the weekend the men’s track team came away with the championship, the women’s team claimed runner-up and together they accrued 14 All-American performances.
The women’s team scored 64.5 points by the end of the weekend, finishing only 2.5 points behind first place finisher Adams State University. This is the eighth top ten finish for the women’s team however second place is an all-time top finish for the women’s program at Pitt State.
To begin with the women’s team Erica Schmale cleared 5 feet 10 inches to win Nationals overall. Teammates Haleigh Hadley and Kyra Heald tied for seventh overall and earned All-American honors with clearances of 5 feet 5.75 inches. Isabelle Peters had a season best clearance to claim fifth overall, 13-6.25. While teammate Shelbi Day placed seventh overall with a 13-2.25. Diandrenique Gaines also earned All-American honors by placing third in the 200 meters with a time of 23.60. Then placed seventh overall in the 60 meters with a time of 7.42.
Blakelee Winn hit a new personal best with 4,009 points in the pentathlon. Winn also placed fifth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.49. Mattie Flanagan also added an All-American finish with an overall fifth place finish through a 3,866 pt personal best in the pentathlon.
Looking towards triple jump, Auna Childress finished as runner up with her best mark being 4-0.5. Taylor Nellums finished third overall with a jump of 41-9.25. Together the duo added 14 points to the women’s total.
Kate Dawson finished fifth overall in the 800 meters with a time of 2:09.18, also being a personal record. Finally, the 4×400 m relay containing: Mikah Edwards, Olivia Lowery, Kinleigh Hall, and Yasmine Johnson finished sixth overall with a time of 3:42.79; earning another All-American finish.
Moving to the men’s team, the men were able to win their second consecutive national championship with 69 points overall. Meaning that the men’s track, and field team have the last four DII Track and Field championships. Posting wins in the 2022 Outdoor Nationals, then taking the gold in both the indoor and outdoor championships of 2023.
The men’s team boasted three individual event national titles. Daylin Williams won the 60-meter hurdle overall with a time of 7.77. Tre Betts jumped a 51-9.75 and the 4x400m relay with Bailey Stone, Dapriest Hogans, Woyn Chatman and Caden Williams (3:09.78). won overall.
The distance medley relay contained: Braden Zaner, Woyn Chatman, Dylan Sprecker, and Mason Strader finished fifth with a time of 9:48.72. This time earned them an All-American Award.
Hunter Jones broke his own school record with a personal best of 5,783 in the heptathlon, earning him an All-American. Grayson Smith placed third overall in pole vault with a height of 17-6.25.
Joel Nyatusah placed fourth overall in the 60 m hurdles with a time of 7.88. Looking to the 60m dash, a group of Pitt State athletes took over this heat with Tevin Wright-Rose running a 6.71 to earn fifth overall. Dapriest Hogans ran a 6.77 to place sixth, and Dakari Charlton rounded out the trio with a time of 6.79 to finish eighth overall. Charlton also had a seventh-place finish in the 200 meters with a time of 21.48 to earn an All-American.
Treyvon Ferfuson jumped 50-8 to place sixth overall and earn All-American honors. Williams ran 48.03 to place seventh overall. Mason Strader ran a 4:20.14 mile to take seventh overall and an All-American finish.
The track and field athletes were not the only ones to receive awards over spring break. On Mar. 15, head track and field coach Kyle Rutledge won the Central Region Coach of the Year honors for the men’s and women’s teams. This honor was announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Assistant coach Jason Crow also earned the honors of Central Region Assistant Coach of the year for men’s indoor track and field.
Winn was announced as the Central Region Field Athlete of the Year for women’s indoor track and field.
Assistant coach Jason Crow garnered Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors for men’s indoor track & field, while Blakelee Winn was named the Central Region Field Athlete of the Year for women’s indoor track & field.