Optimism abounds among Tiger track and field teams
For the first time since 2011, the Cowley College men and women's outdoor track and field teams captured Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division titles during the 2022 outdoor season. The squads will look to build off the conference titles when they open the 2023 indoor season by competing at the University of Nebraska Graduate Classic held January 13-14 in Lincoln, NE.
Cowley College head coach Cameron Rieth is excited about both teams and is especially encouraged about the makeup of the women's squad.
"This is one of the more talented women's teams we have assembled since I have been at Cowley," Rieth said.
Highlighting the list of returners is sophomore All-American and national champion pole vaulter Arantxa Cortez. She will be joined by freshman Carla Santos, who has the capability to be one of the top vaulters in the country.
All-American throwers Sarah Robinson and Kayla McClellan also return and will be aided by freshman Jamilet Bautista, a national champion thrower from the Dominican Republic.
"Jamilet will do some damage in the javelin," Rieth said.
Fellow freshman Isabella Kupka competed in the 2019 German Nationals, South German Championships, and the German State Championship in the 4x100-meter relay. Kupka will assist the team on the regional and national levels in the 200, 400, and relay events.
LaShae Smith, returning indoor national pentathlon and high jump qualifier, and Gracie Shire will help the team in the multi-events.
Dhennifer Vaz, a talented middle-distance runner from Brazil, can cover events ranging from the 400-meters to 3k.
"Dhennifer is coming off a broken foot, but she is super talented," Rieth said.
Abigail Pinnock and Layla Ingalls will help the team in the middle-distance races, while Paula P. Rodriguez, Yazmin Reyes, and Andrea Garcia-Gonzalez will be key to the squad in the distance events.
"We are excited about them," Rieth said. "We have depth in some areas that should help us score points," Rieth said.
The Tiger men will look to make up for the loss of multi-time national champion runner Adrian Diaz-Lopez.
"It's hard to replace a guy like Adrian (Diaz-Lopez), but Diego (Andres-Dougan) is looking as good as ever," Rieth said.
Andres-Dougan is the current school record holder in the men's triple jump, 110-meter hurdles, and 60-meter hurdles.
Cowley will also look for big things from returning All-American Santiago Nunez-Gonzalez, who was a national qualifier in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs and outdoor 5,000-meter run and 3,000-meter steeplechase as a freshman.
Cowley also returns talented runners such as Randy Rojas and Goran Duijsters.
"They will be like a swiss army knife and can help us in a lot of ways
Dylan Roe, Aidan Wells, and Joel Rodriguez also return after solid freshman seasons on the track. While Keopekske Nkopone will assist the team in the 400, 600, and 800-meter runs and the 4x400-meter relay.
Fellow sophomore Felipe Mentz was a national qualifier at the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the javelin and decathlon. While Jaden Schneeberger and Treavor Green are also coming off strong freshman campaigns in the throws events.
"Their development has been next level," Rieth said.
Jean-De Dixon and Abner Johnson also return for the throws group to go along with state champion discus thrower Lance Blubaugh from Arkansas City High School.
"Lance Blubaugh has a high ceiling and is a high-character kid. When you look to build a program, that is the kind of kid you are after," Rieth said. "This is as good a roster of throwers as Glenwood (Edwards) has ever had here at Cowley."
Cowley will look to continue to be a force in the conference and also a threat in the always challenging region.
"Right now, we don't know how we stack up in the region, Rieth said. "Our distance races will be really hard to score in, but we will get some points in the field events. I am excited to see how we stack up."
The Tiger track and field teams will take a limited roster to compete at the Nebraska Graduate Classic.
"There will be some deserving people that don't get to go," Rieth said. "We hope to get some national qualifiers, but we really just hope to break the rust off. We just want to keep getting better and better each week. The ultimate goal is to seek improvement."