Hutchinson Community College
Powered by a pair of national qualifying and two Hutchinson Community College Top 10 performances, Blue Dragon sophomore thrower Antonio Cooper was named the Jayhawk Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week for field events on Wednesday.
Cooper, a sophomore from Junction City, qualified for the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May at Gowans Stadium in the shot put and discus on Saturday at the Jinx Invitational in Winfield. Cooper played in all four throwing events and helped the Blue Dragon to a decisive team title.
Cooper won the shot put and qualified for nationals with a top distance of 52 feet 1.75 inches. That is the sixth-best shot put in Blue Dragon history and currently ranks No. 2 in the NJCAA.
Cooper then qualified in the discus, finishing third in the event with a throw of 154 feet, 1 inch. That was the ninth-best throw in Blue Dragon history and ranks seventh in the nation this season.
Cooper played fourth in the javelin at 142-9 and fifth in the hammer throw at 124-9.
Cooper accounted for 20 of the Blue Dragons' 172 team points.