Hutchinson CC Sports Information
WINFIELD – The first outdoor meet of 2022 for the Hutchinson Community College women's track and field team included three national qualifiers, one school record and a team runner-up finish at Southwestern College's Jinx Invitational on Saturday.
The Blue Dragons just missed a team championship by 0.5 point, being edged out by York College 81-80.5. Jayhawk Conference rival Barton was third with 76.5 points. The Blue Dragons tallied one individual event championship and five individual event runner-up finishes.
Sophomore Louise Cocking continued her exceptional 2022 season by breaking an 18-year-old record in the 1,500 meters. Cocking, who broke three school records in the 2022 indoor season, placed second in the 1,500 on Saturday with a NJCAA national championship-qualifying time of 4:51.28. That broke the 2004 mark of Amy Matthews (4:52.95).
Two-time All-American Kianna Brown pushed her ticket to nationals by winning the pole vault on Saturday. Brown's 10-feet, 8-inch performance was a career best and the fifth-highest pole vault in Blue Dragon women's track and field history. Brown was the only Jinx Invite event winner on Saturday.
Sophomore Noel Buckhaultz was the third Blue Dragon to qualify for the 2022 National Championships in May at Gowans Stadium. Buckhaultz finished second in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase with a time of 12;11.58. That time is a PR for Buckhaultz and the second-fastest time in Blue Dragon history.
Other athletes to score points for the Blue Dragons on Saturday were:
+ All-American Violet Martinez was second in the pole vault with a PR of 10 feet, 2 inches.
+ Emme Watkins was second in the triple jump with a jump of 32-1.
+ Keneah Romney was second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:08.64.
+ Gabi Unruh tied for third in the high jump at 4 feet, 9 inches.
+ Aidyn White played third in the triple jump of 31-2 and was fifth in the long jump at 14-9.75.
+ The Blue Dragon 4x400 Relay team of White, Romney, Courtney Baetz and Watkins placed third with a time of 4:35.64.
+ Hannah Schrock placed fourth in the discus with a distance of 121-3.
+ Patrisha Doll took sixth in the shot put in a time of 36-5.5.
+ Lushous Davis was eighth in the discus at 110-2.
The Blue Dragons will compete at the Friends Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Wichita.