HUTCHCC WOMEN GARNER 2 NJCAA QUALIFIERS, SCHOOL RECORD

Kaylee James placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles in a national qualifying time of 8.99 seconds on Saturday at the Washburn Open in Topeka. (Billy Watson/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

February 3, 2024

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

TOPEKA – The Hutchinson Community College women's track and field team earned two new national qualifiers and saw its second school record fall this season this weekend at the Washburn Open at the Washburn University Indoor Athletic Complex.

Pole vaulter Alivia Noll and hurdler Kaylee James both eclipsed national qualifying standards on Saturday to bring Hutchinson's season total to six qualifiers for the 2024 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in March.

Late Friday night, sprinter Kemisha Dominique broke the Blue Dragon indoor school record in the 200 meters. Dominique is the second Hutchinson athlete to break a school record this season.

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After qualifying for the 60-meter hurdle finals with the seventh-fastest preliminary time of 9.23 seconds, James had the best individual finish by the Blue Dragons at the Washburn open with a fourth-place finish. Her time of 8.99 seconds was a national qualifying time and tied for the fourth-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history.

Noll posted a PR in qualifying for nationals in the pole vault. Noll finished 11th overall and Washburn with a national qualifying height of 10 feet, 2 inches (3.10 meters). Noll had the eighth-highest vault in Blue Dragon indoor history.

Late Friday night, Dominique broke Hutchinson's indoor 200-meter record with a time of 25.39 seconds. That topped Shaquellra Collins' 2016 record of 25.50 set at the Region VI championships at Pittsburg State.

Two other Blue Dragons who already qualified for nationals improved their season marks on Saturday.

Pole vaulter Nakaela O'Hair moved up to No. 3 on the all-time Blue Dragon charts after clearing a PR height of 10-8 (3.25m) to finish eighth.

Brooke Hawkins tied her PR in the high jump, going 5-4 1/2 (1.64m) to place eighth at Washburn. Hawkins finished ninth in the triple jump at 38-4 (11.68m).

The Blue Dragons finished 10th in the 4x400 Relay on Saturday. The relay team of James, Nhubia Coney, Yaya Moreno and Dominique placed 10th on Saturday with a time of 4:04.70, the third-fastest time in Blue Dragon indoor history.

The Blue Dragons return to Washburn University next Friday and Saturday for the Ichabod Open.