DRAGONS EARN TWO NEW NATIONAL QUALIFIERS AT ESU RELAYS

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Hutchinson CC Sports Information

EMPORIA – Thrower Deisheline Mayer Scott and pole vaulter Grace Bender punched their tickets for nationals and Xylavene Beale kept up her battering of the Blue Dragon record book on Thursday at the Emporia State Relays on Thursday at Welsh Stadium.

Mayer Scott posted a personal record and qualified for the NJCAA Outdoor Championships in May in the hammer throw. Bender cleared a career-best height in the pole vault mark a return visit to nationals.

Then Beale broke a school record for the 15th in the 2026 season, improving her own mark in the shot put, winning the event with a mark of 52 feet, 5 1/4 inches (15.98 meters). Beale broke her own mark set at the Tabor College Invitational one week before of 51-7 1/4. Beale continues to lead the NJCAA in the shot put.

Mayer Scott posted a personal record in the in the hammer throw, placing third on Thursday with a throw of 163-8 (49.90 meters), which is a national qualifying mark and the third-best throw in Blue Dragon history. Mayer Scott was also 10th in the discus at 129-0 (39.35).

Bender moved up four spots to fifth on the Blue Dragon all-time pole vault chart with a personal record of 10 feet 8 3/4 inches (3.23 meters). That qualifying mark was 10th on Thursday.

Other top Blue Dragon performances at the ESU Relays:

+ Kimberlin Lovell won the 5,000 meters with a time of 19 minutes, 24.87 seconds, which ranks eighth in Blue Dragon outdoor history.

+ Sabrina McDonald was 11th in the 400 meters with a time of 58.30 seconds. That mark ranks fifth in Blue Dragon outdoor 400-meter history.

+ Valentine Titren posted a 16th-place time of 1:08.15 in the 400-meter hurdles. That mark ranks 12th in Blue Dragon history.

The Blue Dragons have 14 total qualifiers for the 2024 NJCAA National Outdoor Championships in May in Hobbs, New Mexico.

The Blue Dragons return to Emporia next Saturday for the Hornet Invitational.