Posted: Feb 28, 2024

Mesa Track & Field competes in the NJCAA Indoor Championship over the weekend

Wednesday February 28, 2024 - 12:05 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

The 2024 MCC Track & Field Indoor season comes to an end this weekend at the NJCAA Indoor Championship held in Gainesville, FL.

The Mesa Track & Field team will be taking 33 athletes (18 men, 15 women) to compete for their chance to make history on March 1-2.

MCC athletes have had a successful indoor season so far, breaking a total of seven school records and tying one.

MCC's hurdlers group has been working hard and making strides all season, among those looking to make a podium spot is freshman Ricardo Torres.

Torres has made great improvement this season in the 60H, improving on his original time of 8.47 at the opening meet of the year, to hitting qualifying marks in their last competition as he finished in 8.15, a .32 second improvement. Throughout the season Torres's confidence has grown as has his ability on the track, giving him a sense of belief in himself to compete with the best of the best.

For sprints/hurdles coach Keia Pinnick, confidence will be huge for Torres and her team as MCC truly will be going up against the best in the nation when it comes to NJCAA athletes.

"Staying humble, having a stronger mindset and not just acting but knowing you belong amongst the best is half the battle. The rest is just doing what you do on a daily basis and doing it well. Show them what you're working with," said coach Pinnick.

From a jumps perspective Mesa is looking to make some noise as Jeremiah Reed (long jump), Marisa Hennix (long jump and triple jump), and Maliyah Ross (long jump, pentathlon, 4x8) will all be in competition at Gainesville.

Reed is coming off a sixth place finish at outdoor nationals last year and is looking to set a PR and take home some hardware according to coach Pinnick.

For Pinnick expectations are high for Hennix and Ross as they have competed well in competitions and have been putting in the work they need to at practice.

"I believe my jumpers have the opportunity to showcase their ability and really market themselves as "leapers" as they call it. I'm very excited to see how they compete and hopefully add more All-Americans to our team name," said coach Pinnick.

Ross and Natalie Brzezniak (pentathlon, 4x8) will be competing in the pentathlon for the T-Birds and expectations are high for them to compete well against the field.

The T-Bird runners have also been doing what they need to prepare for the indoor season finale. Taylor Jacobs (600m,4x4), Ernest Green (1000m), and Samuel Green (800m) are all athletes to look out for according to distance coach Daniel Pescador.

"We've been training very hard and competing well up to this point. They are primed to do well, and they have high goals for their outcome," said coach Pescador.

Freshman Cross Country ACCAC Champion Carmella Baldwin (5k, mile) is looking to hold a podium spot during the weekend. Baldwin has proved she can compete in the spotlight as she took home a third place finish at Cross Country nationals and looks to build on her outstanding freshman year at MCC.

The women's 4x4 team of Reanna Campbell (600m, 4x4), Deshay Turner (60m / 400m / 4x4 / 200m), Taylor Jacobs, and Diane Ondobo (600m / 4x4) are also expected to make some noise as they look to break the indoor school record in the event and set a new program best for finishing placement.

Turner, who is competing in four events, looks to keep her historic freshman campaign going and hold a podium spot. Turner has broken four indoor school records this season.

List of qualifying athletes and their events:

Men:

Greyson Akers - 1k / 4x8

Ernest Green - 1k

Samuel Green - 800m

Nathan Jacobson - Pole Vault

Ousman Jagne - 60m / 200m / 4x4

Myles Larsen - Heptathlon

Samuel Van Alstine - Distance Medley Relay / 4x8

Austin Rueff - 800m / 4x8

Jeremiah Reed - Long Jump

Craig Runge - Heptathlon