Track & Field
Season Preview

Lady Tiger track team looks to return to prominence

With nearly twice as many athletes on its roster as they had a year ago, the Cowley College women’s indoor track and field team is hoping to return to prominence.

The Lady Tigers were riding high after capturing back-to-back conference titles in 2006 and 2007, including the program’s only region championship in 2007, before limited rosters caused them to settle for a third place conference finish in 2008 and a runner-up finish a year ago.

This year, Cowley will enter the season with 22 ladies on its roster. More importantly, they are 22 talented athletes.

“Our team is twice as big this year, we like where we are at with the girls we have in the events,” Cowley head coach Mark Phillips said. “We feel like we are back on track and that the ladies program is just a couple of steps away from being back to where we were in 2007.”

Cowley will open its indoor season on Friday when they take part in the University of Nebraska Holiday Inn Invite in Lincoln, NE.

“I am really optimistic about the possibilities of this group,” Phillips said. “A lot will depend on how well the freshmen will compete.”

With many of the team’s runners helping the cross country team to a stellar season, it is no surprise Phillips believes the distance and middle distance runners will be the strength of this year’ team.

Sophomore Robin Ray was the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division champion during the cross country season, while Cecilia Burley is the returning outdoor conference champion in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs and indoor champion in the 3,000-meter run.

“What Robin and Cecilia have done the last year and a half sets them up to do real well this track season,” Phillips said.

Freshmen Leigh Ann Omarkhail and Val Bland also ran well during the cross country season and will be valuable additions to the track team.

“Leigh Ann is better than we anticipated and Val may be the most talented distance runner we have had,” Phillips said.

The team has 10 sophomores to go along with the 12 freshmen. So far, the group has meshed extremely well.

“That’s what is neat about this year, that mix we have,” Phillips said. “This group may get along and train better together than any team I have been around. The cohesion is amazing.”

Phillips believes how the team performs in the sprint events and hurdles will be the difference at the conference and region championships. One event he will not have to worry about is the pole vault as Cowley returns Katie Gillmore, the school-record holder in the event. Gillmore is coming off an incredible freshman season in which she was the indoor and outdoor conference and region champion in the pole vault. She also earned Coaches Association All-American honors during the indoor season.

“Katie may be the most consistent vertical jumper I have ever coached,” Phillips said. “She always shows up in big meets.”

Cowley will also benefit from having the defending indoor and outdoor conference champion in the 800-meter run returning as sophomore Marvia Lewin is back to build off her strong freshman campaign.

Richelle Farley, a freshman from  Bridgetown, Barbados, will help the team score points in the long jump and triple jump. While, sophomores Tiffany Tolbert and Annalisa Jauregui will be joined by freshmen Cearra Reddig, Ruthann Ralstin, and Whitney Green in the throws events.

Former Lady Tiger Courtney Gougler, the indoor school-record holder in the hammer throw, is back at the school as an assistant coach and will work with the team’s throwers.

“We are going to be real strong in the throws,” Phillips said. “Having Courtney coach them will be a real strength for us.”

Once again, Coffeyville and Cowley should battle it out for conference supremacy. In the region, Cowley and Coffeyville will go head to head with Barton County and Butler Community College for the title.

“I am excited about the possibilities,” Phillips said. “Our goal is to get the conference title back, it will be a battle.”