Tiger track and field team set to open indoor season at Washburn

The Tigers are coming off a 22nd-place national finish during the 2025 indoor season and return several talented athletes, along with a solid recruiting class.

"We are eager to get back in the groove of things and establish a routine," Cowley head coach Cameron Rieth said. "I am also excited to see how our athletes compete when they are not competing to win, because everybody is good in College."

Coming off an eighth-place national finish during the cross country season, Cowley will be led on the track by sophomores Esteban Boisseau and Alexis Realland. Boisseau was named the 2025 NJCAA DII Men's Cross Country National Athlete of the Year after capturing the indoor title in Fort Dodge, IA.

"Esteban is blowing up and just getting better and better," Rieth said. "I am excited to see what he could potentially do."

Realland entered the national cross-country race ranked 55th and ended up as a First Team All-American, along with Boisseau.

"He had an outstanding national meet and has been putting in some excellent work," Rieth said.

Freshman Wilson Navarrate, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College, had a good fall season while earning all-conference honors in cross country.

"Wilson has had a good winter break, and I am looking forward to seeing him run," Rieth said.

Azayah Skannal is an incoming freshman from Luther, OK, who was the OCCTCA Meet of Champions champion in the 400-meter dash. Skannal will assist the team in the sprints at the regional and conference levels.

Throwers Brett Clevenger, Michael Hesseltine, Cooper Leonard, Seth Sanchez, and Kais Patton highlight a strong throws group.

"Coach (Glenwood) Edwards is really high on all those guys," Rieth said. "Kais is like a Swiss army knife, which means he can do a lot for us in the throws."

The Tiger pole vault crew of Zach Stephen, Kaden Berry, Thomas Deviney, Caleb Jameson, Brayden Sherwood, Cason Merritt, Zach Stephen, and Ty Spivey should carry on the outstanding tradition of Tiger pole vaulters.

"We try to be really good in the pole vault each year," Rieth said.

Other Tigers on the roster are Ben Long, Clayton Lopeman, Samuel Lovell, Jacob McIver, Elijah Roberts, Herson Rodriguez, Connor Walker, Cam Ward, and Nash Young.

"We are talented in all aspects, but do not have the depth that we have had in the past," Rieth said. "We have some pieces to build on and have a shot to do some things as a team," Rieth said.

As for the women's team, the Lady Tigers are coming off a 19th-place finish at last year's national indoor championships, but are freshmen-heavy, so the opener will be a good test for the squad.

"I think we have a solid women's team, but we are young, so we will have to wait and see," Rieth said.

Sophomores on the squad are All-American weight thrower Macye McDonald; Grace Knight, who was a national qualifier in the 400-meter run during last year's outdoor season; Pauline Althoff, who was an All-American in the fall cross country season; runner Daynel Calvo, pole vaulter Elizabeth Brozek, and throwers Katie Cook, Amoni Evans, Jessi McDowell, and Alicyn McGinnis.

Other throwers on the roster are freshmen Natalia Mason from Haskell, OK, and Elyce Roglin from Cherokee High School (OK).

Along with Brozek, Cowley's pole vault group will consist of freshman Ke'Mauria Burnham, who was the state champion at the OSSAA Class 2A meet; Aaliyah Treat, the state champion at the OSSAA Class 5A pole vault and 100-meter hurdles.

"Our pole vault group has the potential to be pretty good," Rieth said.

Zuzana Bokova is another talented runner who earned All-American honors during the cross-country season, as did Linda Filipova, who is even more suited for the track.

"She will help us in anything from the 400-meter to the mile run," Rieth said.

Other Lady Tiger athletes on the roster are Euvia Bennett, Marta Herreo-Lombardo, Jasmine Calvo, Halli Harris, Kennedy Khamvongsa, Jada Schnieders, Erika Wiese, and Naya Burleson.

"It's called the Rust Buster for a reason; we are going to see where we are as a team," Rieth said. "Wherever we are, we want to build on that. We want to continue improving each week. Our goals for both teams are still to get as many people to the national meet as possible and do well there."