Lady Tigers capture first indoor conference title since 2019

Led by seven individual conference champions, the Cowley College women's track and field team finished as the Jayhawk East conference champion for the first time since 2019 at the indoor conference/region championship meet held this past weekend in Pittsburg, KS.

"I am excited beyond belief," Cowley head coach Cameron Rieth said. "Over the last couple of seasons, we have been coming up just a little bit short of accomplishing this during indoor. Every single group contributed in a big way. In team battles like this, every single point and person on the team matters. Congrats to the ladies for being able to accomplish this."

The Lady Tigers placed fifth in the region, while Cloud County placed first in the region in both the men's and women's standings.

Cowley was led by freshman Tavarie Campbell, who was named the conference champion in the 1,000-meter and mile run. Other Lady Tiger conference champions were Mayce McDonald (weight throw), Cierra Gray (shot put), Riannon St. Clair (high jump), Kennedy Kizarr (pole vault), and Kayli Myers (3,000-meter run).

Campbell qualified for nationals in the 1,000-meter run, while Cowley got other new national qualifying marks from Isabella Kupka in the 400-meter dash and Britannia Willis in the 1,000-meter run.

"Tavarie Campbell and Britannia Willis had a monster weekend while running several events," Rieth said. "Those girls covered for a couple of injured or sick girls who could not compete. They did an awesome job of managing their efforts and getting recovered for the next events. In their last event, they threw down qualifying times in the 1k."

The Lady Tiger pole vault squad took care of business, with Kennedy Kizarr, Dakota Dapper, and Kaylen Mills going 1-2-3 in the conference. Women's shot duplicated that feat, with Cierra Gray, Mayce McDonald, and Bree Rowe finishing 1-2-3 in the conference.

Lady Tiger head coach Cameron Rieth was named the Women's Region VI Coach of the Year.

"It was most definitely unexpected, but I am humbled and grateful for my coaching peers to have thought I was deserving of this award," Rieth said. "It's cliche, but it's a testament to all of the hard work our ladies, administration, trainers, and coaching staff here at Cowley have put in."

Cowley will now prepare to compete at the NJCAA Division I National Indoor Championships on March 1-2 in Gainesville, FL.

Region results:

*60-meter dash – Dayanna Brito-Hernandez, 8.10, 20^th.

*200-meter dash – Isabella Kupka, 24.90, seventh.

*400-meter dash – Kupka, 57.35, fourth; Bilhimer, 1:04.89, 18^th.

*600-meter run – Esther Vazquez, 1:52.46, 16^th.

*800-meter run – Tavarie Campbell, 2:30.00, eighth; Savannah Fischer, 2:35.05, 13^th.

*1,000-meter run – Campbell, 3:03.58, fourth; Willis, 3:10.31, sixth; Fischer, 3:25.34, 17^th.

*3,000-meter run – Kayli Myers, 10:55.66, sixth; Lili-Rose Breheret, 12:46.08, 17^th.

*5,000-meter run – Kayli Myers, 19:24.70, seventh; Lili-Rose Breheret, 21:48.00, 19^th.

*60-meter hurdles – Makayla Gray, 11.27, 14^th; Karma Singleton, 14.53, 15^th.

*4x400-meter relay – Cowley A (Kupka, Bautista, Bilhimer, Esther Vazquez), 4:06.39, eighth.

*4x800-meter relay – Cowley A (Tavarie Campbell, Kayli Myers, Savannah Fischer, Britannia Willis, 10:08.12, third.

*Distance Medley Relay – Cowley A (Tavarie Campbell, Dayanna Brito-Hernandez, Savannah Fischer, Britannia Willis), 12:51.43, fifth.

*Long jump – Genesis Bautista, 16-8 ¾, 10^th.

*High jump – Riannon St. Clair, 4-11 ¾, fifth.

*Triple jump – Bautista, 34-10 ½, seventh.

*Pole vault – Kennedy Kizarr, 11-0 ¼, second; Dakota Dapper, 10-8 ¼, fourth; Kaylen Mills, 9-0 ¾, seventh.

*Shot put – Cierra Gray, 44-4 ¼, second; Mayce McDonald, 36-7 ¾, 14^th; Bree Rowe, 33-1 ¼, bree Rowe.

*Weight throw – Mayce McDonald, 50-0, fifth; Kennedy Bulger, 41-3, 13^th.