THUNDERBIRD TRACK & FIELD SET FOR NJCAA OUTDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Mesa Community College Track & Field teams are set to compete against the nation's best this week at the NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships hosted by New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico.

The three-day championship meet will feature top junior college athletes from across the country battling for national titles, All-American honors and team points in one of the premier events of the outdoor season.

Mesa enters the national meet with qualifiers across a wide range of events on both the men's and women's sides, including returning national qualifiers, region champions and school-record holders.

Leading the women's squad is sophomore thrower Maleah Tucker, the reigning NJCAA Indoor National Champion in the weight throw. Tucker qualified in the hammer throw, discus and shot put after a dominant outdoor campaign that included region & conference honors.

The Thunderbird women will also feature a strong distance contingent led by Kinley Jackson, Katelyn Munoz and Lucy Melzer, all of whom are slated to compete in multiple distance events while also joining forces on the women's 4x800 relay team. Marley Peay will compete in the heptathlon, javelin and 4x800 relay while Elisabeth Adams qualified in the javelin.

On the men's side, Mesa boasts depth across sprint, distance, throws and field events. Michael Mickelson enters nationals after capturing the Region I pole vault title and breaking the Mesa outdoor school record with a clearance of 5.16 meters earlier this season. Connor Wilson and Wilson Yelverton also qualified in the pole vault.

Distance standouts Corbin Pyle, Deng Majak, Josef Iker, Michael Valenzuela and Calvin Schnepf headline the men's distance group after strong performances throughout the season. 

Mesa's sprint relays will also look to make noise on the national stage as Jaiden Meriwether, Maddox Davis, Seth Henry, Brayden Faris and Clarence Stuart V lead the Thunderbirds in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Keep up with the results live by clicking here. 

Women's National Qualifiers

• Paige Hanchett — Pole Vault

• Alexis Dvorak — Pole Vault

• Maleah Tucker — Hammer Throw, Discus, Shot Put

• Jaedyn Nunez — Hammer Throw

• Kinley Jackson — 4x800 Relay, 3,000m Steeplechase, 5,000m

• Katelyn Munoz — 4x800 Relay, 800m, 5,000m

• Lucy Melzer — 4x800 Relay, 1,500m, 800m

• Marley Peay — Heptathlon, 4x800 Relay, Javelin

• Olivia Scroggins — 4x800 Relay

• Elisabeth Adams — Javelin

Men's National Qualifiers

• Michael Mickelson — Pole Vault

• Connor Wilson — Pole Vault

• Jaiden Meriwether — 4x400 Relay

• Michael Valenzuela — 4x800 Relay, 800m, 4x400 Relay

• Maddox Davis — 4x400 Relay, 4x100 Relay

• Clarence Stuart V — 4x100 Relay

• Seth Henry — 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay

• Brayden Faris — 4x100 Relay, 100m

• DeAndre Gatlin — High Jump

• Keian Evans — Hammer Throw

• Davin Pearson — Hammer Throw

• Camden Ehrlich — Long Jump

• Benett Kaup — Decathlon

• Deng Majak — 4x800 Relay, 800m

• Corbin Pyle — 4x800 Relay, 800m

• Josef Iker — 4x800 Relay, 1,500m

• Calvin Schnepf — 3,000m Steeplechase, 5,000m

• Holden Bundy — Javelin

• Jonathan Korolsky — 110m Hurdles

• Asher Pindar — Discus

• Wilson Yelverton — Pole Vault

• Larry Smith — Discus, Shot Put

• Caden Hardison — 1,500m

• Dominic Harris-Baker — 4x100 Relay Alt.