New Mexico Junior College takes home title in Hobbs
Competing at the Ross Black Track in Hobbs, home to New Mexico Junior College's track and field program, the Thunderbirds took a late lead on day three of the 2019 NJCAA DI Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship to clinch the program's third consecutive national title in front of its home crowd. New Mexico tallied 105.75 points throughout the three-day meet to capture top honors
A record-breaking weekend saw remarkable times and on both the men's and women's sides. Barton boasted a runner-up finish with 97 points. Iowa Central, the meet leader after each of the first two days, finished in a tie for third with South Plains at 83 points. Central Arizona rounded out the top-five with 74 points.
The Thunderbirds fired on all cylinders over the course of the national championship after collecting top-five finishes in 14 separate events, including 12 top-three efforts. New Mexico's championship performance was highlighted by a pair of individual champions in the 100-meter hurdles and the pole vault.
Freshman Demisha Roswell claimed the top spot on the podium in the 100-meter hurdles event with a time of 13.20. Victoria Villanueva cleared a height of 3.90 meters to take home the individual pole vault championship for the Thunderbirds.
The final day of competition saw seven different programs capture championships across 13 separate events. Barton County made a valiant effort on the closing day to keep pace with New Mexico, a push that included a runner-up finish in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:47.94 and the 4x100 relay at 44.98.
The Cougars also recorded four individual runner-up finishes on Saturday, including T'Nia Riley's second-place finishes in the 200-meter dash and the 100-meter dash.
Iowa Central built an eight-point lead over New Mexico after the first day of competition, but it was Central Arizona who made a push on day two to close the Tritons' gap to just two points heading into the final day of action.
Western Texas provided one of the most electric team performances on Saturday to place sixth overall. The Westerners dominated the sprint events on the final day with five titles in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 4x100 relay, and the 4x400 relay.
Mariya Hudson captured the 200 and 400 while Brittney Johnson claimed the 100-meter with a blistering time of 11.40. Both sprinters were a part of the relay championship performances as well. Hudson's 200-meter mark was an all-time, all-conditions record in the NJCAA, a time that had stood since 2010.
New Mexico head coach Keith Blackwill added to his impressive resume with another NJCAA Coach of the Year honor following the Thunderbirds' third consecutive national title.
Under Blackwill's guidance, New Mexico has now captured five overall national championships since 2017, including two indoor national championships to go along with the team's three consecutive outdoor titles.
An NJCAA coaching icon, Blackwill has accumulated 14 national championships throughout his storied career, a tenure that spans 22 seasons and five junior college programs with over 300 All-Americans to date.