T-Bird Women’s Track and Field Wins Indoor National Championship

The New Mexico Junior College women's track and field team won the 2023 NJCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field National Championship on Saturday, March 4. The Thunderbirds last won the indoor national championship just three years ago in 2020.

The heavily favored T-Birds scored 116 points to finish 31.5 points ahead of runner-up Cloud County. The Thunderbirds finished the indoor national meet with three individual champions, 18 All-Americans, one relay All-American squad, and one national champion relay team.

The Thunderbirds earned their first scoring points of Day 1 in the distance medley relay (DMR). Vanessa Gallegos, Jada Martin, Minankolo Magassa, and Joan Kimalel combined for a fourth-place finish in the event with a time of 10:45.51.

Damaris Chewon was the first national champion for the Thunderbirds. The Kapsabet, Kenya native ran the 5000m in 17:41.54. Chewon defeated Cloud County's Lucy Ndungu by nearly six seconds in the event.

"​​Damaris ran her race very well, at no time was there any doubt she would not finish in first place," women's track and field head coach Keith Blackwill said. "Coach Becker had her well prepared."

Carolyne Kimaiyo received All-American honors in the 5000m as well. Kimaiyo finished in fifth place with a time of 18:21.14.

Aaliyah Lindsay set a career-best mark in the long jump with a leap of 6.12m. The jump vaulted her to a second-place finish and an All-American selection.   

Damaris Chewon's second event of Day 1 was the 3000m. There she finished runner-up, earning All-American honors with a time of 10:07.40. 

The Thunderbirds were right where they wanted to be at the end of Day 1. NMJC finished the day second in scoring with 35 points. The T-Birds would trail Barton Community College by only three points.   

Ese Awusa started Day 2 off on a positive note in the 60mH with her fifth-place finish. The All-American ran the hurdles in 8.62.

Ashantai Bollers reached the 60m finals and managed to place fourth in the race with an All-American time of 7.47. Tijuanique Morton also raced in the 60m. The sophomore finished in seventh place running a 7.59 time.

Calisha Taylor was the first national champion of Day 2 for the Thunderbirds. Taylor dominated the competition in the 600m with a school record time of 1:32.23. The Baylor signee crossed the line 1.51 seconds quicker than her nearest competitor Vanessa Mercera of Cloud County.

"Calisha had a relaxed run in the 600m," Blackwill said. "She sat and kicked to a win and new school record."

T-Bird athlete Mickaliliah Vassell was also in the 600m race with Taylor. Vassell earned All-American recognition with her fifth-place finish (1:35.46). 

Damaris Chewon continued her monster performance at nationals with an All-American run in the mile. Chewon came in seventh place in the mile with a time of 5:15.70. 

Chewon finished the meet with a national champion run in the 5000m, a runner-up in the 3000m, and a seventh-place finish in the mile for an astounding 20 of the 116 points the T-Birds posted at the national meet.

Deshana Skeete was the runner-up for the Thunderbirds in the 400m. Skeete's time of 54.44 earned her All-American status and was .94 behind Cloud County's national champion Vimbayi Maisvorewa.

Dejona Simpson was close behind her teammate Skeete in third place. The All-American ran a career-best time of 54.70 in the 400m race. Lacarthea Cooper was the third member of the Thunderbirds in the 400m. Cooper battled a foot injury throughout nationals and still finished in eighth place in the 400m with a time of 56.69 (All-American). 

Letlhogonolo Magoro was a third-place finisher in the 800m with a time of 2:15.70. Magoro also competed in the 1000m coming in eighth place across the line with a time of 3:13.41 The sophomore earned herself a two-time All-American distinction with the performances. 

Aaliyah Lindsay had a fantastic showing at the national meet. In Day 2, Lindsay jumped to a career-best 12.21m in the triple jump. The leap was enough to earn herself a third-place finish in the triple jump and her second All-American medal.

Ashantai Bollers was the last individual national champion the T-Birds had in Topeka. Bollers came into the meet with the fifth-fastest time in the 200m. This time, she was the fastest. The sophomore ran a season-best 23.93 to crown herself a national champion in the 200m.

"Ashantai came into nationals ranked No. 5 in the NJCAA," Blackwill said. "The 200m win was a great race for her."

Tijuanique Morton was the second runner for the T-Birds in the 200m. Morton finished the race in third as an All-American with a 24.04 time.

The final race of the evening was a show-stopper. Mickaliliah Vassell, Dejona Simpson, Calisha Taylor, and Deshana Skeete combined for the fastest 4x400 relay time since 2015 (3:40.56). 

The national champion winning time was a school record and 1.57 seconds faster than runner-up South Plains. The T-Birds ran splits of 57.711 (Vassell), 54.491 (Simpson), 54.070 (Taylor), and 54.288 (Skeete) for a 3:40.56 total.

"​​By the time the 4x4 ran we knew that the women had already clinched the national title. Sometimes it can be difficult to run up expectations knowing the outcome is already determined," Blackwill said. "These ladies stepped up and finished in first place with a new school record and the fourth-fastest time ever run at an NJCAA indoor nationals meet."

Coach Blackwill said that both NMJC track and field teams met his expectations he set for the indoor season.

"Both teams competed with a lot of heart all throughout the indoor season," Blackwill said. "Our expectations for this meet were for them to do exactly what they had done all the season. They did exactly that, it takes a complete team effort to win national titles. We are very proud of them."

Winning national titles does not come easy. Coach Blackwill said that his assistants were a huge reason the T-Birds saw success this season.

"The assistant coaches did a great job of preparing their event groups to compete. Every one of the coaches played a key role in the success of both programs," Blackwill said. "I cannot say enough about how great this staff is. Credit should also go to former NMJC assistant coach Tabarie Henry, who worked very hard in the recruiting process last year to get the athletes we have today."

The T-Birds confidence is at an all-time high with the women eyeing the makings of a dynasty here in Hobbs, NM.

"I think winning the 2023 Men's and Women's Indoor Championship sends a message to the other NJCAA teams that we have stepped up and became one of the top overall programs in the nation. I am very proud of both teams and our coaches at NMJC."