MCC Wins Back to Back National Titles

Pittsburgh, KS - MCC closed out their indoor season Saturday at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships with championship and record setting performances that helped lead the men's team to a 10th place finish and the women to a 25th place finish.

"I couldn't be prouder of both our men's and women's teams over the last two days," said Head Coach Chip Gayden. "I felt like we struggled on Friday and I challenged our team Saturday and they delivered with us scoring in every final event we were entered in on Saturday."

On the men's side the team looked to a balanced attack of middle distance runners, sprinters and jumpers. The men started off the meet Friday with the men's distance medley relay where the quartet of Micah Britton, Andre Burrell, Kobe Hill and Rogelio Araiza posted a fifth place finish in the event.

On Saturday MCC had five final events to score in and they delivered. The men opened the day with a national championship in the 4x800 meter relay in dominating fashion. The relay group of Noah Smith, Britton, Hill and Tim Hoodlebrink won with a school record time and facility record time of 7:40.13, winning by seven seconds. MCC has now won back to back national titles in the event.

"The performance our 4x800 relay had was something you don't see a lot at a national championship," said Gayden. "Coach Mettler said we can run fast today and they were ready to run and I knew it would be fast but not seven seconds better than second place fast. I can't say enough of how hard the group has worked and the outstanding job the Coach Mettler has done with them."

In the men's 400 final MCC looked to Stephan Holcombe who qualified with the sixth fastest time Friday evening in the prelims, while setting a school record with a 47.60. On Saturday afternoon in the finals, Holcombe delivered another school record performance finishing fourth in the finals with a time of 47.21.

Noah Smith added points for MCC in the 800 meter final Saturday.  After setting the school record in the event Friday evening in the prelims with a time of 1:53.7;  Smith posted a seventh place finish in the finals with a time of 1:57.12.

In the men's triple jump, R'darius Edwards finished seventh in the event with a mark of 14.64 meters (48'00.50"). Edwards posted the mark from the first jump of the day to secure his spot in the finals.

To round out the meet for men, MCC posted a school record performance in the 4x400 meter. The foursome of James Burnett, Andre Burrell, Stephan Holcombe and Kobey Hill posted a time of 3:12.63 to finish fourth in the event.

On the women's side, MCC was led by Ashley Henderson in the 200 meters. Henderson posted the fourth fastest time Friday evening in the prelims with a time of 24.18.  She followed it up Saturday with a sixth place finish with a time of 24.29.

Next up for MCC will be their outdoor season opener at the Joe Walker Invitational hosted by Ole Miss on March 25.