Track returns to the outdoors

Finishing the indoor track season with a few complications and uncertainties, the track and field team begins its season this weekend, after missing out last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We were very grateful to have our indoor season and everything went fairly normal,” Head Track and Field Coach Riley Northrup said. “Obviously, there were some restrictions in place, and we had some added responsibilities to take care of in terms of COVID rules and stuff.” 

The Eagles last outdoor season was spring 2019 which produced a nationalist medalist, Isaac Grimes, former sophomore of Moreno Valley, California, who placed second in the long jump, leaping 26 feet, 6.25 inches, May 23, 2019, at the national championships in Kingsville, Texas. Grimes qualified to participate the next day in triple jump but was unable to due to an injury. 

“We had multiple conference champions and multiple nationally provisional qualifying marks,” Northrup said. “We ended up taking only a couple to nationals but obvious that was a successful season with Isaac in the long jump and I remember he had a tweaked hamstring, so he didn’t triple jump at that meet. Overall, it was as good as any that I can remember since I’ve been back as a head coach.”  

In the 2019 outdoor Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, there were a number of athletes that earned points for the Eagles, April 27 and 28, 2019, in Rapid City, South Dakota. Grimes finished first in the long jump, with a leap of 24 feet, and 10 inches. 

Chasidy Horton, former senior of Fountain, Colorado, took first in the heptathlon javelin throw, and second in the long jump portion, earning second overall in the heptathlon with a career high of 4,564 points. 

Allee Williamson, redshirt junior of Cheyenne, Wyoming, finished third in the high jump, passing the bar at 5 feet, 3 inches. Brodie Roden, junior of Riverton, Wyoming, ran the 200 meters in 21.85 seconds, finished third. 

After the 21 events were scored, Chadron State women took 10th of 14 teams with 26 points and the men took eight of 11 teams with 39 points. 

“We’re going to get closer to normal with outdoors,” Northrup said. “People letting fans come and watch the meets, like parents that are close that want to come our athletes compete. Just like any outdoor season, we’re crossing our fingers that we get some good weather so that we have the opportunity to have some good performances.” 

While the indoor track nationals only saw Naishaun Jernigan, sophomore of Springfield, Massachusetts, who received All-American Honors after placing eighth in the long jump, leaping 23 feet, 10.25 inches, Northrup said he is excited to see how his athletes compete outdoors, especially athletes were unable to finish out their indoor season, since they’ll be working even harder and giving some good performances. 

This year’s outdoor track season is scheduled to begin Saturday, and the team with travel to Pueblo, Colorado to compete at CSU Pueblo Spank Blasing Invite. 

“I’m kind of in the perspective of several schools have been waiting to see how the first few meets go before they kind of go all in on yes we’re going to host meets,” Northrup said. “This is what it’s going to look like and here’s how many teams we can have. 

“I’m hoping that as the season progresses, it’ll open back up more and there will be more opportunities for our team.”