TRACK AND FIELD, CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETES GEARING UP FOR SEASON

The MHCC Track and Field team, women’s and men’s squads included, is gearing up for its spring season, having recently started practicing on Jan. 22.

The Saints’ target date to resume competition following a yearlong pause due to COVID-19: a March 13 meet in Oregon City.

The roster for the 2021 men’s track and field team includes freshman athletes Kevin Barajas (sprints), Daniel Coppedge (throws), Tyrus Love (sprint/long jump/hurdles), Leonard Lozano (throws), Long Phan (sprints/hurdles), Anthony Nelson (sprints), and Gabriel Lira (distance running); and sophomores Nicolas Lucas (hurdles/high jump), Matthew Muller (throws), Isidore Williams (sprints), and Isaac Moulton (distance running).

The Saints women’s roster includes freshman athletes Makaelyn Jennings (throws), Bridget Lopez (sprints/hurdles), Nicole Manning (throws), Madisyn Nguyen (hurdles), Josie Phelps (throws), Souvanny Carpenter (distance), Kaylin Cook (distance), Mackenzie Heideman (distance), Tilly Vasquez (distance), and Alyssa McNutt (throws); and sophomores Ujunwa Nwokoma (sprints/long jump), Rivers Gross (distance), and Alyssa Showalter (distance). Nwokoma and Phelps are the team captains for the women’s team. The men’s captains have yet to be announced.

The Saints coaches for the 2021 season are Steve Curtis (throws), Kelly Holding (jumps), and Fernando Fantroy (sprints, hurdles, steeplechase, and distance).

In-person practices will take place on campus from 4:15 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Athletes will be breaking up into small groups with the three coaches.

A few of the drills featured include dynamic warmups, maximum speed exercises, and speed endurance. Athletes are working on getting training and focusing on their specific event.

Fantroy said the Mt. Hood team shows good potential for success this spring.

“We’re pretty balanced,” he said, noting that the Saints have a pretty strong throwing group.

Tentatively, a meet is scheduled for Saturday, March 13, between Clackamas, Clark, Mt. Hood, and Chemeketa community colleges, hosted by the Clackamas team on its Oregon City campus.

It will be the first meet in 2020-21 for several Saints athletes who also compete on Mt. Hood’s Cross Country team, which saw its usual autumn season canceled due to COVID. Several runners hope to resume that competition this coming Fall Term.