The DCC track and field team makes Buccaneer history to finish out the outdoor track season.
On Friday, May 19th, 2023, Emberlyn Hoffman-Gaschk made history by being the first DCC track and field athlete to ever compete at the NJCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Nationals Meet which took place in Hobbs, NM. Emberlyn qualified for Nationals in the 3000m Steeplechase at the DSU Blue Hawk Games Meet in Dickinson on April 16th, where she ran the steeplechase for the first time ever with a time of 12:14.4. The qualifying time for Nationals was 12:17.29.
Emberlyn was ranked 15th upon entering the race on Friday last week. She finished in 13th place, overcoming a very hot and humid race at the National Meet.
The Buccaneers also saw many records broken throughout the season for track and many finished in the top 50 individual times in the nation within the NJCAA.
On the women's side Emberlyn Hoffman Gaschk is ranked 14th overall in the nation based on her time in the 300m steeple, and Lauren Rodacker is ranked 33rd based on her time in the same event. Lauren Rodacker is also ranked 30th in the nation in the heptathlon.
On the men's side Connor Chase is ranked 49th in the 300m steeplechase. Chase Keating is ranked in high jump at 41st, in triple jump at 48th and in the decathlon as 21st. Connor Tuss is ranked 11th in the nation in javelin and Mark Haas is ranked 30th in the decathlon.
Coach Alex Chase Wolff commented, "This has been such a great season where as a team we were really a competitive force throughout both indoor and outdoor track in many events, not just a handful. I am so proud of all the progress everyone made and am so excited to watch most of our sophomores continue competing at the next level, and can't wait for our returning freshman to continue to improve and come back to compete at an even higher level next year."
Records Set From the 2023 Outdoor Track Season:
100m- Chaneille Richardson 12.71
100mH- Mia Snyder 18.7
110mH- Robby Gress 16.36
200m- Chaneille Richardson 26.19 / Skyler Rains 22.84
400m- Lauren Rodacker 1:06 / Chase Keating 53.58
400mH- Robby Gress 59.72
800m- Emberlyn Hoffman-Gaschk 2:29.53 / James Springer 1:59.12
1500m- Emberlyn Hoffman-Gaschk 5:12.64 / Connor Chase 4:27.15
3000mS- Emberlyn Hoffman-Gaschk 12:14.4 / Connor Chase 10:25.32
5000m- Connor Chase 17:45.42
HJ- Lauren Rodacker 1.18m / Chase Keating 1.90m
LJ- Lauren Rodacker 4.15m / Chase Keating 6.68m
Jav- Connor Tuss 50.04m
DT- Hannah Chavez 29.51m / Mark (Sawyer) Haas 30.87m