The Pratt Community College track and field team begin a new season this weekend in Lincoln, NE at the Graduate Invite at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track. Competition gets under on Friday, January 13 at 4:00 pm and on Saturday, January 14 at 11:30 am.
Graduate Classic Meet Information
Host: University of Nebraska- Lincoln
Date: Friday- Saturday Jan. 13-14
Participating Teams: Nebraska, Arkansas Tech, Barton, Central Methodist, Cloud County, Concordia, Cowley College, Creighton, Doane, Drake, Fort Hays State, Friends, Hawkeye, Iowa State, Iowa Western, Kansas City, Mid America Nazarene, Nebraska Wesleyan, Nebraska- Kearney, Northwestern Oklahoma, Northwest Missouri State, Omaha, Pratt, Universite Laval
Venue: Bob Devaney Sports Center Indoor Track
Start Times: Friday- Field Events: 4:00 pm | Running Events: 4:15 pm | Saturday- Field Events: 11:30 am | Running Events: 11:30 am
2023 Season Preview
The Graduate Classic will be the first meet for the Spring 2023 track and field season. Last year the team competed at 15 meets both indoor and outdoor. During the indoor season, sophomore Crispus Atukwatse qualified and competed in the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship in Pittsburgh, KS. In the outdoor season, several student athletes qualified and competed in the NJCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Hutchinson, KS including top 20 finishes.
This season the track and field program have gone out and doubled their roster and are looking for even more national qualifiers and school records broken. The team will attend three other meets before heading to regionals and on to the national meet. During the outdoor season the team will host the Beaver Classic at the Pratt Track and Soccer Complex in March.
- Graduate Classic | Lincoln, NE | January 13-14
- NAIA/Juco Invite | Pittsburg, KS | January 21
- Herm Wilson Invitational | Wichita, KS | February 3-4
- Region VI Indoor Track and Field Championship | Pittsburg, KS | February 18-19
- NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship | Topeka, KS | March 3
2023 Runners to Watch
Jamaira Ross (Dallas, TX)- Coming off a top 20 finish at the NJCAA Cross Country Championship in Tallahassee, FL. Jamaira will be someone to watch. She broke the school's women's cross country 5K record twice during the season. Ross will look to do the same during the indoor and outdoor season.
Tyler Sonnier (Sunset, LA)- Finished 18th place in the 200M and finished 20th as a member of the 4x100M relay at the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Tyler consistently placed in the top ten at meets last season in both the 100M, 200M, and as a member of the 4x100M relay.
Delazis Smith (Wichita, KS)- A member of last season's 4x100M relay team that finished 20th at the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Delazis competes in a variety of events including the 100M, 200M, 4x100M relay, 4x400M relay and 400 M.
Andrew Wilson (Arkansas City, KS)- Has been a staple of the Beaver track and field program for the past several season. Andrew was a member of the 4x100M relay at the 2022 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship who finished 20th. He is a versatile runner competing in the 4x100M relay, 4x400M relay, 200M, and 400M.
Serenity Jackson (Wichita, KS)- The Wichita, KS native is one of the top prospects to watch this coming season. Coming off her senior season at Wichita South where she placed in the 100M at the 6A Kansas State High School Track and Field Championship. Jackson looks to be the top sprinter on the women's side and is hopeful for a big first season in Beaver Nation.