LAMBERT SET FOR FINAL EVENT AS A BLUE DRAGON

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Whether she is on the track or cross country course, for the past two years, Maggie Lambert has been one of the faces of Hutchinson Community College women's track and field teams.

The sophomore from Lindsborg runs her final race on Friday when the No. 13-ranked Blue Dragons compete at the 2018 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at BG Products Stadium in El Dorado.

Lambert leads eight Blue Dragon qualifiers into the 2018 national championships, which begins Thursday. Lambert will compete in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

Lambert has the 20th-ranked NJCAA steeplechase time in the nation this season at 12 minutes, 6.51 seconds.

Over her two-year career, Lambert has qualified for both NJCAA cross country championships, both NJCAA Indoor track championships and both outdoor national championships.

Lambert owns the second-fastest 5K women's cross country time in Blue Dragon history at 19:06.06 and the second-fastest Blue Dragon performance in a national cross country championship at 19:35.00. She also owns the Blue Dragon Steeplechase record of 11:57.85 set at last year's NJCAA Championships at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons will have two athletes competing this weekend ranked in the nation's top 10 of their respective events.

Freshman Quin McKinnis is sixth in the Javelin after a season's best throw of 130 feet, 1inch. Sophomore Alex Rodriguez is eighth in the discus at 145-11.

Here is a list of Blue Dragon qualifiers for the 2018 NJCAA Championships with their national rankings and qualifying marks:
+ 5,000 Meters – Aileen Gomez (16, 19:21.49)
+ 3,000 Meter Steeplechase – Maggie Lambert (20, 12:06.51)
+ 4x100 Relay (14, 48.34)
+ 4x800 Relay (11, 9:53.21)
+ Pole Vault – Ocean Paul (12, 10-6)
+ Discus – Alex Rodriguez (8, 145-11)
Hammer – Alex Rodriguez (13, 145-1)
Javelin – Quin McKinnis (6, 130-1)