HERNANDEZ QUALIFIES FOR NJCAA IN BLUE DRAGON DEBUT

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Hutchinson CC Sports Information

TOPEKA – Freshman Madelyn Hernandez had a memorable collegiate debut on Saturday to lead the Hutchinson Community College women's track and field team in the 2023 indoor season opener.

Hernandez set a meet record and finished third in the high jump at the Washburn Rust Buster Invitational at the Washburn University Indoor Athletic Complex.

Hernandez became the first Blue Dragon women's athlete to punch a ticket for nationals – the 2023 NJCAA Indoor National Championships will be contested on the same Washburn track in early March – doing so in a strong field on Saturday.

The Blue Dragon freshman from Wichita was one of three athletes to break the Rust Buster meet record after clearing 5 feet, 5 inches. Blue Dragon teammate Liberty Limon placed eighth in the high jump after clearing 5-1.

The Blue Dragons had three other Top 10 finishes on Saturday.

Limon also placed in the triple jump, going 34 feet, 7 inches to place sixth.

Freshman Kaylee James just missed an appearance in the 60-meter hurdle finals. She placed ninth in the preliminary heats with a time of 9.29 seconds, just 0.20 second off the national qualifying standard.

The Blue Dragon 4x400 Relay placed eighth on Saturday. The relay of James, Keneah Romney, Taylor Hoskinson and Gracie Lambert ran a time of 4:11.0.

The Blue Dragons travel to Herm Wilson Invitational next Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University's Heskett Center.