LARSON LEADS REGION 6 FIRST DAY WITH SCHOOL RECORD IN 10,000 METERS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

PRATT – Hutchinson Community College sophomore distance runner Serenity Larson became the seventh Blue Dragon women's track and field athlete to break a school record this season, breaking the HutchCC Women's 10,000 meter record on Friday at the 2024 Region 6 Outdoor Championships.

Larson beat the 2022 Blue Dragon 10,000 record of Louise Cocking by 18.14 seconds, finishing as Region 6 runner-up with a school-record and national qualifying time of 39 minutes, 42.13 seconds.

Larson joins Taylor Hoskinson (1,500 meters) and Jenna Kuepker (javelin) in breaking outdoor school records this season. The Blue Dragons have broken seven records combined between the 2024 outdoor and indoor seasons.

Larson is now a two-time NJCAA nationals qualifier, also breaking qualifying standards in the 5,000 meters this season.

BLUE DRAGON WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Hutchinson at Region VI Outdoor Championships - Day 2
When: Saturday, May 4, 2024
Where: Green Sports Complex, Pratt, KS
Times: Field Events - 10 a.m.; Running Events - Noon
Live timing: Black Squirrel Timing
Click for Meet Schedule

Larson wasn't the only Blue Dragon to make noise in the 10,000 meters on Friday at Pratt's Green Sports Complex.

Freshman Jordyn Picolet earned her second nationals qualification with a third-place finish in the 10,000 meters with a time of 40:40.38. That is the third-fastest time in the event in Blue Dragon history. Sophomore Lauren Aden placed seventh in the race with a time of 42:02.44.

The 16 points scored in the 10,000 meters helped the Blue Dragons place second in the Region VI team standings after six events with 29 points. Barton is first with 64 points.

Hutchinson scored nine points in the women's javelin on Friday. Kuepker, who ranks fourth in the NJCAA in the javelin, finished as regional runner-up with a throw of 145 feet, 3 inches (44.28 meters). Ryland Hawkinson placed eighth in the javelin with a throw of 107-3 (32.68 meters).

The Blue Dragons women rank their season total of national qualifiers to 16 on Friday with the 4x800-meter relay team placing fifth. The relay team of Ellie Van Zelfden, Abigail Grantham, Laura Avila and Hoskinson qualified for nationals with the third-fastest time in Blue Dragon history of 9:50.82.

Sophomore Kylee James advanced to Saturday's finals of the 100-meter hurdles. James posted the third-fastest preliminary time on Friday of 14.15 seconds.

Region VI Championship Day begins with field events at 10 a.m. and running events at Noon on Saturday in Pratt.