Runners Receive National Recognition

The Cottey College Comets track team continues to make strides both on and off the track this season.

On the track, mid- and long-distance runner Oluwabukola Pereira had impressive showings at her last two indoor meets. At the Pittsburg State Invitational on Saturday, January 28, Pereira placed third in the unseeded mile with a time of 5:21.86, obliterating Tori Kehler’s previous school record, and qualifying her for the national meet. Less than a week later, Pereira beat her own record in the mile, coming in at 5:19.14, good enough for a third-place finish at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) meet. Her performance was also good enough to rank her as seventh in the nation in this event for NJCAA Division I runners. Pereira also sped to a ninth-place finish in the 800-meter race at UCM with a time 2:25.64, qualifying her for the national meet in that event as well.

Off the track, Cottey runner Lexi Gradwohl was recently named an NJCAA Academic All-American for cross-country. In order to receive this honor, an athlete must have competed in the national meet, along with having a minimum GPA of 3.25.

After a week off, the Comets will return to Warrensburg this Friday, February 17, for the final regular season meet of their indoor season.