Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

6/1/05
Story by Tyler Cundith

JCCC Women’s Track Place 11th at NJCAA Outdoor Nationals

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College women’s track and field team recently completed its outdoor campaign, placing 11th at the NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. In addition, a total of five JCCC athletes were awarded NJCAA Coaches All-America honors, and one earned NJCAA All-American by winning her event.

Freshman Laura Gjerde (Louisburg, Kan.) was awarded first-team NJCAA All-American and NJCAA Coaches All-American after she cleared 11-feet, 5.75-inches to win the pole vault. This is her second outdoor national championship. Last year, she became the first JCCC female athlete to win a national championship in the pole vault outdoors. Gjerde was runner-up in the pole vault at indoor nationals her freshman and sophomore years.

Also earning Coaches All-America honors in the pole vault were freshman Erica Culver (Garden City, Kan.), and sophomore Toni Bathurst (Abilene, Kan.). Culver placed tied for fourth with a mark of 10-feet, 11.75-inches. She was crowned national indoor champion earlier this season, clearing 11'8", a new indoor record. Bathurst matched Culver’s effort of 10-feet, 11.75, but was awarded seventh-place due to missed attempts. JCCC vaulters now have accumulated 13 All-America honors, and won four national championships.

Sophomore runner Nicole Porter (Odessa, Mo.) and freshman Esther Mathias each earned NJCAA Coaches All-American. Porter finished 10th n the 10,000-meter run with a time of 41:45.95. Mathias raced to a sixth-place finish in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:21.10, the fifth-fastest time by a JCCC athlete in a national championship.