Women’s 4x400 relay crowned National Champions, team finishes top 10 at NJCAA Outdoor Championships

Butler was crowned national champions in the women's 4x400m relay and finished 9^th in the NJCAA National Outdoor Championships this week in Levelland, TX.

The Grizzly women scored 35 points for a 9^th place national finish while the men scored 16 points for a 14^th place finish at the national meet hosted by South Plains this week.

The highlight of the meet was the women's 4x400m relay team of Kiara Brown, Kaleb McDonald, Toshel Goffe and Linesha Thompson as they set a new school record in the event running a time of 3:43.45 defeating Cloud County by 00.50 of a second.

Kaleb McDonald had the lone runner-up finish as she took second place in the 400 meter dash crossing the line with a time of 54 seconds flat. She also ran a 23.81 200 meter, good for 4^th place in the nation. 

Linesha Thompson had a 4^th place finish in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.52 and a 5^th place finish in the 200 meter running a 23.96.

Toshel Goffe took 7^th in the 100 meter dash and Zadie St. Louis ran a 2:25.86 800 meter for an 8^th place finish to round out the top 10 finishes for the Grizzlies.

Women's Results:

1^st – 4x400m Relay – 3:43.45 (Kiara Brown, Kaleb McDonald, Toshel Goffe, Linesha Thompson)

2^nd – Kaleb McDonald – 400m, 54.00

4^th - Linesha Thompson – 100m, 11.52

4^th – Kaleb McDonald – 200m, 23.81

5^th – Linesha Thompson – 200m, 23.96

7^th - Toshel Goffe – 100m, 11.86

8^th – Zadie St. Louis – 800m, 2:25.86

10^th – Kiara Brown – 400m, 58.71

11^th – Ann Dangha – 400m, 58.91

12^th – Jennifer Godfrey – 100m Hurdles, 14.87

14^th – Stephany Lechuga – 10,000m, 43.26.57

The men scored 16 points and finished 14^th in the meet. The men's 4x400 meter relay team posted the highest finish on the week coming in 3^rd place in the final event of the meet running a 3:09.56. The relay team was made up of Caleb Jackson, Judah Taylor, Dakari Carter and Jerod Elcock.

The 4x100 meter relay team also had a good race Thursday afternoon running a 39.80 which was good for a 4^th place national finish. That relay team was made up of Jerod Elcock, Caleb Jackson, Dylan Swain and Jeremy McDowell.

Caleb Jackson had the best individual performance finishing 6^th in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.31. Jeremy McDowell was the other Grizzly inside the top 10 with an 8^th place finish in the 200 meter dash running a time of 22.05.

Men's Results:

3^rd – 4x400m Relay – 3:09.56 (Caleb Jackson, Judah Taylor, Dakari Carter, Jerod Elcock)

4^th – 4x100m Relay – 39.80 (Jerod Elcock, Caleb Jackson, Dylan Swain, Jeremy McDowell)

6^th – Caleb Jackson – 100m, 10.31

8^th – Jeremy McDowell – 200m, 22.05

11^th – Dylan Swain – 200m, 21.13

13^th – Jerod Elcock – 100m, 10.48

15 – Dylan Swain – 100m, 10.49

17^th – 4x800m Relay – 8:44.16 (Tre'Vion Ware, Phillip Armbrister, Brandon Alexander-Gittens, Tarik Xavier)

21 – Dakari Carter – 200m, 21.51

23^rd – Judah Taylor – 400m, 49.80

25^th – Arlon Williams – 400m, 50.35

31^st – Tarik Xavier – 800m, 2:01.02

32^nd – Phillip Armbrister – 800m, 2:01.20

Butler closes out the 2021 track and field season and, with everything going on, had an outstanding year. With all the uncertainty and adversity they have faced from August to now, Dustin Metter says he couldn't be more proud of this group of student athletes.

"This team has worked, battled and been through so much in the last 13 months," said head coach Dustin Mettler. "It was a year like no other. They came to work every day, didn't complain and controlled what they could control, and we saw the success of that hard work come to fruition this outdoor season. I am so proud of this group and can't wait to get some of them back and continue the success into next year."