The Southwestern Community College track & field teams open the 2023-24 season Saturday at Northwest Missouri State University's Mel Tjeerdsma Classic.

The meet starts at 10 a.m., with SWCC athletes beginning competition in the field events at 11 a.m. Running events start at 12 p.m.

"It is exciting to be getting our season started. The kids have been working hard this fall, so it's great for them to get a chance to compete here in December to get an idea of where they're at before we head into the holiday break," said Scott Vicker, director of cross country/track & field. "This is the first time in the four years I've been leading the program that we've gone to a December meet."

Fresh off of his record-breaking cross country season, sophomore Chase Oates is primed to take a run at a national-qualifying mark right away. Oates will line up in the mile with his eyes set on a qualifying mark of sub-4:18.22. Oates is already the school record holder in the event, with a best time last year of 4:32.29.

"It might look like a big jump for Chase to go from 4:32 to the qualifying mark of 4:18, but his recent performance testing at the conclusion of the cross country season showed us he is ready to run faster than the qualifying mark right now," Vicker said. "So we're going to take our best shot at it and try to get it out of the way early. He's capable of qualifying in the 3,000 meters right now, too. So depending on how the mile goes, and how the timing of the meet is, we may try to go for that mark, too."

SWCC's other returning national qualifier from last year, Jonathon Hackett, will be another leader for the Spartans this indoor season. Hackett just missed out on qualifying for indoor nationals in the heptathlon last year, before qualifying outdoors in the decathlon. This year, he will take aim at qualifying indoors as well as the school record in the heptathlon. Hackett will kick off his season tomorrow in the shot put, long jump, 60 meter dash, and the 400 meters.

An exciting crop of freshmen will be hitting the track for the first time as Spartans, including redshirt freshman Tyus Wills. Wills is set to run the 60 meter dash and the 400 meters. Sam Foreman of Massena and Peyton Embree of Malvern are scheduled to run the 60 meter hurdles and the 200 meter dash. Foreman will have his eyes set on breaking the program's longest-standing indoor school record in the 60 meter hurdles. Ross Stephens of Pleasantville will be joining Hackett in the multi-events this year. He will start his season tomorrow with the shot put, long jump, 60 meter hurdles, and 400 meters. Rouce Sayee of Des Moines is another strong freshman hurdler and will race the 60 meter hurdles and 400 meters.

Emmet Long, an East Union graduate, has had a good fall of practice and will run the 60 meter dash and 400 meters. Jedd Weinkoetz, an ACGC graduate, has been working on the javelin this fall and will run short sprints during the indoor season.

"These guys have been putting in a lot of work this fall," Vicker said. "You look at guys like Ross and Emmet, and the 400 meter predictions from their 45-second tests we've done have been 400 meter PRs. So I'm excited to see what they do in a true competition setting. With Sam, Peyton, Ross, and Rouce, we will have a strong hurdles group this year, so I'm ready to see them get through a full hurdles race."

The Spartan women will be a throws-heavy lineup once again this year. Sophomore Malori Leonard returns after scoring points for the Spartans at indoor regionals last year in the weight throw. Leonard ranks fourth all-time in program history in the weight throw and 10th in the indoor shot put. Joining Leonard in the throwing events are freshmen Abbi Richter of Atlantic and Kasey Springer of Hampton-Dumont.

Karlie Larsen of Mount Ayr will compete in the mid-distance events for the Spartans this season, while sophomore Kyla Holm will rejoin the team after the conclusion of the basketball season.

Following Saturday's meet, the Spartans will not compete again until Jan. 13 at the Battle in the Hive, hosted by St. Ambrose University. Southwestern returns to Northwest Missouri State University on Jan. 20 for the Coach Richard Alsup Open. The Spartans will travel to either Buena Vista University or Grinnell College on Jan. 27, before competing in the Washburn Open Feb. 2-3. The Region 11 Championships will be held Feb. 16-17 at Buena Vista University, with the NJCAA Indoor Championships March 1-2 at University of Florida.