On Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17 and 18, the Southwestern Spartans track and field team traveled to the 2017 NJCAA Region XI Indoor Championships hosted by Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. To highlight the competition, the Spartans had four All-Region performances.

Freshman Kevin Dietrich finished third place in the men's 5,000-meter run, breaking his previous school record and earning honorable mention all-region. Freshman Caleb Petersen finished third place in the men's 400-meter dash, earning honorable mention all-region. Freshman Jeremy Newton finished third place in the men's triple jump, earning honorable mention all-region. Freshman Ronald Henderson (pictured) finished first place in the men's high jump, earning first-team all-region. The women scored two points finishing fifth of five teams. The men tallied 47 total points finishing fourth of four teams.

"We showed incredible effort and surprised a lot of people," said Spartan Coach Jordan Strofaci.  "I couldn't be more proud of how these individual student-athletes have come together as a team.  The progress we have made is undeniable; at this same meet last year, the men scored just four points compared to 47 this weekend."

The NJCAA indoor national qualifiers will compete on March 3 and 4 at Pittsburg State University, in Pittsburg, KS.