Barton track and field garners USTFCCCA national honors; Cougars compile 33 All-America performances #GoBarton

Following the conclusion of the indoor season, members of the Barton Community College track and field program headlined postseason honors awarded by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Guiding the Cougars to the College's 62nd all-time team national championship, Head Coach David Schenek and Assistant Coach Emmanuel Dixon earned the USTFCCCA's top NJCAA men's coaching honors, while freshman Chavez Penn was named the USTFCCCA National Field Athlete of the Year.

For Schenek, the national honor marks his seventh in 17 years leading Barton's men's and women's programs, including his third on the men's side and first during the indoor season.

Now in his fourth season on staff, Dixon secures his second national honor. Coupled with his Central Region selection, Dixon now owns seven career USTFCCCA honors.

Both coaches were also recognized as the KJCCC/Region 6 Indoor Coaches of the Year.

Penn capped a standout freshman campaign by capturing the high jump title and finishing runner-up in the triple jump at the 2026 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. His 2.15m (7-0½) clearance in the high jump ranks seventh in program history and marked his fifth indoor personal best clearance of the season, while his 15.96m (52-4½) in the triple jump—also a seventh-best mark in program history—represented his third improvement in the event.

Two weeks prior, Penn swept both events at the KJCCC/Region 6 Championships while adding a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a personal best 7.29m (23-11). The performance earned him Region 6 Field Athlete of the Meet honors, along with Week 7 KJCCC and National Field Athlete of the Week recognition.

At the national meet, the Barton men delivered a complete team effort, rallying from seventh place to capture the program's 11th indoor national championship. On the women's side, the Cougars extended their streak to ten straight top-five finishes.

More regarding the USTFCCCA can be found at:  www.ustfccca.org

All-America Award Performers (Women)
The Barton women recorded thirteen All-America performances from ten individuals at the NJCAA Indoor Championships, led by multi-event standout Alexia Walker's 17 points and jumper Celine Riddle's 14-point contribution.

Thomphang Basele: 4x400m Relay (5th) – 4pts
Camoy Binger: 60m Hurdles (2nd) – 8pts
Jahmeka Brown: High Jump (5th) – 4pts
Natasha Fox: Pentathlon (4th) – 5pts
Zadie Mackey: Weight Throw (7th) – 2pts
Maya Maldonado: 4x400m Relay (5th) – 4pts
Narissa McPherson: 4x400m Relay (5th) – 4pts
Celine Riddle: Long Jump (2nd), Triple Jump (3rd) – 14pts
Asharria Ulett: 60m Hurdles (1st) – 10pts
Alexia Walker: Pentathlon (1st), Long Jump (6th), 4x400m Relay (5th) – 17pts

All-America Award Performers (Men)
The Barton men produced twenty All-America performances from thirteen individuals, paced by Keandro Gordon's 21 points, highlighted by a 600m national title just .03 seconds shy of the program record.

Emmanuel Adams: 4x400m Relay (4th) – 5pts
Simeon Adams: 400m (8th), 4x400m Relay (4th) – 6pts
Jaylon Calder: Shot Put (5th), Weight Throw (2nd) – 12pts
Ilia Ciui: Weight Throw (4th) – 5pts
Gabe Daugherty: Weight Throw (3rd) – 6pts
Sergi Gonzalez: 4x800m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
Keandro Gordon: 600m (1st), 4x400m Relay (4th), 4x800m Relay (3rd) – 21pts
Macdonald Jansen: 1000m (8th), 4x800m Relay (3rd) – 7pts
Shavan Jarrett: 4x800m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
LaMont Johnson: 400m (3rd), 4x400m Relay (4th) – 11pts
Chavez Penn: High Jump (1st), Triple Jump (2nd) – 18pts
Nizer Smith: 60m Hurdles (6th) – 3pts
Trevoy Smith: 60m Hurdles (7th) – 2pts