Barton trio earns USTFCCCA regional honors; Cougars compile 44 All-America performances #GoBarton

The Barton Community College track and field program added another layer to its historic 2026 campaign with Chavez Penn, David Schenek, and Emmanuel Dixon earning postseason honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Freshman standout Chavez Penn headlined the individual accolades, earning the NJCAA Division I Central Region Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year honor after another dominant season in the jumps. The award follows Penn's National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year recognition earlier this year.

Heading into the NJCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships, Penn ranked first nationally in the triple jump with a Barton program eighth-best mark of 16.17m (53-0¾) while also sitting second nationally in the high jump at 2.15m (7-0½). Penn additionally secured a national qualifying mark in the long jump, showcasing his versatility across three events.

Despite battling an injury entering the national meet, Penn still delivered a national runner-up finish in the high jump, clearing 2.07m (6-9½) on his one and only attempt before withdrawing from the triple jump competition.

On the coaching side, Head Coach David Schenek and Assistant Coach Emmanuel Dixon swept the USTFCCCA NJCAA Division I Central Region Women's Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year honors after guiding Barton to its 34th Region 6 Championship and another podium finish at the national meet.

For Schenek, the regional outdoor recognition marks his ninth USTFCCCA Central Region Outdoor Coach of the Year honor in 17 seasons leading Barton's men's and women's programs, including his sixth on the women's side. Combined with his national and regional honors during the indoor season, Schenek now owns 28 career USTFCCCA awards.

Now in his fifth season on staff, Dixon collected both the men's and women's Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors outdoors, adding to the pair of regional and national awards he earned during the indoor campaign. The honors give Dixon nine career USTFCCCA recognitions, including his third women's outdoor regional award and second on the men's side.

Both Schenek and Dixon were also previously named the KJCCC/Region 6 Men's Coaches of the Year as well.

The award-winning trio helped guide Barton to another nationally successful outdoor campaign, as the Cougar men placed fifth at the 2026 NJCAA Division I Outdoor National Championships hosted by New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico. The finish extended the men's streak to ten consecutive years inside the national top-eight.

On the women's side, Barton captured a third-place national finish, securing the program's fourth consecutive top-three trophy while extending its streak to nine straight years inside the national top-five.

Overall, Barton produced 44 All-America performances from 33 student-athletes across the indoor and outdoor national championship seasons, further cementing the Cougars among the NJCAA's premier track and field programs.

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

All-America Award Performers (Women)
The Barton women produced twenty-one All-America performances from fourteen individuals at the NJCAA Outdoor Championships, highlighted by Thomphang Basele's team-best 22 points and a national title in the 4x100m relay while collectively accounting for four movements on Barton's outdoor program top-10 list.

Kayda Austin: 200m (5th), 4x100m Relay (1st) – 14pts
Thomphang Basele: 400m (3rd), 4x100m Relay (1st), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 22pts
Camoy Binger: 4x100m Relay (1st) – 10pts
Jahmeka Brown: High Jump (6th) – 3pts
Natasha Fox: 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
Zadie Mackey: Shot Put (8th), Discus (8th) – 2pts
Sethunya Majama: 4x100m Relay (1st), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 16pts
Narissa McPherson: 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
Shamoye Morris: Discus (4th) – 5pts
Shamoyea Morris: Discus (2nd) – 8pts
Celine Riddle: Long Jump (2nd), Triple Jump (3rd) – 14pts
Asharria Ulett: 100m Hurdles (1st) – 10pts
Alexia Walker: Heptathlon (1st), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 16pts
Takeila Williams: 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 6pts

All-America Award Performers (Men)
The Barton men compiled twenty-three All-America performances from nineteen individuals, paced by Jaylon Calder's team-leading 12 points and Ilia Ciui's national championship performance while collectively producing three program top-10 marks.

Emmanuel Adams: 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
Simeon Adams: 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 6pts
DeAndre Bristol: Discus (5th) – 4pts
Jaylon Calder: Shot Put (6th), Discus (2nd), Hammer Throw (8th) – 12pts
Ilia Ciui: Hammer Throw (1st) – 10pts
Dejuan Colbert: 4x100m Relay (8th) – 1pt
Sergi Gonzalez: 4x800m Relay (7th) – 2pts
Keandro Gordon: 4x400m Relay (3rd), 4x800m Relay (7th) – 8pts
Macdonald Jansen: 4x800m Relay (7th) – 2pts
Shavan Jarrett: 4x800m Relay (7th) – 2pts
LaMont Johnson: 400m (6th), 4x400m Relay (3rd) – 9pts
Devonric Mack: 4x100m Relay (8th) – 1pt
Chavez Penn: High Jump (2nd) – 8pts
Craig Prendrgast: 400m Hurdles (6th) – 3pts
Nizer Smith: 110m Hurdles (5th) – 4pts
Trevoy Smith: 4x100m Relay (8th) – 1pt
Aragorn Straker: 4x100m Relay (8th) – 1pt
Furious Trammel: 4x400m Relay (3rd) - 6pts
Devon Williams: Long Jump (6th) – 3pts