Haverhill, MA (May 7, 2019) – Select members of the Northern Essex Community College track and field team are set to compete at this week's NJCAA National Championship meet at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY.
Both the men's and women's teams will be represented by a pair of athletes competing. On the men's side Jose Tavares (Salem, MA) will compete in the 200 meter and Alex Ellis (Methuen, MA) in the 800 meter. On the women's side Olivia Mullins (Plaistow, NH) will compete in a pair of distance events in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters, while Katelyn Richardson (Wilmington, MA) is scheduled to compete in three events, the 800, 3,000 meter steeplechase and high jump.
Mullins, who is the school record holder in both the 1,500 and 3,000 meter races is currently ranked 10th nationally in the 1,500 and fifth in the 5,000, with time of 5:27 and 20:34 respectively. 1,500 trials are scheduled for Friday afternoon at 3:00pm with the final scheduled for Saturday at 12:50pm. The 5,000 will be run as a final only and is scheduled for 3:05pm on Saturday. Richardson, the first competitor in the programs history to compete in the steeplechase, hit the national qualifying standard two weeks ago at Yale with a time of 14:24 will get the competition started on Thursday night at 5:15pm where she is currently ranked 8th in the country. She will return the track on Friday evening at 5:30pm in the 800 meter trials with finals set for 2:15 on Saturday. The high jump is slated for 12:30 on Saturday and she is currently ranked 6th.
On the men's side, Ellis who established a new school record in the 800m earlier this season will compete in trials of the event on Friday at 5:45pm with finals being set for 2:25pm on Saturday. Ellis is currently ranked 37th nationally in the event. Tavares who has been the top sprinter for the Knights is currently ranked 35th in the 200 and will take the track at 6:45pm on Friday in the trials. 200 meter semi-finals are scheduled for 11:15am Saturday followed by the finals at 3:00pm.
Northern Essex Community College competes as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and sponsors nine varsity intercollegiate sports including baseball, men's basketball, golf, softball, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country and men's and women's track and field. For more information on Northern Essex Community College Athletics please visit the official website of Northern Essex Athletics (www.neccknights.com).