Cuesta Track & Field travels to Ventura this Friday to kick off their month-long championship run. Both teams will be chasing a conference title, while also pushing their athletes to the Regional in two weeks. The women's team finished first and second in their two WSC meets and, after finishing as the WSC Runner-up in 2024, are chasing their first title since 2021 and 5th overall. On the men's side, Cuesta won their first and only title (on record) in 2016, but current Coach Robert Neely already had them jump from 9th to 4th in two years.
The women's team boasts talent, if not depth, in nearly every event. In the sprints, Freshman Gwyndolyn Katics and teammate Kiana Marie Lambert provide a one-two punch for Cuesta. Katics is the only Cuesta runner ranked in the Cougars' all-time Top 10 in the 100 (:12.50), 200 (:25.33) and 400-meter (:25.23) runs, while Lambert can go up or down, but owns her best mark, at #8 all time at Cuesta, in the 200 (:26.76). The Cougars also have the versatile Mia Martin, who competed in the high jump, while also clearing the 100-hurdles with a Cuesta Top 10 time (:16.59). Fellow Leaper Kristy Huynh is another Cuesta Top 10 performer. She ranks 9th for Cuesta in the Triple Jump (34-3), while also leading the Cougars in both the Long Jump (16-4.5) and Javelin (104-10). The Cougars received a big boost when the multi-talented Kiera Taylor, after starring in volleyball and playing basketball, resisted the lure of beach volleyball to join track & field. A few weeks after taking basketball to the playoffs, Taylor was posting new Cuesta Top 10 marks. She currently ranks 4th all time in the Discus (132-8) and 9th in the Shot Put (36-11) at Cuesta. This week, she is the #1-seed for both events and the #2-seed in the Hammer. Taylor will be joined by Jaide Tappan in the Discus (112-8) and returning all-WSC Thrower Harper Clark in the Hammer (103-6). Harper shall also pair up with Huynh in the Javelin (95-5).
On the men's side, 2024 CCCAA State Cross Country Champion Weston Greenelsh is poised to collect more accolades. He is the circuit's top seed 800 (1:53.67), 1,500 (3:54.18) and 5,000-meter runs (14:32.67). Hurdler Alex Oldham should also score on the track in both the 110 and 400 hurdles. The Cougars are also loaded with leapers, who are led by William Dawes. Dawes ranks 3rd all-time at Cuesta for both the Long (23-4) and Triple Jumps (46-7.5). He will be joined by Gavin Beck and Joey Mikles in the Long Jump. Dawes's mark of 6-2.75 in the High Jump is also season-best for the Cougars and he will be joined by Benjamin Schneider for the event. Freshman Hunter Whitson will represent the throwers in the Hammer.
