Posted: Feb 17, 2022

Koala Women’s Indoor Track & Field Poised to Capture Their 4th AAC Title

As the 2022 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships get underway on Thursday, a lot of eyes will be on the Columbia College (SC) Women's Indoor Track and Field team, and rightfully so. The Koala women's track and field team has won the last three-of-four indoor titles, 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2020-21. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, they did not participate in the 2019-20 championships.

The Koala women will enter the meet, which is scheduled to begin Thursday at 6 p.m., and conclude on Friday afternoon at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C., ranked 15th in the latest USTFCCCA Polls.

"Heading into the Indoor Championship, I know it's going to be a close meet with Montreat and Milligan," said head coach Justin Bishop. "We have the top eight ranked racewalkers, along with the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked throwers in the conference in Aleah Bromell and Zaida Carson, respectively. We will be leaning heavily on those two disciplines to get the majority of our points if we are going to win a fourth championship."

In just two short years, the Columbia College (SC) women's racewalk program has become a national force. Assistant coach Ian Whatley has been instrumental in helping the group develop technique, event-specific fitness, and optimal sport psychology of the event.

The Koalas began competing in the 3000-meter racewalk in 2019. That was also the first year that the AAC began sponsoring the event at its Championship. True to form, the first-ever women's champion came from Columbia College, Shelby Winn.

Freshman Izabelle Trefts leads this year's racewalk core. Trefts, who holds the school record in the event, has been twice named the AAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. She is ranked second in the NAIA, clocking a season-best time of 14:56.30.

Teammates Jessica Heiser-Whatley and Victoria Heiser-Whatley are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively in the nation. Jessica has a season-best time of 15:53.34 while Victoria's best time is this season is 15:56.55.

In total, the racewalk core has four athletes ranked nationally as Winn ranks eighth with a time of 16:51.33.

The Koala's top field eventer, Bromell, has finished in the Top 10 in the weight throw in all five meets this season and finished in the Top 10 in the shot-put in four-of-five meets. This season, she eclipsed her school records in both events, throwing 15.10 meters (49.6.5") in the weight throw and 12.91 meters (42'4.25) in the shot-put.

While the racewalk core and throwers will lead the way, Bishop knows it will take a total team effort to capture this year's title. He will look to members of the sprint core to assist in capturing the 2022 Title.

"Grace Wright could have a great day and possibly win the 400m going in ranked #3, and so could Camara Middleton and Rekia Polk in the 200m, ranked #2 and #3 respectively," stated Bishop.

Complete List of Qualifiers

Seire Baker-Morgan - 60m, 200m, 400m

Kristen Bailey Banks - Shot Put, Weight Throw

Valeria Bogdanova - 400m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, 5000m

Aleah Bromell - Shot Put, Weight Throw

Kerri Brown - 400m

Josalynn Carson - 3000m Racewalk

Zaida Carson - Shot Put, Weight Throw

Zhaire Casteal - 60m Hurdles

Zykirah Davis - 60m Hurdles, High Jump

Darci Dawson - Shot Put, Weight Throw

Esther Ekundayo - 400m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, 5000m