Thunderbird (W-T&F) Set to Host NJCAA Nationals
The T-Bird women's track & field team is hosting the 2026 NJCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in Hobbs, NM at Ross Black Field of Champions May 14-16.
Last season, the Thunderbirds placed third at the 2025 NJCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in Hutchinson, Kan. The T-Birds finished national runner-up earlier this year at the 2026 NJCAA Indoor T&F Championships in Topeka, Kan.
The T-Birds last hosted the NJCAA Outdoor T&F Championships in 2023. NMJC came out on top that year and took home the national title. The Thunderbirds hope to replicate that magic.
"Our women's team is very excited to compete at home in front of our hometown crowd," NMJC women's track & field head coach Kathleen Raske said. "We will have a battle on our hands to compete for a title against No. 1 Iowa Western, just like during the indoor season. I was very proud of how they competed at the indoor championships and if they do the same, we will be in a good position. I am seeing all the right things in our team right now and if they do what they have done well all season and fight for everything until the end, we will be happy with the results."
The women have 37 entries this week. The T-Birds are No. 2 in the final USTFCCCA Track & Field Women's Rating Index as they ready for outdoor nationals.
The track side is led by the Amal Kachouri, Yididiya Bifa, and Gabriela Anahi Suarez.
Sophomore mid-distance runner Amal Kachouri is ranked No. 1 in 800m with a time of 2:07.18. Kachouri was the national champion in the 800m earlier this season at indoor nationals with a time of 2:09.63. Kachouri will also run on the 4x800m relay squad.
Yididiya Bifa comes into the 1500m in the No. 1 spot for JUCO with a school record time of 4:19.00. She is ranked No. 8 in the 5000m with a time of 17:06.04 and will also run on the 4x800m relay team. Bifa was a four-time All-American at indoor nationals.
Hurdler Charissa December is No. 1 in the NJCAA for the 400mH with a time of 57.95. The freshman is also qualified in the 100mH with a time of 14.08 (NJCAA No. 11) and is a member of the mile relay squad this week.
The 4x800m relay squad of Lindsey Lopes, Nour Bouzidi, Yididiya Bifa, and Amal Kachouri are ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA for the event with a composite of 8:52.38.
Gabriela Anahi Suarez is another T-Bird to look out for on the track. The freshman is ranked No. 2 in both the 200m and the 400m. Her 200m time is a school-record 23.18 and the 400m time is a 53.47. Suarez was a 3-time All-American during the indoor season. The field side is led by Tiana Petrova and Alejandra Sanchez.
Jumper Tiana Petrova is ranked No. 4 in the NJCAA for the high jump with a clearance of 1.71m. The sophomore finished fourth in the high jump at indoors and was a two-time national champion in the high jump in 2025.
Hobbs local Alejandra Sanchez comes into nationals ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA for the javelin with a throw of 43.51m.
There will be three white card entries from NMJC. The white card is essentially a wild card selection for an athlete who did not qualify for nationals, and each team receives three entries to use.
The meet on Day 1 will start with the 10,000m at 7:30 a.m. MDT and ends with the 400m prelims around 9:30 p.m. MDT. Day 2 starts at 9 a.m. MDT and ends at 6:15 p.m. MDT. Day 3 will start at 10 a.m. MDT and finishes at 6:15 p.m. MDT.
"It takes a village to put on a national meet, and we are grateful to have the support of our AD Deron Clark and the entire campus community to make it happen here in Hobbs," Coach Raske said. "We endeavor to make everyone in our community proud and want the thank all those involved for all their efforts and support. It is truly appreciated!"
For the full schedule click here, for live results click here, and for the livestream of the events click here.
Rest of Entries
100m- Nalicia Glen: 11.56 NJCAA No. 9 | 100m- Felicia Awudi: 11.68 NJCAA No. 15
200m- Nalicia Glen: 23.89 NJCAA No. 15 | 200m- Tuwana McLean: 23.98 NJCAA No. 18
400m- Motlatsi Rante: 54.85 NJCAA No. 6 | 400m- Hajar Eddaou: 56.34 White Card
800m- Lindsey Lopes: 2:11.41 NJCAA No. 8
1500m- Nour Bouzidi: 4:49.61 NJCAA No. 35
5000m- Ines Mrabet: 17:27.46 NJCAA No. 12 | 5000m- Lisel Ndlovu: 18.25.69 NJCAA No. 27
10,000m- Ines Mrabet: 36:24.67 NJCAA No. 3
400m- Fatima Chefaig: 1:01.91 NJCAA No. 11
3000m- Steeplechase Hadil Chiha: 11:45.98 NJCAA No. 9
4x100m 45.37 (Awudi, Glen, McLean, Suarez, Eddaou) NJCAA No. 3
4x400m 3:41.26 (December, McLean, Rante, Suarez, or Eddaou) NJCAA No. 2
Pole Vault- Tatiana Bedoya: 3.70m NJCAA No. 5
Long Jump- Sofia Mosquera Rodriquez: 5.86m NJCAA No. 15 | Long Jump- Jastin Guzman: 5.79m NJCAA No. 19 | Long Jump- Janita Antipina: 5.11m White Card
Triple Jump- Sofia Mosquera Rodriquez: 12.14m NJCAA No. 9 | Triple Jump- Jastin Guzman: 12.14m NJCAA No. 9 | Triple Jump- Elfie Sanogo: 11.69m White Card
Discus- Gabriella Tcheukam: 45.11m NJCAA No. 7 | Discus- Athilia Pryce: 43.70m NJCAA No. 9
Hammer Throw- Athilia Pryce: 52.54m NJCAA No. 4 | Gabriella Tcheukam: 48.87m NJCAA No. 11
Heptathlon- Fatima Chefaig: 4236 NJCAA No. 6
