Sports
WT Athletics Announces the Hall of Champions Class of 2025
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CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Champions Selection Committee is proud to announce the Class of 2025 as the newest inductees into the Hall.
Legacy Award Recipients: BritKare Home Medical and Ed & Jeanne Wright. The Legacy Award, established in 2008, recognizes individuals and organizations who have made significant lifetime contributions to the success and legacy of West Texas A&M Athletics.
The Class of 2025: Fatim Affessi (Track & Field), Don Carthel (Football), Joe Corbett (Baseball), Brett Hall (Tennis), Kristen Jacobson (Equestrian), Duke Kicinski (Track & Field), Ryan Quaid (Men’s Basketball), Eva Rogers (Women’s Golf).
The Athletic Hall of Champions, established in 1987, recognizes outstanding student-athletes, coaches and administrators for their significant achievements. The Selection Committee is comprised of 23 voting members that includes previous Inductees, coaches, Buffalo Club members, university faculty and staff and athletics staff.
The Class of 2025 will be inducted during the Hall of Champions Reception scheduled for Friday, October 3rd as well as being recognized during WT Football’s homecoming contest against Sul Ross State on Saturday, October 4th.
LEGACY AWARD
BritKare Home Medical
BritKare Home Medical has been a long-time supporter of Lady Buff Volleyball, sponsoring the BritKare Lady Buff Classic for the better part of two decades. In 2021, the company provided additional support that allowed West Texas A&M to install a world-class volleyball surface inside “The Box”. BritKare Court is one of only five Olympic-caliber volleyball courts in NCAA Division II. BritKare now has three locations with over 60 employees.
Ed & Jeanne Wright
Ed & Jeanne Wright are the epitome of a Buff fan, not only supporting the athletes, but coaches as well. Ed and Jeanne have fed numerous athletes over the years and helped Buff Nations in many intangible ways. They have given generously to WT Athletics for decades, as well as he has been a season ticket holder for numerous sports as well.
CLASS OF 2025
Fatim Affessi
One of the most decorated track & field athletes in West Texas A&M history takes her rightful spot in the Hall of Champions. Affessi was the first person in Division II history to win the USTFCCCA Women’s Field Athlete of the Year Award on three different occasions, winning the NCAA DII Outdoor National Title in the long jump in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Affessi also added National Titles in the indoor triple jump (2018) and the outdoor 4x100m relay (2017). The Geneva, Switzerland native still holds the indoor and outdoor school record in the long jump.
Affessi, an 11-time All-American, helped the Lady Buffs claim NCAA Division II National Championships in 2017 (outdoor) and 2018 (indoor). She was the first athlete in school history to win multiple National Titles in a single event, claiming the long jump and 4x100m relay crown in 2017. Affessi was dominant at the Lone Star Conference Championships, winning nine conference titles during her career to be named the Lone Star Conference Female Athlete of the Year in 2019. Affessi currently works as a Clinical Counselor Associate in Oregon.
Don Carthel
Don Carthel brought the West Texas A&M Football program into prominence during his time on the sidelines from 2005-12. The four-time Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year led the Buffs to four LSC Championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2012) and an overall record of 79-22 including a record of 60-11 during LSC contests. Carthel was named the AFCA Region Four Coach of the Year in 2007 as the Buffs registered just the second undefeated regular season in school history.
The Buffs made six trips to the NCAA Playoffs under Carthel including a run to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals in 2012. Following his time in Canyon he served as an assistant coach at East Texas A&M and Stephen F. Austin, winning the 2017 NCAA DII National Championship with the Lions. Carthel was inducted into the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 as well as the Eastern New Mexico Hall of Fame in 2001.
Joe Corbett
The all-time strikeout leader for West Texas A&M Baseball enters the Hall of Champions, Joe Corbett became one of the most dominant pitchers in Lone Star Conference history during his two seasons in Canyon in 2018-19. The Edmond, Oklahoma product went 22-3 for the Buffs with a 2.75 ERA as he tossed nine complete games with 236 strikeouts in 189.2 innings of work.
Corbett was named the 2019 Division II National Pitcher of the Year by the NCBWA and D2CCA, claiming First Team All-American honors. He became the highest drafted player in WT history when he was selected in the 10th round by the Texas Rangers, also becoming just the fifth LSC player ever selected inside of the Top-10 rounds of the MLB Draft. Corbett continues to pitch professionally as he was a member of the 2025 Caribbean Series Championship squad as well as the 2025 LIDOM Finals Champions.
Brett Hall
Hall registered a standout tennis career at West Texas State from 1973-77. The Houston native registered a singles record of 90-30 during his collegiate career for the most victories in school history. Hall was a member of three Missouri Valley Conference Championship teams.
Hall won the MVC Singles Championship in 1974 and 1976 while also claiming the doubles crows in 1975 and 1976. Brett is currently the Tennis Professional at Freestone Park in Gilbert, Arizona. Hall is an advocate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, raising money for the group whenever possible.
Kristen Jacobson
Jacobson put together one of the most impressive equestrian careers in West Texas A&M history from 1999-03. She won the IHSA Advanced Horsemanship National Championship in 2001 followed by an IHSA Open Western Reserve Title and a NCEA Western Championship in 2002.
2003 saw Jacobson win the NCEA Reigning Reserve Championship as well as the NCEA Western National Title. Following her career Jacobson served as an Assistant Coach and Event Manager at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Kristen is also a founding member of the Panhandle Reined Cow Horse Association. Jacobson is currently a Strategic Account Manager at Semex.
Duke Kicinski
Two-time NCAA National Champion Duke Kicinski takes his rightful place in the WT Hall of Champions. He became the first men’s individual National Champion in 2016, winning the Discus Title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Kicinski was a two-time All-American for the Buffs before transferring to Texas Tech.
Kicinski continued to impress during his time in Lubbock as the Red Raiders won the 2019 NCAA Division I Track & Field National Championship, Duke picked up a victory in the discus to become just the second athlete to ever win a discus national championship at the DI and DII level. Kicinski won a pair of Big 12 Championships and qualified for the 2021 U.S Olympic Trials. Following his senior campaign Kicinski was named the USTFCCCA Men’s Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, Duke is currently the Head Coach of Cross Country and Track at Texas Wesleyan University.
Ryan Quaid
West Texas A&M’s all-time leading rebounder Ryan Quaid joins the Hall of Champions Class of 2025. The Buffs registered an incredible record of 113-27 during Quaid’s time in Canyon, winning a pair of NCAA South Central Regional Championships. Quaid was named the D2CCA South Central Region Player of the Year as well as the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year in 2019.
The Fort Collins, Colorado product scored 1,705 career points for the Buffs to average 12.2 points per game as he is the only player in program history with 1,700+ points, 1,000+ rebounds and 100+ blocks. Quaid grabbed a school record 1,004 rebounds during his career. Ryan also excelled in the classroom, being named the LSC Academic Player of the Year in 2018. Quaid played professionally overseas with the RASTA Vechta in Germany, he is currently a Multifamily Investment Sales Associate in Dallas.
Eva Rogers
Lady Buff Golf’s Eva Rogers was a three-time National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-American Scholar that captained the Lady Buffs to three team tournament championships in 2011-12. Eva claimed a pair of individual tournament victories during her time in Maroon & White as the Florida native finished ninth at the 2010 NCAA West Regionals.
Rogers has become one of the top golf instructors in the country following her playing career as she has earned numerous recognitions including Golf Digest Best Young Instructor in America as well as US Kids Top-50 Instructor in America. She is a published writer for PGA Magazine, CDGA and Daily Herald News. Eva is currently the PGA Teaching Professional at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois.
Sports
Big day for Hillsdale’s throwers as Charger men kick off season at GVSU Holiday Open
The Hillsdale College men’s track and field team got off to a strong start in the throws on Friday, kicking off the 2025-26 indoor season at the GVSU Holiday Open.
All four of Hillsdale’s season-opening provisional qualifying marks came in the shot put and weight throw at the meet, showing why the Chargers are one of the best throws programs in NCAA DII.
Leading the way was senior and defending NCAA DII weight throw national champion Ben Haas, who began his title defense by taking second overall and first among collegiate throwers in the event on Friday with a provisional qualfying throw of 21.33 meters.
Haas was joined in setting a provisional qualifying mark in the weight throw by not one, but two teammates on Friday. Redshirt freshman Dominic Scharer had an collegiate debut to remember on Friday, opening his career with a 20.02 meter mark that makes him the just the fourth Charger in program history to break 20 meters in the weight throw. Along with Scharer, junior Dimitry Ermakov had a massive new personal best in the weight throw to earn a provisional mark in the event for the first time with a distance of 18.58 meters. That mark gives Ermakov the sixth-best weight throw mark in Hillsdale College history as well.
Along with his performance in the weight throw, Haas also started strong in the shot put, placing fourth with a throw of 17.24 meters to give himself a second provisional mark on the day. Scharer also had a notable debut in the shot put, with a top throw of 14.99 meters that gives him the eighth-best mark in program history as well.
On the track, Hillsdale had a few notable standouts. Senior Gabriel Phillips ran well against an elite field in the fastest heat of the 5,000m run, finishing ninth in a new personal best time of 14:30.62, the fourth-best mark in the event in program history. Freshman John Richardson also had a strong first collegiate 5K, finishing in a strong time of 15:02.60 for the Chargers as well, and junior Caleb Youngstedt also ran a new personal best in the 5K of 15:06.17 for Hillsdale.
Two freshmen put together impressive first races as well for the Chargers. Watson Magwenzi had a debut to remember for Hillsdale, becoming just the 11th Charger in program history to go under seven seconds in the 60m dash with a time of 6.99, and also running a solid 22.53 in his first collegiate 200. In the 400m dash, freshman Jack Polizzi also started fast for Hillsdale, placing sixth in 49.48 just ahead of teammate Zealand Tarrant, who ran a new personal best 49.77 to take ninth. Magwenzi also was pushed in the 60 and 200 by sophomore Sam Jones, who a personal best 7.03 in the 60 and a 22.63 in the 200.
Senior Mark Masaka placed 10th (1:56.19) and freshman Wyatt Widolff placed 14th (1:57.48) in the 800m run as well for Hillsdale, and freshman Luan Kummle took 14th in the long jump (6.26 meters).
Hillsdale now heads into the Christmas break, and will pick back up in 2026 with the Al Campbell Invite hosted by the University of Akron on Jan. 16.
Sports
Men’s Track & Field: Stefanowicz Tops Hurdles Record at M City Classic
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Macalester College men’s track & field team opened the 2026 indoor season at the M City Classic, hosted by the University of Minnesota on Friday. Senior Sebastian Stefanowicz (Portland, Ore./Valley Catholic) broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles.
Stefanowicz finished fifth in the 60-meter hurdles behind three Division I athletes and an unattached runner with a time of 8.63. The performance betters the old record of 8.68, set by John Shepard ’01 in 1999. Senior Hamza Mahamud (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) finished seventh in 9.10. Stefanowicz also placed 12th in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.15, which ranks sixth on Macalester’s all-time performance list.
In the 600 meters, seniors Henry Schonebaum (Faribault, Minn./Faribault) and Thomas Malecha (Faribault, Minn.) finished sixth and seventh, respectively. First year Aj Baehr (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) took seventh in the 400 meters (51.18) in his first collegiate race.
In the field events, first year Alex Peters (Belle Plaine, Minn./Jordan) took fourth in the shot put with a mark of 12.55 meters (41-2.25) in his first competition as a Scot. Sophomore Ataa Mensah (St. Paul, Minn./Roseville) finished fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 12.77 meters (41-10.75), followed by first year Garner Miyagawa (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) in fifth with a mark of 12.26 (40-2.75).
Macalester resumes competition in January by hosting the Vanessa Seljeskog Classic on Jan. 24 in the Leonard Center Fieldhouse.
Click here for results.
Sports
Tigers Win Seven Events at Birmingham Icebreaker
Gizel Clayton captured the women’s 60-meter hurdles (8.43) title for the second straight year, while Alex Bobak won the mile (4:15.97) for the first time in his career, setting a personal best in the process. Poorna Raorane also took home a victory in the shot (14.65m) put after finishing third at last year’s meet.
Courtland Noble won the 400m (48.55) making his second career victory in this event.
The Tigers recorded 10 top-five finishes, including sophomore Trinity Brown, who placed second and set a PR in the triple jump (11.91m).
Memphis athletes combined for 21 personal records, the most in a single meet since Feb. 15, 2025, at the Bulldog Open and Invite.
A full list of today’s six wins, top-five finishes and PRs can be found below. Comprehensive meet results can be found in the link above.
Tigers will be back in action in the new year, opening 2026 at the Bob Teel Invitational in Columbus, Missouri, on January 24.
Wins
Gizel Clayton, Women’s 60mH, 8.43
Alex Bobak, Men’s One Mile, 4:15.97
Poorna Raorane, Women’s Shot Put, 14.65m
Oageng Mdlela, Men’s Triple Jump, 15.16m
Kaseiana Meriweather, Women’s 200m, 24.08
Courtland Noble, Men’s 400m, 48.55
Meghan Porterfield, Women’s Weight Throw, 17.49m
Top Finishes (Top 5)
Kaseiana Meriweather, 2nd, Women’s 60m, 7.49
Destiny Jenkins, 4th, Women’s 60m, 7.55
Jazmyn James, 2nd, Women’s Shot Put, 13.88m
Meghan Porterfield, 3rd, Women’s Shot Put, 13.30m
Jean Yves Thiemble Marco, 3rd, Men’s Long Jump, 7.20m
Kouto Anyika, 4th, Men’s 300m, 33.95
Alexandra Allen, 2nd, Women’s 400m, 56.61
Judy Elful, 3rd, Women’s 400m, 56.95
Lilith Stenger, 2nd, Women’s High Jump, 1.60m
Trinity Brown, 2nd, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.91m
Tristian Robinson, 2nd, Men’s Weight Throw, 17.55m
Natalie Albert, 2nd, Women’s Weight Throw, 17.21m
Dajuan Montague, 2nd, Men’s High Jump, 2.10m
PRs
Elizabeth Markwell, Women’s 3000m, 11:10.48
Brooke Doyle, Women’s 3000m, 11:44.71
Jackson Turner, Men’s 3000m, 9:03.57
Jay Prettyman, Men’s 3000m, 9:12.56
Jagger Noel, Men’s 3000m, 9:19.46
Kaseiana Meriweather, Women’s 60m, 7.49
Destiny Jenkins, Women’s 60m, 7.55
Alex Bobak, Men’s One Mile, 4:15.97
Urko Extebeste, Men’s One Mile, 4:28.33
Resse Martin, Women’s 1000m, 3:10.96
Shantel Reed, Women’s 300m, 42.22
Kouto Anyika, Men’s 300m, 33.95
Bryson Wilson, Men’s 300m, 34.47
Jonathan Bunch Jr., Men’s 300m, 36.70
Alexandra Allen, Women’s 400m, 56.61
Lilith Stenger, Women’s High Jump, 1.60m
Trinity Brown, Women’s Triple Jump, 11.91m
Tristian Robinson, Men’s Weight Throw, 17.55m
Amri White, Men’s Weight Throw, 15.70m
Zion Smith, Women’s Long Jump, 5.15m
Dajuan Montague, Men’s High Jump, 2.10m
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Cross Country and Track & Field, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Sports
Liston Breaks 5K School Record, Track & Field Starts Indoor Season Strong
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – In their first meet in 195 days, the men’s and women’s track and field teams started strong at the MSU Chuck Peterson Open and M City Classic, with Molly Liston setting a school record in the 5000-meter and multiple top-five finishes against Division I, II, and III opponents at the M City Classic.
Head Coach Aaron Lund elected to send Liston to the Chuck Peterson Open, hosted by MSU-Mankato, with the goal of setting the school record in the 5000m, fresh off of a cross country season where she finished 41st at the NCAA Championships, just one spot away from All-American honors. It was clear that the heartbreak in Spartansburg, South Carolina fueled Liston, who crushed the previous school record of 17:30.02, set in 2006 by Kourtney Joyce, with a time of 17:11.07. The Richfield native maintained record-setting pace throughout the race, running 1000m times of 3:24.98, 3:25.29, 3:27.42, 3:29.41, and 3:23.97 to break the record.
The other nine women for Gustavus traveled to Minneapolis to compete at the M City Classic, hosted by the University of Minnesota. Maddox Lee competed in the pentathlon for the Gusties, scoring 2455 to finish 16th, including tying a personal record in the high jump, clearing 1.44m. On the track, McKenzie Luetmer set her personal record with a time of 8.22 in the 60-meter, as the only person who ran the race for Gustavus. In the 60-meter hurdles, three Gusties advanced to the finals after qualifying in the prelims. In the finals, all three Gustavus women ran faster times than their prelim times, where sophomore Kayla Kajer set a personal record with a time of 9.64, first-year Sophia Vogel ran a time of 9.72, and sophomore Emily Podulke finished just a second slower with a time of 9.73 to finish sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Teagan Stark was the only entrant for the Gustie women in the 400-meter, running a time of 1:05.26 to finish third in the event and classmate Ella Kienitz was the only entrant in the 600-meter, crossing the finish line in a time of 1:47.79. Two Gustavus women ran in the 300-meter, with Lauren Rocheford finishing in 11th with a time of 45.13 and Podulke with a time of 46.55. Luetmer and Vogel competed in the 200-meter, completing in times of 27.53 and 28.64 respectively. In the field, first-year Kaylee Hawks and Kajer both reached heights of 1.55m, good for second at the M City Classic.
On the men’s side, first-year Amos Anderson started the season for the Gusties, running in the 60-meter prelims, placing 36th with a time of 7.71. In the 400-meter, first-year Luke Scheel led the Gustavus contingent with a time of 52.00 to finish 10th place, followed by Cohen Stursa with a time of 52.67 and Reese Blondin with a time of 53.77. Stursa was also the only entry in the 200-meter for the Gusties, finishing in a time of 24.17 for 19th. In the field, two Gusties competed in the long jump, Ben Wynia and Logan Sandmeyer. Wynia jumped a 6.07m mark, good for ninth place and Sandmeyer leaped to a 5.91m mark, finishing 10th. Three entrants competed in the pole vault, led by first-year Anderson and sophomore Alex Palmer, both vaulting over heights of 3.90m, with senior Joe Ream just behind them with a height of 3.75m.
Gustavus track and field takes a few weeks off now, getting back to competition on January 17th, when the team competes at the Ole Opener, hosted by St. Olaf in Northfield.
Sports
Mens track & field kick start their indoor season at SDSU
BROOKINGS, S.D. — The Jimmie men opened their indoor season with a strong first showing, posting competitive marks across sprint, distance, jump, and throw events.
Avery Ligon placed 20th in the 60 meter with a time of 7.17.
Xander Rath placed 35th in the 60 meter with a time of 7.43.
Conrad P. Baard placed 30th in the 200 meter with a time of 24.04, and 16th in the 400 meter with a time of 57.18.
Andrew Rexin placed 35th in the 200 meter with a time of 24.85, and 18th in the 400 meter with a time of 59.02.
Cael Church placed 15th in the 300 meter with a time of 37.43, and 12th in the 600 meter with a time of 1:26.90.
Clark Lortscher placed 5th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 8:57.81.
Cole Campbell placed 7th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:01.75.
Noah Sayler placed 10th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:16.42.
Aaron Devine placed 12th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:19.37.
Lucas Dahl placed 13th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 9:20.35.
Braeden Kinzler placed 14th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:22.51.
Payton Mukkada placed 15th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:22.69.
Gavyn Graham placed 18th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:37.02.
Adam Sobolik placed 19th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:38.14.
Landon Thompson placed 20th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:47.66.
Samuel Sampers placed 21st in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:50.89.
Kadin Marshall placed 24th in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:59.83.
Liam Pospisil placed 25th in the 3000 meter with a PR of 10:26.49.
Ethan Duval placed 3rd in the High Jump at 2.00m (6’6.75″), a PR.
Riley Johnson placed 10th in the High Jump at 1.80m (5’10.75″).
Trevor Waldo placed 17th in the Long Jump at 6.02m (19’9″).
Jayden Bittner placed 20th in the Long Jump at 5.75m (18’10.5″).
Brady Crabtree placed 14th in Pole Vault at 4.25m (13’11.25″), a PR.
Evan Schmit placed 11th in Shot Put at 14.59m (47’10.5″) and 20th in Weight Throw at 13.88m (45’6.5″), a PR.
Jobe Rystedt placed 16th in Shot Put at 13.56m (44’6″) and 26th in Weight Throw at 12.11m (39’8.75″).
WHATS NEXT?
The Jimmies return to action on Thursday, 11 December, competing at the Dakota Alumni Classic hosted by NDSU in Fargo, N.D.
Sports
Miami Announces 2026 Schedule – University of Miami Athletics
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami track and field program announced its highly competitive 2026 indoor and outdoor schedules Friday, highlighted by three home meets at Cobb Stadium.
The Hurricanes open the season Jan. 16 in Gainesville, Fla., at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational before traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 30–31. The regular season continues at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C., on Feb. 13–14.
The ACC Indoor Championships are set for Feb. 26–28 in Boston, Mass., while the NCAA Indoor Championships will be held March 13–14 in Fayetteville.
Miami opens the outdoor season at home with a pair of meets, hosting the Hurricane Invitational on March 20–21 and the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on March 27–28.
The Hurricanes return to Gainesville for the Florida Relays on April 3–4 before hosting their final home meet of the season, the Hurricane Alumni Invitational, on April 10–11.
Miami then heads back to Gainesville for the Tom Jones Memorial on April 17–18 prior to competing at the historic Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pa., from April 23–25. The Hurricanes close the regular season at the UNF East Coast Relays in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 1–2.
Louisville, Ky., will host the ACC Outdoor Championships from May 14–16, while the NCAA East Prelims are set for May 27–30 in Lexington, Ky.
The 2026 season concludes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., from June 10–13.
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