The PVCC Track & Field team opened the 2021 season last weekend at the Paradise Valley Indoor Track & Field Meet. The Pumas opened with a bang, winning six of 14 events contested on the men's side and winning four of the women's events. 

 

PV's event winners included freshman Corde Long in the men's 60m Hurdles (8.34) and 200m (21.61), freshman Joel Goulbourne in the 400m (49.02), freshman Tyler Carreon in the 800m (1:58.84), sophomore Brycen Brown in the 1000m (2:36.34), sophomore William Ryan-Johnson in the 3000m (8:52.61), freshman Kaelynn Ashley in the 800m (2:39.76), sophomore Ellissa Lucas in the 1000m (3:13.94), the Distance Medley Relay (13:48.33) consisting of Jasmine Alyasiri, Meghan Barney, Audrey Hajek, and Ellissa Lucas, and the 4 x 400m relay team consisting of Meghan Barney, Jasmine Alyasiri, Abby Dayton and Ellissa Lucas. 

 

Many of the Pumas ran personal bests in their events with two marks qualifying for the NJCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championship and several others placing them high in the NJCAA national event rankings. Newcomer Corde Long established himself as a national-caliber student-athlete by qualifying in both the 60m hurdles and 200m. His times rank him 3rd nationally in the 200m and 17th in the 60m hurdles and they place him number two on the Paradise Valley all-time Indoor best list in both events. Additional Pumas jumping into the top-15 rankings nationally include Joel Goulbourne, 12th in the 400m (placing him number two on the Paradise Valley all-time Indoor best list); Brycen Brown, 10th in the 1000m; William Ryan-Johnson, 11th in the 3000m; Christian Tamura, 15th in the 3000m; Ellissa Lucas, 7th in the 1000m; and the PV women's Distance Medley Relay team, 4th in the DMR. 

 

This was the first time PV's student-athletes have competed since March 7, 2020 when they competed in Lynchburg, Virginia at the NJCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championship. "We're happy to be competing," stated Coach David Barney, "These kids have been waiting a long time to get going again! They competed great today, and we're very proud of them!" 

 

The Puma Track & Field team returns to competition this Saturday, February, 20 at Mesa Community College.