ALVA, Okla. – With the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Spring semester beginning soon, student-athletes will be back on campus preparing for their upcoming seasons, including the inaugural NCAA recruiting class for NWOSU Women's Track and Field.
Led by Jill Lancaster, the Ranger athletes will compete in a track and field championship season for the first time since the early 1980's. Lancaster and her staff worked tirelessly to put together a roster of 29 newcomers to be ready to kick off their season in February.
"I am honored to have this opportunity to establish a program that can attract so many fine student-athletes," said Lancaster. "History will be made this season as school records and rankings will be established in our first season in the Great American Conference. In addition, the GAC is expanding as well by hosting its first ever indoor conference championship.
"Our athletes are looking forward to making their marks in the NWOSU record books and in the conference. They are ready to put the conference on notice."
Mid-Distance / Distance
Kayla Gourley (Senior; Wichita, Kansas): Gourley is the lone athlete who has competed for Northwestern prior to this past fall season as she came to NWOSU in 2017. Her senior leadership will be pivotal to the growth of the first-year program and her experience in cross country will prove to be an asset for her in the track and field championship season.
Ladasheray Bell (Freshman; Alva, Oklahoma): Bell, a freshman hometown standout, made a significant impact during the cross country season and is set to make a statement in the track and field season. Bell was a state champion in the 800 in her senior year of high school.
Journey LeBeau (Freshman; Riverton, Wyoming): LeBeau also ran well during the fall cross country season and is poised to make a difference during the track and field championship season. A relatively newcomer to the sport, LeBeau will bring tremendous speed to her events, including relay races.
Jessalyn Rivet-Tissot (Junior; Sees, France): A transfer from Johnson County Community College (Kansas), Rivet qualified for the NJCAA Nationals in the steeplechase prior to joining Northwestern cross country and track and field teams. The junior looks to apply her strong fall season in cross country meets to the ever grueling steeplechase in the spring.
Crystal Castillo (Junior; Dodge City, Kansas): With a sprint background, Castillo is a transfer from Dodge City Community College (Kansas) that had a successful cross country season. She will continue to use her distance skills during the track and field season.
Camille Lear (Freshman; Tahlequah, Oklahoma): Slowed up during the cross country season due to a nagging injury, Lear is healthy and ready to get back on track for the spring season.
Jean Dodds (Freshman; Enid, Oklahoma): A long distance specialist, Dodds developed her base depth during the fall cross season and looks to carry her development into the track season.
Melissa Perez (Freshman; Ringwood, Oklahoma): Perez was a cross country standout and state qualifier at Ringwood High School. Since joining the team, she has been working hard to be competition ready in track and field.
Throwers
Zarin Goodrich (Junior; Melvern, Kansas): Goodrich brings valuable experience to the program as a third place finisher in the National Junior College Athletic Association national meet in the javelin while competing with Iowa Western CC. She will also be competing in the multi event.
Krissie May (Freshman; Viola, Kansas): May, a dual sport student-athlete competing on the Ranger rodeo team as well, will be joining Goodrich in the javelin this season. May is "showing great promise, and may participate in additional throwing events in the future."
Rosaria Milton (Freshman; Duncan, Oklahoma): Milton joins the Northwestern team as the reigning 5A State Champion in the shot. Lancaster believes her high level of success in high school helps bring experience to a young, growing program.
Rayna Patton (Freshman; Kingfisher, Oklahoma): Much like Milton, Patton brings a championship from high school to college, winning the OSSAA 4A Discus title in 2018. Patton was also a state qualifier in the shot put.
Kelsey Swindle (Freshman; Woodward, Oklahoma): Swindle has grasped both the shot and the discus and is applying a powerlifting background in her events. Swindle is also a member of the Northwestern cheerleading team.
Eryn Setzer (Freshman; Hydro, Oklahoma): Setzer has been working hard in the offseason to become a strong competitor at the collegiate level. She has a good grasp techniques needed for the javelin and looks to be a threat in throwing events.
Jenny Martinez (Freshman; Mangum, Oklahoma): A state qualifier in the shot put in high school, Martinez has shown strength improvement after her first semester of college, and is learning her raw talent can be utilized in all throwing events with great upswing for the future.
Sprints / Jumps / Multi
Kylee Isbell (Junior; Cordell, Oklahoma): Isbell is a transfer from Dodge City Community College who brings high level of experience from the junior college national level in both long and short relays. She will help lead the long sprints with hopes to expand her talents in jumps as well.
Cayla Smither (Junior; Houston, Texas): Smither is one of eight athletes with collegiate experience on the resurrected program after competing with Pratt Community College. The junior will be competing as as a triple jump specialist, but will be an impact athlete in longer sprints and relays. Along with her work in the triple jump, Smither will also add depth in the long jump and the high jump.
Keiazyiah Young (Freshman; Del City, Oklahoma): An Oklahoman Big All-City honoree in the long jump, Young was a multiple event 6A state qualifier during her time at the high school level. Young was a part of numerous state championships in the sprint relays, as well as high finishes in the long jump. She looks to make her mark on NWOSU track and field immediately in the sprints and as a jumper.
Lashayla Green (Freshman; Canton, Oklahoma): Another short sprint specialist, utilizing her talents in relays, is Green. One of multiple athletes who competed during the cross country season, she was able to use that time to continue to develop strength. The freshman will use her experience as a state meet qualifier to build upon as she enters her collegiate career.
Alexa Leyva (Freshman; El Paso, Texas): Coming from the El Paso, Texas area, Leyva's talents as a long jumper will have an immediate impact in the first collegiate season, while also growing in the triple jump. The freshman, who competed a high club level, will also help pace the Ranger athletes in relay events.
Caitlyn Johnson (Freshman; Burns Flat, Oklahoma): Johnson is a short sprint specialist who comes to Northwestern after a senior season of high school in which she qualified for the state meet, while also competing in short relays. She is a former powerlifter in high school that will look to utilize that strength on the track.
Kaitlyn McClary (Freshman; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma): Molding into a jumper, McClary is a very coachable young talent from Oklahoma City who has great potential in mastering her jumping skills.
Selena McDonald (Redshirt Freshman; Fredrick, Oklahoma): A standout on the Lady Ranger basketball team, McDonald will make the transition after basketball in March as she looks to return to her state championship form in the high jump.
Yosbelli Lora (Redshirt Freshman; Ringwood, Oklahoma): After a year on campus as a redshirt, Lora is ready to work hard to get ready for competition at the collegiate level.
Megan Mayfield (Redshirt Sophomore; Bridge Creek, Oklahoma): Mayfield is a dual-sport athlete who is also a member of the Northwestern women's soccer team. The redshirt sophomore is working to tap back into her talents for the collegiate track and field season while providing depth to the relays.
Madeline Jacobsen (Junior; Parker, Colorado): Jacobson comes to Northwestern after competing on the Pratt Community College (Kansas) track and field team. She was a fifth place finisher at the NJCAA National Championship in the 400-meter hurdles provide valuable experience in this event. She will provide depth and leadership in the long sprints.
Gina Wilson (Freshman; Perry, Oklahoma): Wilson was a state meet qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles in high school who will be competing in multi events, as well as hurdles and jumps.
Claire Theis (Junior; Kingman, Kansas): Much like Wilson, Theis is an athlete who will compete in wide range of events. Theis participated with the Ranger cross country runners in the fall following a junior college stint at Dodge City Community College.
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