Cougars Capture Long Jump National Title, Earn 23 All-America Honors, Post Two Top-10 Team Finishes in the Country.
UTICA, N.Y. — Battling through three days of cold temperatures, steady rain, gusting winds, and challenging championship conditions, the St. Charles Community College track & field program turned in one of the finest performances in school history at the 2026 NJCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, highlighted by an individual Long jump national title, 23 NJCAA All-America honors, multiple podium finishes, and top-10 team finishes on both the men's and women's sides.
The Cougar women finished tied for seventh nationally with 36 points, while the SCC men placed 10th overall with 30 points, marking one of the strongest combined national finishes in program history.
"This weekend showed exactly who we are as a program," said SCC head coach Victor Mathuthu. "The conditions were tough, but our athletes responded with confidence, toughness, and belief. To leave here with a national champion, 23 All-America honors, and top-10 finishes on both sides says everything about this group."
White Headlines Championship Weekend with National Title
Freshman Alissa White delivered the signature performance of the meet for the Cougars, capturing the NJCAA Division III national championship in the women's long jump with a winning leap of 4.90 meters (16-1) on her fifth attempt.
White scored 10 team points with the victory and continued her remarkable weekend by earning three additional All-America honors. The freshman standout added a fifth-place finish in the women's triple jump (10.28m / 33-8¾), an eighth-place finish in the women's javelin (25.80m), and helped SCC's 4x100-meter relay to a national scoring performance.
White closed the championships as a four-time All-American and national champion.
Davis Leads Men with Runner-Up Finish in 110 Hurdles
Freshman Charles Davis delivered one of the top track performances of the championship, earning All-America honors with a runner-up finish in the men's 110-meter hurdles.
Davis qualified for Saturday's final after posting a 15.13 preliminary mark, the third-fastest time in the field. He returned in the championship final and crossed in 15.45 to finish second overall, scoring eight points for the Cougar men.
Three Additional Podium Finishes Highlight SCC Championship Weekend
The Cougars continued to build momentum throughout the weekend with three more podium finishes, showcasing the depth and versatility of the program on the national stage.
Freshman multi-event standout Erin Jakle continued her remarkable first collegiate season by earning NJCAA All-America honors in the women's heptathlon. Competing across seven events over two days in challenging weather conditions, Jakle totaled 2,554 points to secure a third-place national finish, adding six valuable points to the Cougar women's team total.
Freshman Oliver Rothweiler opened the championship competition in impressive fashion for the Cougar men. Battling wet and windy conditions in the men's pole vault, Rothweiler cleared 4.52 meters (14-10) to earn a third-place national finish and NJCAA All-America honors. Rothweiler capped an outstanding freshman campaign as the St. Charles Community College school record holder in the pole vault.
Freshman hurdler Brayden Cahoon added another podium finish for SCC in the men's 400-meter hurdles. After qualifying for Saturday's championship final with a preliminary time of 58.36, Cahoon returned in the final and delivered one of the biggest performances of the weekend, lowering his time to 57.15 to finish third nationally, earning NJCAA All-America honors and six critical points for the Cougar men.
NJCAA All-America honors:
Pritchett Delivers Breakout National Meet
Freshman Isabella Pritchett turned in one of the most impressive performances of the weekend, earning three NJCAA All-America honors with three top-eight national finishes. Pritchett recorded a lifetime-best mark of 10.41 meters (34-2) to finish 4th nationally in the women's triple jump, before adding another All-America performance in the women's long jump, placing 5th with a mark of 4.66 meters (15-3½). She also ran a key leg on SCC's 7th-place women's 4x100-meter relay, helping the Cougars add another national scoring performance.
Jakle Adds Three More All-America Performances
In addition to her 3rd-place All-America finish in the women's heptathlon, freshman Erin Jakle added three more top-eight finishes and NJCAA All-America honors during the championships. Jakle finished 7th in the women's long jump with a mark of 4.54 meters (14-10¾), followed by another 7th-place finish in the women's 100-meter hurdles in 18.76. She also helped anchor SCC's women's 4x100-meter relay to a 7th-place national finish in 57.21.
Jakle concluded the weekend as a four-time NJCAA All-American.
Dewitt Doubles with Two All-America Finishes
Sophomore Xander Dewitt showcased his versatility by qualifying for two championship hurdle finals and earning NJCAA All-America honors in both events. Dewitt advanced in the 110-meter hurdles after posting a 15.15 preliminary mark, before returning to finish 7th nationally in 16.33.
Later in the meet, Dewitt qualified for the 400-meter hurdles final with a time of 57.77, then returned on championship Saturday to place 7th nationally in 58.73.
Dewitt finished the championships as a two-time NJCAA All-American.
Malwa, Burks Add More All-America Honors
Freshman sprinter Noel Malwa delivered one of the most dramatic qualifying performances of the championships, advancing to the men's 100-meter final by just .003 seconds after posting 11.03 in preliminaries. Malwa returned Saturday and earned NJCAA All-America honors with a 7th-place finish in 11.70.
Freshman Charles Burks added another All-America performance for the Cougar men in the pole vault, clearing 3.92 meters (12-10¼) to finish 8th nationally.
Cougar Relays Earn All-America Honors
SCC's relay squads also delivered on the national stage with top-eight finishes and NJCAA All-America honors.
The women's 4x100-meter relay team of Erin Jakle, Alissa White, Alexandria Romer, and Isabella Pritchett battled through difficult weather conditions to finish 7th nationally in 57.21.
The Cougar men's 4x400-meter relay team of Gavin Wicklund, Aydin Sezen, Myles Freeman, and Brayden Cahoon qualified for Saturday's championship final with a 3:29.57 preliminary mark, before lowering their time to 3:26.74 to finish 6th nationally.
Final Team Standings
Women
#7. St. Charles Community College — 36 Points
Men
10. St. Charles Community College — 30 Points
Championship Weekend by the Numbers
- 1 National Champion
- 23 NJCAA All-America Honors
- 15 Individual All-America Performances
- 8 Relay All-America Honors
- 2 Top-10 Team Finishes
- Multiple School Records
- Athletes Scoring in Sprints, Hurdles, Jumps, Throws, Pole Vault, Relays, and Multi-Events
"What this team accomplished this weekend is something our program will remember for a very long time," said SCC head coach Victor Mathuthu. "To compete on the national stage against some of the best programs in the country, battle through cold temperatures, steady rain, strong winds, and still perform at such a high level speaks volumes about the character of this group. Our student-athletes never made excuses—they embraced every challenge, trusted their preparation, and competed with toughness, heart, and pride. Bringing home a national championship, earning 23 All-America honors, and finishing in the top-10 nationally on both the men's and women's sides reflects the culture, commitment, and standard we are building here at St. Charles. This weekend was another major step forward for our program, and it showed that SCC is not only capable of competing on the national stage, but also contending for championships for years to come."
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