CONCORDIA, Kansas — Thursday marks the first day of the final meet in the 2017 season for the Cloud County Community College track and field teams. A total of 27 student-athletes will make the bus trip down to Hutchinson, Kansas for the NJCAA Division I National Outdoor Championships.

The three-day event will be held at Gowans Stadium and is available to watch online through FloTrack.com.

Cloud County's national qualifiers consist of 11 members from the women's team and 16 members of the men's team, all eyeing a podium finish and potential national title.

"We're very excited and the opportunity is always great when you get to a national meet," said Cloud County head women's coach, Ted Schmitz. "I think we can have some good things happen. There are so many variables that go into a meet like this. But I believe we're as prepared as we can be."

Sophomore thrower Nayoka Clunis could be in line for a special weekend as she is the top ranked athlete in both the women's hammer throw and women's discus events. She is also the No. 3 seed in the shot put and No. 9 seed in the javelin.

Clunis is coming off of a dominating performance in the Region VI/KJCCC Championships two weeks ago in Arkansas City, Kansas where set two school records and collect event wins in the discus, hammer throw and shot put.

Freshman distance runner Ariel St. John and freshman pole vaulter Halie Turner could also challenge for national titles.

St. John is the No. 5 seed in the women's 800-meter run, less than five seconds off the top time of Monroe's Susan Ejore (2:08.82).

As for Turner, a two-time Region VI/KJCCC pole vault champion, she enters the weekend as the No. 9 seed. Injuries sidelined Turner for the indoor national champions, making this weekend her first appearance at a national meet.

On the men's side, distance runners Moses Dirane and Thobile Mosito are each primed to return with hardware as they are top-10 seeds in multiple events.

The duo are frontrunners in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as Dirane owns the top seed with a qualifying time of 9:19.61, while Mosito is third at 9:27.71.

"We'll see what the other competition has, but we're hoping those guys can go 1-2 in that event. They have a good shot if they run well," said Cloud County men's head coach, Harry Kitchener.

Kitchener added that he is expecting productive weekends from Cloud's top two throwers, sophomore Rajindra Campbell and freshman Vashon McCarthy, as well as sophomore pole vaulter Chance Chrisman, freshman distance runner Stephen Marindich and decathletes,Robson Yinambe and Jared Pfeifer.

This year's NJCAA National Outdoor Championships will be a special one for Kitchener as he is scheduled to be inducted into the NJCAA Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, following the National Anthem and prior to the day's final events.

"I'm looking forward to Saturday," Kitchener said.  "I have a ring of 15 coaches and administrators. A lot of them will have their own teams there competing, will be recruiting there in Hutchinson, or will be coming to watch. We're looking forward to seeing some alumni."

Schmitz, as president of the NJCAA Track and Field Coaches Association, will be part of the ceremony that will honor his long-time friend and colleague, as well as three addition Hall of Fame inductees that will join Kitchener as part of the 2017 class.

"It's a well-deserved honor for him and it's going to be a fantastic day," Schmitz said. "Being able to award that to him and the other inductees is exciting. It's been great to be on the same staff as (Kitchener) for so many years."

Cloud County national qualifiers

Women's team          Events

Marjorie Thompson  100m/4x100/4x400

Renee Summerville  100m Hurdles/4x100

Precious Posey  Long Jump/4x100

Halie Turner  Pole Vault

Jatoria McGirt  100m/200m/4x100m

Nayoka Clunis  Hammer Throw/Discus/Shot Put/Javelin

Gabbreil Harris-David  Discus/ Hammer Throw

Shania Anguish  4x100m/4x400m/4x800m

Thandeka Manzana  4x800m

Rebecca LaBerge  4x800m

Ariel St. John  800m/4x400m/4x800m

Men's team            Events

Rajindra Campbell  Shot/Discus

Vashon McCarthy  Shot/Discus

Moses Dirane  1500m/3,000m Steeple/5,000m

Thobile Mosito  10,000m/5,000m, 3,000m Steeple

Stephen Marindich  800m/4x400m

Marco Joseph  400m Hurdles/4x400m

Armand Van Zyl  400m Hurdles/4x400m

Chance Chrisman  Pole Vault

Ryan Kraushaar  Javelin

Wesley Logorava  100m/200m/4x400m

Robson Yinambe  Decathlon/Javelin

Darrien Lipscomb  400m/4x400m

Ramel Mason  Triple Jump

Raymond Nellom  High Jump

Jared Pfeifer  Decathlon

Tristen Winkel  Pole Vault