Pima men & women claim NJCAA Region I titles; Droeg & Cade Athletes of Meet

By Javier Morales

Posted on May 2, 2026

*The Pima Community College men’s and women’s track and field teams celebrate their NJCAA Region I titles (Ray Suarez/Pima)*

The Pima Community College women’s and men’s track & field teams claimed their NJCAA Region I team championship Thursday in the final day at Mesa Community College.

The women won their second straight title and third in last six years. The men won their fourth straight championship and fifth in the last six years.

The Aztecs women broke the Pima school record with a total of 303 team points. Their previous record was 289. Central Arizona took second place with 199 points while Mesa finished in third place with 193.

The Pima men scored a total of 247 points to claim the top spot in the final team standings. Mesa finished in second place with 232 points while Central Arizona took third place with 168.

Hannah Droeg was named the Region I Championships Female Athlete of the Meet as she scored a total of 37.5 points for the Aztecs, She also captured the 100-meter hurdles title with a time of 15.67 seconds and was second in the High Jump with a mark of 1.53 meters (5’0.25″). Droeg claimed the Region I crown in the Heptathlon last week.

Cedric Cade was named the Region I Championship Male Athlete of the Meet as he scored a total of 30 points and took home the Region I Championship in the Decathlon last week. He took third place in the High Jump at 1.97 meters (6’5.50″) for six team points.

*Pima’s Heather Droege and Cedric Cade led their respective teams to an NJCAA Region I championship and earned the Female and Male Athlete of the Meet honors (Ray Suarez/Pima)*

WOMEN

The Aztecs claimed five individual championships and one relay title.

The 4×100 relay team of sophomore Tyra Christean, freshman Aleah Castro, sophomore Hannah Droeg and freshman Trisha Stine claimed the region championship with a time of 3:55.35.

Christean became a two-time Region I champion in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.65.

The Aztecs claimed the top three spots and scored 24 points as Castro took second with a time of 1:05.60 and freshman Taylor Tatum (Sabino) finished third at 1:07.72. Tatum also placed third in the 400 meters race with a time of 58.26.

Sophomore Kymia Bridgett continued to own the competition in the Triple Jump as she claimed the top spot with a mark of 11.97 meters (39-3.25). She has won the Indoor National Championship, ACCAC Conference title and the Region I crown in the Triple Jump this season.

The Aztecs took the top four spots in the Triple Jump and secured 29 points. Freshman Cayla Jones (Cienega) took second place with a jump of 11.71 meters (38’5″), sophomore Layla Konski (Ironwood Ridge) claimed third at 11.06 meters (36’3.50″) and freshman Paris Magee was fourth, finishing with a jump of 10.78 meters (35’4.50″). Konski also took third place in the 100-meter hurdles at 15.67.

The 4×100 relay team of freshman Thalia Lopez (Sahuarita), Tatum, Magee and Bridgett secured second place and eight team points with a time of 47.74.

Freshman Lilyanne Dawson (Empire) took second place and secured eight team points with her finish in the Discus. She hit a mark of 40.84 meters (134-0).

Freshman Isabella Files grabbed second place in the Shot Put with a throw of 12.29 meters (40’4″) while fellow freshman Elizabeth Ugwu (Sahuaro) went third at 12.21 meters (40’0.75″) claiming six team points.

Freshman Kathleen Farley finished third in the High Jump with a jump of 1.53 meters (5-0.25).

Other Pima finishes that earned team points:

Thalia Lopez (Sahuarita) – Fourth place in 100 meters 12.65 (5pts); Fourth place in 200 meters 25.71 (5 points)

Paris Magee – Fourth place in Triple Jump 10.78 meters (35-4.50) (5pts); Fifth place in 100 meters 12.70 (4 points)

Morgan Mosley – Fourth place in Shot Put 10.83 meters (35’6.50″) (5 points)

Tyra Starkey – Fourth place in High Jump at 1.48 meters (4’10.25″) (5 points); Seventh place in 100-meter hurdles 17.68 (2 points)

Trisha Stine – Fourth place in 400 meters 58.78 (5pts); Fifth place in 200 meters 25.72 (4pts); Eighth place in 100 meters 12.93 (1 point)

Elizabeth Ugwu (Sahuaro) – Fourth place in Discus 37.50 meters (123’0″) (5 points)

Tyra Christean – Fifth place in 400 meters 58.94 (4 points)

Layla Konski (Ironwood Ridge) – Fifth place in 400 meters 1:10.30 (4 points)

Ivelin Mendivil – Fifth place in Discus 35.59 meters (116’9″) (4 points); Seventh place in Shot Put 10.45 meters (34’3.50″) (2 points)

Kymia Bridgett – Sixth place in 100 meters 12.71 (3 points)

Kathleen Farley – Sixth place in 100-meter hurdles 16.66 (3 points)

Isabella Files – Sixth place in Discus 32.29 meters (105’11”) (3 points)

Taylor Tatum (Sabino) – Sixth place in 200 meters 25.99 (3 points)

Carissa Hinton – Seventh place in 400 meters 1:02.62 (2 points)

Montana Poe (Sahuaro) – Seventh place in High Jump 1.43 meters (4’8.25″) (2 points)

Elizabeth Coppola (Pusch Ridge) – Seventh place in 5,000 meters 21:25.29 (2 points); Eighth place in 1,500 meters 5:41.36 (1 point)

Julie Fonseca (Rincon/University) – Eighth place in 5,000 meters 22:16.71 (1 point)

MEN

The Aztecs produced six individual champions.

Sophomore Taylor Brown claimed two Region I Championships and broke two of his own Pima school records in the process. He took first place in the 200 meters with a record-breaking time of 20.94 seconds; breaking his previous time of 20.98. He also took the top spot and set a new Pima school standard in the 400 meters with a time of 45.91. His previous time was 46.47. He scored a total of 25 team points for the Aztecs.

Freshman Andrew Smith (Tanque Verde) claimed the 5,000 meters region crown as he finished with a time of 16:01.47. Smith, along with sophomore Jackson Koontz (Salpointe Catholic), freshman Jose Hernandez (Rio Rico) and sophomore Brent Clark, helped seal the team championship as they combined to score 26 points in the race. Koontz took second place with a time of 16:01.72.

Sophomore Jake Applegate secured 16 points for the Aztecs. He claimed first place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.62 and placed third in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.52

Freshman Wyatt Nicholas took second place in the Triple Jump with a mark of 14.52 meters (47’7.75″) for eight points while Smith finished in third place in the 1,500 meters at 4:00.46 for another six points and finished with 24 team points scored.

Other Pima finishes that earned team points:

Jose Hernandez (Rio Rico) – Fourth place in 5,000 meters 16:03.48 (5 points)

Mason Hessier – Fourth place in Triple Jump 13.94 meters (45’9″) (5 points)

Wyatt Nicholas – Fourth place in high Jump 1.97 meters (6’5.50″) (5 points)

Jimmie Moody, Amon Batain (Sahuaro), Aaryon Kenney, Brody Armani – Fourth place in 4×100 relay 41.79 (5 points)

Jimmie Moody, Jake Applegate, Myles Oliver, Taylor Brown – Fourth place in 4×400 relay 3:21.53 (5 points)

Will Feagles – Fifth place in High Jump 1.92 meters (6’3.50″) (4 points)

Marshall Knox – Fifth place in Triple Jump 13.87 meters (45’6.25″) (4 points)

Jackson Koontz (Salpointe) – Fifth place in 1,500 meters 4:02.63 (4 points)

·Caleb Miller – Fifth place in Discus 44.35 meters (145’6″) (4 points)

Amon Batain – Sixth place in 100 meters 10.89 (3 points)

Brent Clark – Sixth place in 5,000 meters 16:07.34 (3 points)