JUCO track and field: Galvez leads IHCC to fourth-place national finish
HOBBS, NM — For the third consecutive year, the Indian Hills Men's Track and Field squad brought home a top-five finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Men's Outdoor National Championship. The Warriors placed fourth overall at the Ross Black Field of Champions in Hobbs, New Mexico. The Warriors were led by sophomore Raynier Galvez who brought home his second consecutive NJCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track 800-meter national championship.
The sophomore standout, who was tapped as the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Regio Track Athlete of the Year, crossed the line in 1:49. 35 to take home the gold. In total, the Warriors produced All-American honors in 14 separate events, including two relay events.
Indian Hills boasted three national runner-up honors and a total of seven top-five performances to finish with 60 team points. The Warriors continued an unprecedented run at the national championships with its third consecutive outdoor top-five finish. Indian Hills placed fifth in 2024, fourth in 2025, and fourth in 2026 in addition to the program's indoor national title in 2024.
Along with Galvez's dominant showing in the 800 meters, the sophomore powered the 4x800 relay squad to a silver medal with a time of 7:18. 73. The mark proved to be a new national meet record, along with an Indian Hills school record, but the Warriors were edged by Iowa Central by just 0.
46 seconds. The Warriors produced a second relay silver medal with a runner-up finish in the 4x100 relay. The quartet of James Kokuro, Damor Miller, Izaiah Loveless and Hector Benjamin secured the second-place showing with a time of 39.