Roos Picked to Finish Sixth in Summit League Outdoor Preseason Poll
3/19/2025 10:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Lanham, Houston, McWashington and Perez-Vela were all named conference ‘Athletes to Watch’
SIOUX FALLS - Kansas City Track & Field comes in sixth place in the Summit League outdoor season preseason poll voted on by the coaches across the conference. The Roos racked up 18 points on the women's side, finishing ahead of Omaha and Oral Roberts. Meanwhile, Kansas City totaled 13 points on the men's side, coming in just ahead of Oral Roberts.Â
In 2024, Kansas City placed fifth in the men's standings and sixth in the women's standings for the outdoor season. The Roos set the stage for this year's outdoor campaign by finishing the 2025 indoor season strong, overachieving at the Summit League Indoor Championships where eight KC athletes earned medals.Â
Additionally, four Roos were named Summit League 'Athletes to Watch' including Tory Lanham, Nahshon Houston on the men's side and Jaleesa McWashington and Jacky Perez-Vela on the women's side. This marks the second time this year that Lanham and McWashington have made the conference preseason 'Athletes to Watch' as both athletes were tabbed just as such prior to the start of the indoor season.Â
Lanham heads into the outdoor season as one of the headline runners not just for the Roos, but in the entire Summit League. The sophomore sprinter won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter dash at the Summit League Indoor Championships and took home the men's track MVP trophy at the conference meet. Lanham will look to repeat as the Summit League 200m outdoor champion in his second bite at the apple this spring. Â
Houston is coming off a strong indoor season where the senior jumper notched a gold medal in the men's long jump at the Summit League Indoor Championships. Houston lept a mark of 7.39 meters to best all other men's jumpers at the conference meet and come just shy of his career-best mark of 7.40 meters which ranks third all-time in Roos school history.Â
McWashington earns her second nomination for the Summit League 'Athletes to Watch' list this year. The fifth year senior came within the top 10 at three separate events in the 60-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump at the conference meet to close out the indoor season. The Roos swiss army knife will look to close out her successful career with one final go this outdoor season. Â Â
Perez-Vela made a name for herself starting her collegiate career off at the ISU Holiday Invitational this past indoor season. The freshman ran a 59:03 in the 400-meter dash. Over the course of the season, Perez-Vela improved rapidly, closing out the year with a 56:45 in the 400m at the Summit League Indoor Championships.Â
Kansas City begins the 2025 outdoor season in Lawrence, Kansas at the Jayhawk Spring Fling on Saturday.
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Players Mentioned
