MESA, Ariz. — The Barton Community College women’s track and field team placed fifth at the NJCAA Division-I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships held the past three days.  
The fifth-place finish follows a fourth-place finish for Barton at the NJCAA Indoor Championships held in March.  
The Lady Cougars scored 51 points as Female Athlete of the Meet Lydia Mato and Agnes Abu won a combined four events with Mato also picking up a second-place finish, along with Elizabeth Evans placing sixth to earn Barton an additional three points.
Winning every award possible in the indoor season, Lydia Mato added two more titles and a second-place finish in the national outdoor season, winning both the 10,000-meter and 5,000 runs.
On Thursday, Mato displayed her dominance in the long runs, recording the third-best time in school history winning the 10,000 in 39:08.93.
Less than three hours after her epic 1,500 race against Abu on Saturday, Mato blew away the field in winning the 5,000 in 17:19.59, second in school history to her own 17:15.36 record set this season at the Kansas Relays.  
Mato’s impressive national championship resume now includes a 10,000 outdoor title, both indoor and outdoor 5,000 title, an indoor 3,000 title, and an indoor 1 Mile Run title.  
Additionally, Mato not only was voted the NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Meet, but the freshman from Ghana also earned the honor for the outdoor season as well.
Just like at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships, Agnes Abu won both her races adding the outdoor 800 and 1,500 titles to her impressive season.  
Abu and teammate Mato controlled the 1,500 race from the start with Abu pulling away for the title in eighth-best school history time of 4:39.62.  
Mato’s second place also made a dent in the school 1,500 charts, recording Barton’s 12th best time in 4:41.45.
The best performance of the meet for the Lady Cougars came in the 800.
Returning to the track less than two hours from her 1,500 title in the near 100-degree temperature, Abu wasn’t expected to challenge for the 800 title.  
Instead Abu controlled the race and despite being passed by South Plains in the last 70 meters, found a second gear to overtake for the victory.  Abu not only surpasses her personal-best time by over two seconds, her 2:09.92 winning time was also the 10th fastest time in school history.
Adding to the Barton All-American list, Elizabeth Evans reached the podium, placing sixth in the discus with a 42.25 throw. Evans also competed in the shot put, recording a personal collegiate best throw of 11.92 to place 17th.
Trenna Cox posted another consecutive personal best throwing 29.05 to place 17th.
Shay-Ann Holness led the Lady Cougars in the 400 hurdles, edging out teammate Kiana Winston for 17th place, crossing the line in 1:05.01 with Winston coming in at 1:05.62.  
Winston was the lone entry in the 100 hurdles but a false start in the prelims eliminated her from competition.
In the jumps, N’Kia Jones placed 12th in the triple jump in 11.07 but did not compete in the scheduled long jump due to injury.
Modesty Lorick began the national championships on Thursday competing in the Heptathlon.
However Lorick suffered an injury in the event’s first event and subsequently had to withdraw from the event, as well as, the 400 hurdles on Friday.