A young team certainly on the move, the Lady-Builders have enjoyed a meteoric rise in success the past several years, winning five KCAC outdoor track and field team titles the past eight seasons and establishing a new conference record in 1995 for total team points scored with 263. They have not lost to a conference opponent since 1992. In addition, Southwestern's women have received national recognition for their achievements in recent NAIA National Championship events.
Furthermore, Lady-Builders have won 56 individual conference titles the past eleven seasons and have literally rewritten the Southwestern College indoor and outdoor record books since 1990. Six Lady-Builders have earned All-America status a total of nine times since 1990 and the women's 4 X 400 meter relay team was a fourth place finisher at the '95 National Indoor Meet.
During the summer of 1994, the track facility at Southwestern was renovated with a new surface. New field event areas, a new lighting system, new stadium seats and a new press box facility were installed in 1985.
Monypeny Track inside Sonner Stadium is considered one of the finest NAIA facilities in the Midwest, and has been host to numerous invitational, collegiate championships, and high school championship meets.
| Event | Record | Held By | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 Yard Dash | 7.45 | Karla Griffin | 1994 |
| 55 Meter Dash | 7.44 | Karla Griffin | 1994 |
| Tiffany Granzow | 1996 | ||
| 60 Meter Dash | 8.51 | Janaye White | 1997 |
| Tiffany Granzow | 1997 | ||
| 200 Meter Dash | 26.44 | Janaye White | 1997 |
| 300 Yard Dash | 39.64 | Daphne Dobbins | 1994 |
| 400 Meter Dash | 60.01 | Stephanie Gonzales | 1995 |
| 600 Yard Run | 1:32.44 | Jana Gaston | 1990 |
| 600 Meter Run | 1:42.74 | Stacy Kahrs | 1999 |
| 800 Meter Run | 2:20.65 | Stacy Kahrs | 1999 |
| 1,000 Yard Run | 2:49.24 | Michelle Lance | 1990 |
| 1,000 Meter Run | 3:10.13 | Carrie Cook | 1997 |
| Mile Run | 5:14.41 | Stacy Kahrs | 1999 |
| 3,000 Meter Run | 10:27.78 | Lisa Buller | 1995 |
| 2 Mile Run | 11:18.74 | Kathy Boone | 1987 |
| 5,000 Meter Run | 17:55.04 | Raquel Rios | 1995 |
| 3 Mile Run | 17:38.07 | Raquel Rios | 1994 |
| 55 Meter HH | 8.25 | Carrie Plumley | 1999 |
| 60 Meter HH | 9.30 | Carrie Plumley | 1997 |
| 60 Yard HH | 8.94 | Sherri Hudson | 1986 |
| Heather Rucker | 1996 | ||
| 176 Yard LH | 24.84 | Jennifer Morris | 1988 |
| Heather Rucker | 1994 | ||
| Long Jump | 17-3 | Sherri Hudson | 1986 |
| High Jump | 5-6 | Denise Allen | 1993 |
| Triple Jump | 34-8.75 | Sherri Hudson | 1986 |
| Shot Put | 44-8 | Shari Kennedy | 1991 |
| 20# Weight | 40'5 | Stacy Houlden | 1997 |
| Distance Medley | 12:55.44 | Melissa Greer | 1995 |
| Relay (yards) | Stephanie Gonzales | ||
| Carrie Cook | |||
| Raquel Rios | |||
| 4 X 400 Meter Relay | 4:00.87 | Daphne Dobbins | 1995 |
| Stephanie Gonzales | |||
| Janaye White | |||
| Missy Payne | |||
| 2- Mile Relay | 9:55.14 | Carrie Cook | 1996 |
| Stephany Berry | |||
| Dena Ensign | |||
| Melissa Greer | |||
| Pentathlon | 2778 | Melanie Dauster | 1997 |
| Event | Record | Held By | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Meter Dash | 11.84 | Nicole Ledbetter | 1999 |
| 200 Meter Dash | 25.25 | Nicole Ledbetter | 1997 |
| 400 Meter Dash | 58.00 | Janaye White | 1997 |
| 800 Meter Dash | 2:17.99 | Stacy Kahrs | 1999 |
| 1,500 Meter Run | 4:48.94 | Brenda Kaiser | 1986 |
| 3,000 Meter Run | 10:29.86 | Lisa Buller | 1995 |
| 5,000 Meter Run | 17:58.84 | Raquel Rios | 1995 |
| 10,000 Meter Run | 37:08.81 | Raquel Rios | 1994 |
| Marathon | 2:58:04 | Raquel Rios | 1995 |
| 100 Meter HH | 14.18 | Carrie Plumley | 1999 |
| 400 Meter LH | 64.77 | Ngan Nguyen | 1999 |
| Long Jump | 18-0 | Sherri Hudson | 1985 |
| Triple Jump | 36-6.5 | Melissa Pickerign | 1996 |
| High Jump | 5-6 | Fawn Anderson | 1988 |
| Denise Allen | 1991 | ||
| Shot Put | 46-2 | Shari Kennedy | 1991 |
| Discus | 139-6 | Holly Vonderhoe | 1990 |
| Javelin | 131-3 | Marcie Grace | 1995 |
| Hammer | 138-1 | Stacy Houlden | 1997 |
| 4 X 100 Meter Relay | 47.90 | T. Granzow, J. White | 1997 |
| C. Plumley, N. Ledbetter | |||
| 4 X 200 Meter Relay | 1:44.0 | T. Granzow, J. White | 1997 |
| C. Plumley, N. Ledbetter | |||
| 880 Yard Relay | 1:52.24 | F.Anderson, S.Goss | 1988 |
| J.Morris, C.Holt | |||
| Sprint Medley Relay | 1:48.44 | T. Granzow, J. Beckelhymer | 1989 |
| N. Ledbetter, J. White | |||
| Distance Medley | 13:00.13 | D. Dobbins, S. Gonzales | 1995 |
| Relay (Yards) | L..Buller, R. Rios | ||
| Distance Medley | 13:12.44 | Cassie Helmer, Mandy Mundinger | 1995 |
| Relay (Meters) | Stacy Kahrs, Misty Cunningham | ||
| 4 X 400 Meter Relay | 3:58.32 | S. Gonzales, J. White | 1995 |
| M. Greer, D. Dobbins | |||
| 4 X 800 Meter Relay | 9:49.04 | Cassie Helmer, Julie Woolf | 1999 |
| Leah Brant, Stacy Kahrs | |||
| Mile Relay | 4:03.00 | Ngan Nguyen, Tania McLean | 1999 |
| Mandy Mundinger, Stac Kahrs |
Mike Kirkland A 1982 graduate of Southwestern College, Mike Kirkland enters his third year as Head Women's Track Coach at Southwestern, after serving as an assistant to Jim Helmer in cross country and track the previous 12 years.
The recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree, Kirkland transferred toSouthwestern College from Cloud County Community College in 1980. An NAIA Academic All-American in 1981-1982, Kirkland was a member of the Southwestern College 440 yard and 4 x 100 meter relay teams that held the school record for those events. He also competed in the NAIA National Track & Field Championships both as a junior and senior for Southwestern.
Since joining Helmer in 1982, the sprint & relay programs for both the men and women at Southwestern were quick to make an immediate impact at the conference and district level, and have gained national recognition with some of its most recent accomplishments. In 1995 & 1996, Kirkland was named KCAC Women's Track Coach of the Year.
Over the past 14 years, Kirkland's sprinters have won 48 individual and 32 relay KCAC titles. In District 10 championships, 48 individual and 19 relay titles belong to Moundbuilder sprinters. Also during this time, his athletes have earned All-KCAC honors 190 times and All-District 10 honors 166 times.
S.C. sprinters have raced to ten individual and seven relay records in KCAC, District 10, and NAIA Mid-States Championship meets.Additionally, the men's 4 x 100 relay has lost just one time at the conference meet since 1982, and the women's 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams set new conference records in 1995.
At the national level, 12 athletes have earned NAIA All-America honors 21 times, including two National runner-up finishes by Anthony Jennings in the 600 yard run and the 400 meter dash, and relay teams that have been National Finalists a total of 10 times. In 1991, the men's 4 x 400 relay team earned All-America status with a 6th place finish in 3:10.25, anchored by Jenning's 45.4 split. This was the fastest final ever run in the 4 x 400 relay at the NAIA Championships. This same relay also finished 4th place at the '91 National Indoor Championships. In 1995, the women's 4 x 400 relay was a fourth place finisher at the National Indoor Championships, and the men's 4 x 100 relay earned All-American honors at the Outdoor Championships with a third place finish and school record time of 40.88.
A native of Marysville, KS, Kirkland will continue to head the sprint and relay program for the men's and women's teams, and direct the recruiting efforts for cross country and track.
Aside from his coaching duties, Kirkland serves as Sports Information Director and Assistant to the Director of Athletics, and is on the Events Committee and All-America Scholar -Athlete Committee with the NAIA Track & Field Coaches Association.