College track and field: Harper teams aim for high achievement at nationals

A total of 32 members of the Harper College men's and women's track and field teams are in Westfield, Mass., to participate in the NJCAA Division III track and field championships.

The meet begins Saturday and concludes Sunday. Harper will be represented by 16 men and 16 women.

Four members of the men's team will be particularly busy.

Freshman Will Troman, who placed third at the NJCAA cross country nationals in the fall, will compete in both the 1500 meters and the 5K. Sophomore Adam Brauer (Palatine) will also toe the line in the 5K in addition to competing in the steeplechase. Another Palatine alum, Nick Dorsen, will be go after a jumping double (long jump, high jump).

Laith Kanan (Palatine) will be active in the throwing rings, after qualifying in the discus, shot put, javelin and hammer throw. Last year, Kanan earned All-American honors after finishing second in the hammer throw at nationals.

The Harper women are looking to improve on their 2015 runner-up finish. The leader of the team is sophomore Leah Kloss. The defending national champion in the 100 and 200 meters is looking to repeat the feat. She was also a member of the winning 4x100 meter relay team last year along with Ashley Proksa (Palatine), who could help the Hawks score points in three events. The most promising of them for Proksa is the 200 meters.

Hoffman Estates grad Shayan Dussard is another athlete who could score in mulitple events. She is part of a strong stable of 100 and 200 runners and placed third nationally last year in the 100. She'll also compete in the high jump and hammer throw. The sophomore was fourth in the hammer throw last year and also had a leg on the winning 4x100 relay.

The Harper distance program will be represented by Ali Gutt. The Schaumburg alum will race the 800 and 1,500 meters.