COD's return to Division III track and field has left its competition in the dust since the Chaps' started its winning streak of four in 2021.
 
This weekend, the Chaparrals are in championship mode and looking to add to its current streak when the meet begins Thursday morning in Utica, N.Y., and hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College.
 
COD has qualifiers in each of the 19 individual events and will race all three relays.
 
Since the NJCAA recognized non-scholarship track and field in 1998, the Chaparrals have dominated. COD won four national championships (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010) under Hall of Famer Jane Vatchev, and then started their current run in 2021.
 
All told, COD has won eight team titles and is the odds-on-favorites to make it nine overall, according to the USTFCCCA rating index. COD has a ranking of 938.72, a more than a 100-point lead over Harper (826.36). Joliet Junior Collee is third at 605.56.
 
COD's depth will be the key during the three-day competition. Example, COD has four individuals who have qualified in both the 100 and 200, and five in the 400. Teams are not allowed to compete with more than three individuals in an event.
 
However, that depth will allow the coaching staff, led by head coach Mallory Dominguez, to mix-and-match in all three relays.
 
All-American sophomore high jumper Ronan Cornelius looks to repeat as national champion in his event. He leads the competition at 6-7 ¾ and is seventh in the long jump.
 
Sophomore sprinter Weston White ranks first in both the 100 and 200 after finishing second in each event a year ago.
 
Freshman All-American pole vaulter William Kallas holds distinction as the top in his event, along with an impressive 50.71 time in the 400.
 
Sophomore hammer thrower Sterling Sawicki also leads in his event at 47.53 meters (155-11) and also will compete in the shot put.
 
All-American sprinter Tim McMiller ranks second in the 100 and discus thrower John Tarpeh ranks second at 39.56 m (129-9).
 
COD returns three of its four runners on last year's record-setting 4 x 100 relay team. The team of Landon Zimny, McMiller, White, and Elijah Phipps own a top time of 41.60, just 39 hundredths of a second off COD's time of 41.21.
 
Kallas, who owns a season-best 4.85 m (15-11) in the pole vault, seeks the record of 4.96 m (16-0 ¾) set in 2004 by Alfred State's Kurt Dunn.
 
COD's NJCAA qualifiers
(Must rank in top 16 in NJCAA D3)
 
100 meters
1 Weston White 10.71, 2 Tim McMiller 10.74, 11 Elijah Phipps 11.00, 11 Landon Zimny 11.00
 
200 meters
1 Weston White 21.64, 3 Elijah Phipps 21.95, 4 Landon Zimny 21.99, 14 Tim McMiller 22.45
 
400 meters
8 Owen Fitzgerald 50.18, 11 William Kallas 50.71, 13 Landon Zimny 50.91, 14 Weston White 50.95, 15 Chris Ruchaj 51.02
 
800 meters
8 Shaymis Powell 2:01.04, 9 Jack Schultz 2:01.08, 13 Connor Vine 2:02.15
 
1500 meters
7 Jack Schultz 4:11.29, 8 Connor Vine 4:11.66, 13 Addisu Wolski 4:15.15, 14 Shaymis Powell 4:15.50
 
5000 meters
8 Roman Nevarez 16:18.94, 9 Addisu Wolski 16:22.00, 11 John Buchanan 16:28.70, 13 Jack Schultz 16:36.54
 
10,000 meters
4 Roman Nevarez 35:12.21, 6 John Buchanan 36:22.13, 10 David Aviles 37:36.03
 
110 hurdles
6 Karam Tajeddin 16.16
 
400 hurdles
10 Karam Tajeddin 59.40
 
3000 steeplechase
3 John Buchanan 10:28.95, 7 Thomas Payne 10:56.04, 8 Zachary Kahsen 10:57.57, 9 Shaymis Powell 11:07.91
 
4 x 100 relay
1 41.60 (Landon Zimny, Tim McMiller, Weston White, Elijah Phipps)
 
4 x 400 relay
3 3:22.91 (Owen Fitzgerald, Chris Ruchaj, Elijah Phipps, William Kallas)
 
4 x 800 relay
3 8:16.76 (composite time)
 
High jump
1 Ronan Cornelius 2.03 m (6-7 ¾), 9 Khalil Hamilton 1.84 m (6-0 ½), 16 Bryan Pochowicz 1.79 m (5-10 ½)
 
Pole vault
1 William Kallas 4.85 m (15-11), 7 Jack Chemlik 3.70 m (12-1 ½), 8 Bryan Pochowicz 3.68 m (12-0 ¾)
 
Long jump
7 Ronan Cornelius 6.65 m (21-10), 11 Elijah Phipps 6.36 m (20-10 ½), 13 Anthony Urban 6.25 m (20-6 ¼)
 
Triple jump
6 Karam Tajeddin 13.08 m (42-11)
 
Shot put
4 Tayo Taiwo 13.85 m (45-5 ¼), 6 Sterling Sawicki 13.65 m (44-9 ½), 7 John Tarpeh 13.14 m (43-1 ½)
 
Discus
2 John Tarpeh 39.56 m (129-9)
 
Hammer
1 Sterling Sawicki 47.53 m (155-11), 2 Tayo Taiwo 44.81 m (147-0), 4 John Tarpeh 41.51 m (136-2), 10 Matthew Edborg 34.58 m (113-5)
 
Javelin
7 Keenan O'Keefe 41.76 m (137-0)
 
Decathlon
Jake Gagne and Anthony Urban will compete