TMB SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW: TRACK AND FIELD
The Panther track and field team might only have a handful of seniors on this year’s team, but that by no means doesn’t indicate a lack of experience.
There is just one senior girl and five senior boys this year, and they will be joined by a plethora of underclassmen, as TMB athletes will be looking to build on last year’s season.
“We’re really heavy-ended on the junior high side, which is now called C-squad,” TMB coach Heather Kamrud-Rice said. “We have a really good group coming up; we’ve got some really strong tenth-graders coming in.”
The one senior girl is Linaye Odom, a hurdler and sprinter. Odom and RaeLynnn Schreier are both coming into the season with fast times, Kamrud-Rice said.
“It’s young experience,” she said. “Linaye really started clicking with the hurdles last year — it was her ability to attack (the hurdles) instead of jumping over them. She was attacking the hurdles so well at the end of the season. I’m really excited to see what she’s going to do as our only senior girl.”
Kamrud-Rice said senior Tyler Arnold will be one to watch as well. Arnold, who recently committed to run track at St. John’s, has been with the program since the seventh grade.
“He’s done literally everything for us,” Kamrud-Rice said. “He’s done every event except the two-mile. The last couple years, he’s been almost a relay specialist. Now it’s his time to shine. We really want to focus on his individual events.”
The other seniors are Eli Lightfoot, Hunter Ostgard, Adam Hippe and Damian Crooks.
Kamrud-Rice’s all-important assistants this spring are former collegiate distance runner Mitchell Buerkle, Alicia Swenhaugen, Nikki Hippe, Brita Fricke and Brittany Peterson. Cade and Aidan Swenhaugen — both state participants a year ago — will also lend their expertise to the team this year.
Kamrud-Rice said the growth of the program has coincided with the revival of the school’s cross country program.
“Last year was the most cross country runners that we’ve had in a long time,” she said.
The Panthers open the season at an indoor meet in Mankato on March 21, followed by another on March 28.
2026 TMB TRACK AND FIELD ROSTER BOYS Seniors: Tyler Arnold, Adam Hippe, Baw Ray Htoo, Eli Lightfoot, Hunter Ostgaard Juniors: Talon Brinkley, Ismael Reyes, Ty Yackley Sophomores: Owen Beier, Xander Brinkley, Braeden Connor, Sam Lightfoot, Owen Maguire, Braden Morgan, Auden Ortiz, Joah Schmidt, Karson Schneider, Triston Whitehorse Freshmen: Myles Moua, Benito Ortiz Eighth-graders: Adam Boice, Gage Caron, Andrew Hippe, Cayden Lakings, Cameron Marten, Lane Peterson, Trajan Swanjord, Chanse Swenhaugen, Cassius Vang Seventh-graders: Bennett Bangasser, Troy Beier, Max Hall, Javin Knott, Joseph Rocha,
Gatlin Struchen, Jared Swenhaugen, Emmit Yackley, Wyatt Yackley
GIRLS Seniors: Linaye Odom Juniors: Makayla Erickson, Payton Daniels, Lauren Knakmuhs, Kolbie Lanners, Brooke Swenhaugen Sophomores: Calie Johns, Elsie Knott, Avaya Sagmoe, RaeLynn Schreier,
Gacelynn Strichen, Ava Swenhaugen Freshmen: Avery Anderson, Clara Buyck, Elizabeth Buyck, Aishwarya Moua, Emmarie Ripley, Jayda Snyder Eighth-graders: Mckenzie Erickson, Stella Munson, Avery Otto Seventh-graders: Alexis Dahmes, Hayden Danielson, Kerrigan Knapper, Ava Lightfoot, Julia Moua, Harper Landuyt, Braya Schreier, Chelsea Torkelson
RETURNING TMB BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD LETTERWINNERS are, front, from left: Xander Brinkley, Tyler Arnold, Noah Schmidt, Owen Beier, Adam Hippe. Back, from left: Karson Schneider, Samuel Lightfoot, Eli Lightfoot, Ty Yackley, Owen Maguire, Braden Morgan, Hunter Ostgaard, Myhlez Moua.
LINAYE ODOM is the lone female senior on this year’s TMB track and field team. Tracy Area Headlight Herald file photo
