2012-13 Track & Field Coaches and Schedule
A little about the coaches Head coach Jim Helmer has been coaching for 33 seasons now as the Cross Country and Men's track coach. Jim Helmer is graduated from Southwestern College in 1971, Helmer became track and cross country coach at Winfield High School. In the fall of 1978, Helmer returned to Southwestern College with the mind set of changing the program of cross country and track to a competitive team in the conference.
Helmer has been named KCAC Cross Country Coach of the Year 30 times, KCAC Men's Track Coach of the Year 29 times, NAIA District 10 Cross Country Coach of the Year 1984-1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1993, NAIA District 10 Track Coach of the Year 1983-1991, 1993, and 1994, and NAIA Area Three Track Coach of the Year 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, and for cross country in 1992 and 1993. He was also named NAIA Great Plains Region Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1994, NAIA Region IV in 2000, 2005, and 2007, Region IV Indoor Track Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007, and 2008, and Region IV Outdoor Track Coach of the Year in 2007.
Some information on coach T.J. Harris, he is on his fourth season as the Field events coach for Southwestern College. Harris was coaching for seven years before he came to Southwestern. Harris also graduated at Southwestern College, he was undefeated in the KCAC in both long and high jump. He has also coached two national champions and 14 All Americans. Every season coach Harris has at least one conference champion.
Mike Kirkland will be beginning his 19th year as Head Women's Track and Field coach and his 31st year of coaching at Southwestern College. Kirkland graduated from Southwestern College in 1982. Kirkland was a record holder of the 440-yard and the 4x100 meter relay teams, and competed in the National Championships each of his two seasons for SC. Kirkland took over the men's and women's sprint and relay program in 1982.
Coach Kirkland has been named KCAC Women's Track "Coach of the Year" 14 times, including 11 consecutive. He was also named NAIA Region IV "Coach of the Year" four times. Kirkland's athletes have won 270 individual and 62 relay titles in KCAC Championship meets and have been named All-KCAC a total of 397 times. SC sprinters have raced to 15 individual and 11 relay records in KCAC, NAIA District 10, and NAIA Mid-States Championship meets. His women have swept the 4x100 and 4x400 relay titles at the conference meet, 11 of the past 12 years, and a Lady-Builder has been named the KCAC "Most Valuale Athlete" a total of 15 times, since 1989. Coach Kirkland serves as Southwestern's Director of Athletics from 2003-2009. Mike Kirkland was inducted into the Southwestern College Athletics Hall of Fame in November 2010.
Women's Track and Field is listed below:
Indoor Track and Field:
| January |
| | 26 | | UCO Invitational @ O.U. | Norman, Okla |
| February |
| | 1 | | MSSU Lion Invitational @ Missouri Southern Univ. | Joplin, Mo. |
| | 2 | | MSSU Lion Invitational @ Missouri Southern Univ. | Joplin, Mo. |
| * | 8 | | KCAC Indoor Championships @ K.S.U. | Manhattan, Kan. |
| * | 9 | | KCAC Indoor Championships @ K.S.U. | Manhattan, Kan. |
| | 15 | | Nebraska Tune-up Meet | Lincoln, NE |
| | 16 | | K-State Open | Manhattan, KS |
| | 28 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
| March |
| | 1 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
| | 2 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
2013 Women's Outdoor Track & Field Schedule
| March |
| | 14 | | Southwestern College Invitational | Winfield, Kan. |
| | 29 | | Friends Invitational | Wichita, Kan. |
| | 30 | | Cowley Tiger Invitational | Arkansas City, Kan. |
| April |
| | 6 | | Emporia State Relays | Emporia, Kan. |
| | 13 | | PSU Gorilla Invitational | Pittsburg, Kan. |
| | 17 | | Tabor Invitational | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| | | | CCC Dean Pryor Invitational | Coffeyville, Kan. |
| | 18 | | KU Relays | Lawrence, Kan. |
| | 27 | | SC Relays | Winfield, Kan. |
| May |
| * | 2 | | KCAC Outdoor Championships | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| * | 3 | | KCAC Outdoor Championships | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| | 11 | | ESU Spring Twilight Last Chance Meet | Emporia, Kan. |
| | 23 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
| | 24 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
| | 25 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
The Men's Track and Field is listed below:
Men's Indoor Track and Field
| January |
| 26 | | UCO Invitational | Norman, Okla |
| February |
| 1 | | MSSU Lion Invitational | Joplin, Mo. |
| 2 | | MSSU Lion Invitational | Joplin, Mo. |
| * | 8 | | KCAC Indoor Championships | Manhattan, Kan. |
| * | 9 | | KCAC Indoor Championships | Manhattan, Kan. |
| 15 | | Last Chance Meet | Manhattan, Kan. |
| 28 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
| March |
| 1 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
| 2 | | NAIA National Indoor Championships | Geneva, Ohio |
2013 Men's Outdoor Track & Field Schedule:
| March |
| 14 | | Southwestern College Invitational | Winfield, Kan. |
| 29 | | Friends Invitational | Wichita, Kan. |
| 30 | | Cowley Tiger Invitational | Arkansas City, Kan. |
| April |
| 6 | | Emporia State Relays | Emporia, Kan. |
| 13 | | PSU Gorilla Invitational | Pittsburg, Kan. |
| 17 | | Tabor Invitational | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| | | CCC Dean Pryor Invitational | Coffeyville, Kan. |
| 18 | | KU Relays | Lawrence, Kan. |
| 27 | | SC Relays | Winfield, Kan. |
| May |
| * | 2 | | KCAC Outdoor Championships | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| * | 3 | | KCAC Outdoor Championships | Hillsboro, Kan. |
| 11 | | ESU Spring Twilight Last Chance Meet | Emporia, Kan. |
| 23 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
| 24 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
| 25 | | NAIA National Outdoor Championships | Marion, Ind. |
