WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – West Liberty University standouts Ky'Ara Ross and Isaac Tavo are set to compete this week at the NCAA Division II Track and Field National Championships, hosted at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colorado.
Ross, a sophomore long jumper, will compete on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the long jump finals following a breakout season. She captured the Mountain East Conference (MEC) outdoor title with a school-record leap of 6.13 meters and dominated the indoor season as well, setting both a program and conference record with a 5.94-meter jump.
"After coming off a phenomenal indoor season, I felt like there was still more work to be done," said Ross. "I achieved many of my goals during indoor, but my season wasn't over. I shifted my focus to new, tougher goals for outdoor, and it's crazy to say I've come close to accomplishing almost all of them. My mindset was to stay consistent and build off what I did indoors—but aim for an even better outcome."
Ross also competed at the indoor national championships in February, gaining valuable experience on the national stage.
"I don't know if competing at indoor nationals gives me an advantage, but it definitely helped me get used to the atmosphere of going up against the best in the country," she said. "There'll be a lot of returners and new faces at outdoor nationals, but we're all chasing the same goal—seeing who can jump the farthest. I'm confident I'll have a better outcome this time around. I just need to stay motivated and consistent."
Tavo, who will compete in the discus finals on Friday at 7 p.m., has also emerged as a dominant force this season. He earned his spot at nationals after a record-breaking performance at the WVU Last Chance Meet on May 10, where he unleashed a 54.56-meter throw—smashing his own school record and climbing to 16th in the national rankings.
Earlier this spring, Tavo also set a then-record of 51.37 meters at the Marty Goldberg Gator Invite, showing steady improvement throughout the season.
"I'm happy with how this season has gone," Tavo said. "I had a few minor injuries, but thanks to our athletic training staff, I recovered quickly. Making it to outdoor nationals has always been a goal of mine. Throwing is a family thing for us—I've got a friendly rivalry going with my brother, who throws at FIU. I've put in the work during practice and in the weight room, and I know I'm ready to compete at a high level this Friday."
Head coach Jason Falvo expressed pride in both athletes and their representation of West Liberty on the national stage.
"We couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to compete at the Outdoor National Championships," Falvo said. "Isaac and Ky'Ara have remained disciplined in their preparation and have found great success this season. Like any journey, there have been highs and lows, but they've handled them all with resilience. They're quiet leaders whose actions speak louder than words—and that kind of leadership is contagious. I'm incredibly proud of them and believe they're ready for a great showing."
